The Chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission, Prof. Tunji Olaopa, has described urologists as mediators in a tribute to Prof. Olayiwola Shittu as he turns 70 on Wednesday August 5 and retires from the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan
Shittu is a renowned consultant Urologist and Professor of Surgery at the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan.
In a statement titled “Prof. Olayiwola Shittu: Celebrating the Urologist as a Mediator at 70”, Olaopa on Monday described Shittu as a brother and friend who is widely respected for his expertise in prostrate cancer, reconstructive urology, and surgical outcomes in resource-constrained environments, and that he has devoted his career to advancing urology care while mentoring generations of young surgeons .
To Olaopa, the significance of Shittu’s work becomes clearer when one considers the severe shortage of urologists in Nigeria. Stressing this, Olaopa said: “The scarcity places enormous responsibility on specialists like Prof. Shittu, whose expertise serves patients across every stage of life .Yet perhaps nowhere is the value of the urologist more evident than in the care of the elderly. In many respects therefore, the urologist becomes a mediator in later life-a physician who stands between disease and dignity, between physical decline and restored confidence, between anxiety and hope.”
According to Olaopa, through the management of prostrate diseases, uninary disorders, erectile dysfunction, and other age-related genitourinary conditions, Shittu has helped countless elderly patients regain not merely their health but also their sense of self-worth.
” Indeed, for many older adults, urinary disorders are not merely medical problems, they are social and psychological burdens. Loss of bladder control often leads to embarrassment, withdrawal from social life, and diminished self-esteem. Through careful diagnosis and surgical interventions where necessary, Prof. Shittu and his colleagues are celebrated all over for as long as I can remember for restoring not only bodily function, but confidence and dignity to thousands of people”, he said.
Beyond the clinical dimensions, according to Olaopa, Shittu has been interfacing between couples in the preservation of intimacy at old age. “That makes him at once an evangelist and a caregiver who gives force to the truth that growing old does not have to diminish the human need for affection, companionship, and emotional connection. Unfortunately, conditions such as erectile dysfunction, prostate disease, hormonal changes, and chronic illnesses frequently create emotional distance between elderly couples. Shame, anxiety, and misconceptions often silence conversations that should instead be guided with compassion.
” It is in this light that I celebrate my dear friend and brother, Prof. Shittu, for your years of patriotic dedication in exemplary and selfless public service to our fatherland. In so doing, you bridge not only gap between illness and recovery, but also the gap between couples separated by the emotional consequences of aging. Through patient education, counseling, appropriate medical therapies, and referrals to other specialists when necessary, you have helped elderly couples rediscover new ways of expressing love, companionship, and closeness despite the challenges of aging”, he stated.
Olaopa added: ” In celebrating Prof. Shittu, we honor more than the exceptional urologist. We celebrate a physician whose calling transcends the operating theatre – a healer, teacher, counselor, and mediator whose service continues to improve the lives of countless Nigerians and as one whose legacy will endure in both medicine and priceless services to humanity.”