UBOMI: FAITH IN WORK CLOTHES

I first met Mrs Sowari Akosionu over 12 years ago, when I began reporting to her as my line manager. She was warm, approachable, and easy to work with from the start, and as our working relationship grew, we became like family. Over the years, I have watched her compassion, dedication, tenacity, and sharp sagacity in dealing with people and challenges. So when I learned she was serving as Chairperson of the Partnerships and Communications Sub-Committee for UBOMI 2026, I didn’t need much convincing about the initiative. I instinctively knew her presence meant it was tied to a greater cause. “Chieche, people are living with treatable conditions that become terminal because they have no money to go hospital,” she told me when I probed further about what UBOMI does. I have seen people defer treatment and watch manageable conditions deteriorate simply because they could not afford the cost. In Nigeria, falling ill can be frightening, not just because of the illness itself, but because of the cost. Without an HMO or some form of health insurance, a hospital visit can become a financial nightmare. You are suddenly thinking about how to pay while wondering what happens to the other needs at home. Derived from a Xhosa word meaning “life,” UBOMI is the Pistis Foundation’s free medical and surgical outreach. Since its inception in 2019, it has provided more than 48,700 medical interventions -general and complex surgeries, eye care, dental procedures, laboratory screenings, medication, and other essential treatments. But beyond the numbers are thousands of individual stories of people who lived with pain, poor eyesight, or untreated illness simply because they could not afford the cost of care. For many, UBOMI is a lease of life. A chance to live, to get treatment, to regain their health and dignity. The initiative has also expanded beyond Lagos, reaching Abuja and Ibadan, and extending medical interventions to inmates at the Kirikiri Correctional Facility. That kind of reach speaks to an understanding that healthcare should meet people wherever the need exists, including in the places society is most tempted to forget. And this is where Godman Akinlabi, Global Lead Pastor of The Elevation Church and Board Chair of the Pistis Foundation deserves commendation. Few leaders manage to translate conviction into infrastructure the way he has. Under his stewardship, UBOMI has grown from a well-meaning gesture into a disciplined, replicable system – one that mobilises medical professionals, volunteers, partners, and resources with some vigor. That takes vision, organisation, and the humility to build something bigger than any one pulpit. It is one thing to preach compassion; it is another to build a system that turns compassion into measurable impact. That distinction matters a lot. Nigeria’s healthcare challenges are enormous, and no single church, foundation, or individual can solve them alone. But initiatives like UBOMI remind us that government does not have to be the only actor in addressing the problems around us. Churches, corporations, wealthy individuals, and other institutions can all play a meaningful role. Chiechefulam Ikebuiro, chiechefulamikebuiro@gmail.com