Bennet Omalu, Nigerian doctor initially named a failure, wins US highest medical award
Bennet Omalu, a 48-year-old Nigerian doctor, who was the first person in the world to identify, describe and name Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), has been awarded the highest medical award in the United States.
After discovering CTE in Max Webster, one of the best American footballers in his days, Omalu presented a paper on his findings, addressing the National Football League, but met stiff opposition.
The NFL’s Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI) Committee later called for the retraction of Omalu’s paper in May 2006, calling his work a failure, and describing it as completely wrong.
But Omalu, who was born in Nnokwa, Idemili South, Anambra state, in September 1968, was eventually justified, with his discovery changing the face of American football, for which he was initially ridiculed.
Presenting the award to Omalu, earlier in November, Andrew Gurman, the president of the American Medical Association (AMA), said Omalu is without question, the winner of the distinguished service award.
“Only two awards are mentioned in the AMA by-laws; one is the distinguised service award, which is presented to a member of the association for meritorious service in the art and science of medicine; it is our highest award,” Gurman said.
“Without question, this year’s recipient of the distinguished service award, advance both the science and the art of medicine. In 2002, he found substantial brain damage, during the autopsy of a 50-year-old former centre for the Pittsburg Steelers.
“Subsequently, he identified chronic brain damage, as a major factor in the death of other professional athletes, particularly football players. He called the disease Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy or CTE.
“Despite considerable ridicule from those profiting from athletic contest,he prevailed. Today, CTE is widely accepted as a clinical . The recipient of this year’s distinguished service award is Dr Bennet Omalu.”
Delivering his acceptance speech before the AMA house of delegates, Omalu said what he found out with CTE, that science and faith actually go together.
“I discovered that science and faith actually go together, because, science and faith seek the truth, and there can only be one truth. Truth is truth; truth doesn’t have a perspective, or a side.
“Faith seeks the common truth that science seeks, so faith and science synergise with each other. That is why I am standing before you today.
“In practising the humanity of your faith and the humanity of your science, you must seek the truth and stand with the truth, because come what may, the truth will always prevail, it may take a long time.”
Omalu attended the Federal Government College, Enugu, before moving to University of Nigeria, Nsukka, at 16, bagging his a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) at 22.
He also has a masters of business administration (MBA) from Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University.
Nigerians are Proud of you Dr Bennet, congratulations
We give thanks to God for granting Dr. Bennet the patience and the courage to pull this discovery through. We are really proud of him and are therefore encouraged to be positive without any regards to overwhelming obstacles if we believe in what we are doing.
Nwa-afor Igbo! Doing us pride. No quota system restriction. No Federal Character! No 97% vs 5%.
Take a look at the world bank VPs:
From NOI to Ezekwesili to Oteh to Sandie Okoro.
Nigeria can progress only when they review these obnoxious policies and allow for excellence!
Kali, their is no need for Igbo jingoism here. We should all be proud for this singular achievement by a Nigerian. Even the writer of this story is not Igbo. Many Nigerians occupy positions of responsibility here in the US. We don’t distinguish among ourselves from an ethnic point of view. It’s high time the younger generation stop this divisive stance.
Congratulations to Dr. Omalu for a well-deserved prize. He was maligned by quackery doctors hired by the powerful NFL to denigrate his work, but his discovery withstood the test of time.
Pathetic response. I know someone with a shallow mind will eventually pain this in ethnic colours. God help us!
Congrats Omalu. Keep representing Nigeria well
Brilliant pathology. Comments at the AMA award asserting supremacy of Faith in truth is the reason for Dr Omlu’s next Noble award on Neuro necrotic factors. Go doc.
When I saw the movie “#Concussion”, which was an adaptation of the life of Bennet and his struggles to bring the dangers of CTE on American Football players, I knew right away that he was on to sonethinh really big and after all the political maneuvering by the football association has simmered down, the world would come to its senses and acknowledge his contributions, I am glad they did with this well deserved award.
I would equally say a big thank you to #WillSmith, for accepting to take the role in the movie and using his celebrity status to shine a big light on CTE, because quite frankly Bennet’s publications in medical journals might just have stayed buried in there. Finally, a big congratulations to all the #socialnnovators out there, keep up the good fight, disrupt an industry with your ideas. And regardless of your #color or #creed the world would eventually be forced to take notice.
Great job. Congratulations. Big lesson learned: No matter how people critisize you or ridicule you for what you did or didnt do. Stand fast and believe in yourself
Congratulations Bennett! I’m glad you made it at last. I’m sharing your success story and encouraging my young doctor son whose main mission of studying medicine was to make a discovery.
With your breakthrough, there is hope for even the unborn generation, if they want to…
Congrats Doc! Continue to make all of us proud! Your achievement is well deserved and thanks for projecting Nigerias image in this positive dimension!!!