Mrs Titilola Turton is an accomplished US-based Nigerian Nurse who has distinguished herself in the Nursing profession in the US. She turned 60 recently and she celebrated it abroad. She came home a few days ago for the 2022 Ojude Oba Festival in Ijebu-Ode. She is a valued member of her Regberegbe (Age Grade Group). She is the Otun Iyalode Gbobaniyi (Olanrewaju) Akile Ijebu. So, it was an exciting moment for her to again celebrate her 60th birthday with family and friends at her family house in Ijebu-Ode.
During the ceremony, City People asked her how she feels at 60. She smiled. “I feel great,” she said. “I feel happy that I am alive, and I am able to celebrate 60 today, with my family and friends, although I have already celebrated it in the U.S. But I believe, I have to come back to my root, because family is very important to me. That is why I said to myself that whenever I come home I will celebrate with my family and friends.”
How did she celebrate it in the US? She said she started by worshipping at the Catholic Church because her husband is a Catholic and she is a devoted Catholic herself. “Before that, in June 2022, I went to Jerusalem. That was the utmost thing I said I wanted to do, in life. So, I was able to go to Jerusalem to celebrate and thank God. And then, I celebrated by going to Catholic Church. After that, I celebrated with my friends and family and my OLA Old students were well represented, both from US, Nigeria & Canada. And also my Nigerian Nursing Association where I am one of the Board members in North America, they were all represented and also my Ijebu Alare Association in Chicago try to make sure we are one family. I really appreciate it when everybody comes around and friends and family get together.”
“I want to thank my husband, because he is not somebody that is really, really out there. But he allows me to do whatever I want to do. I really want to thank him, because whenever I tell him I want to do something, he will just ask me: do you have the energy, and the capacity to do it? And he will bless you with it and that is it”. So, why are people gathered here today in your family house in Ijebu today? “I am the Otun Iyalode of Egbe Gbobaniyi (Olanrewaju) Obinrin, Akile Ijebu. Today, I am hosting the Egbe. Today is our meeting. I am hosting them, for the meeting and I am hosting them to celebrate my 60th birthday with me.”
We asked her to tell us about her Nursing career. She has risen to the very top and she has bagged a chain of degrees and post-graduate degrees. Why did she take Nursing as her professional career? Why did she decide to do several courses?
She smiles. “Actually, I was not meant to be a Nurse. I will tell you that. I have my first degree in Accounting. But when I saw the passion people put into it abroad I decided to join. Nursing wasn’t interesting in Nigeria. If I was still in Nigeria, I will never be a Nurse.” Why did she say so? “It’s because they are not being treated well and it is considered as a course for dropouts. When I first got to the U.S I worked in a company and they said oh, they have a shortage of Nurses, who wants to do it? I went to my husband and told him I want to be a Nurse. He said you mean from Accounting to Nursing? I said Yes. The way I see the passion that is put into it and the respect that they give to Nurses over there, I think I like it and I want to join. A nurse is on the same pedestal with a doctor, as long as you know what you are doing.”
“That is why I changed to be a Nurse because the passion was there. Then number 2, it is very flexible, if you want to raise your kids because you can work any shift. You don’t have to do a 9 am to 5 pm job. That is why I went into Nursing.”
“And I believe in one philosophy. What is worth doing is worth doing well. I started with the lowest of the nursing cadre because I don’t know it. I started with the Associate in Nursing because I didn’t know Nursing. From there, I did my bachelor’s and then master’s. I am supposed to do my doctorate. But if you do that you will have to start teaching. But I put my passion in the primary health care system. That is my major area because I am the chair of our medical mission in US and North American-Nigerian Nurses. We want to bring whatever that we are taught back home. And it has worked for us. With that, we’re able to renovate 4 primary health centres from the scratch. We picked Ogun State, Edo State, Abia State and Imo State. Those are the 4 pilot programmes and they are working very well. I want to thank all the communities for accepting us to come and help them to renovate these health centres.”
If she is to reflect on her life, What are her fulfillments and the unforgettable?
My fulfillments are that most of the things I wished to do in life have been touched one way or the other and I am happy with the result. I always say do the best and leave the rest to God. I elevate others, work with people of different diverse backgrounds and doing a health mission to educate the community on preventable diseases, and teach them how to manage their health.
How would she describe her childhood?
“I was born into a polygamous family and Muslim and I am number 8 out of 10. In my house, you can not tell the difference we are all together. Thank God for our parents for a job well done and our father does not force any religion on you as long as you are serving God.”
“My secondary school days at Our Lady Of Apostles, Ijebu Ode can not be forgotten. That is where you are moulded into part of your foundation today. They teach you how to conduct yourself in society, morally with fear of God. You can see am now a Catholic by faith. Am a registered Nurse (RN) with a Master’s in Nursing and an Administrator. of over 25yrs in Nursing and background with Accounting with BSC. I started my elementary school at St. Paul Breadfruit School on Lagos Island. I attended Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School Ijebu-Ode and Ogun State Polytechnic for my OND in Accounting.
I travelled to the USA for further studies in my education. I received BSc in Accounting from North Eastern IL University in Chicago. Later I changed my career to Nursing due to my passion to care for others and improve the health of the community, which I have made a successful career in over 25yrs. I had a BSc in Nursing from Governor State University, Illinois, MSN Masters in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in Arizona. Concentration in Leadership and Administration. I worked as a Nursing Supervisor Administrator. I received my Associate in Nursing at Kennedy King College Chicago. I later obtained my Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in Arizona.
As a founding member of ANNNA, who inspired her or who motivated her in doing great work to support her people back home in health facilities?
“What inspired me to start Nigerian Nurses Association in Illinois is as a result of working in the hospital and seeing how nurses from different ethnic groups Filipinos, Mexicans, and Jamaicans work together, elevate each other, support each other and their community and how they can help people back home was very impressive. That made me to want to do the same too. I approached some nurses to brainstorm on its workability, but I was told it can never be successful in Nigeria. That really gave me the thirst to start because I don’t take NO for any answer until it has been proven to be so, but thanks be to God we are flourishing well. Nanna came into existence to battle Domestic Violence. When some Nigerian Nurses were killed by their husbands in the US few of Nigerian Nurses Organization came to address the issue to do a root cause analysis of the issue, rub minds together and see how we can promote the image of nurses both in the US and back in Nigeria to give back to our family back home.”
As Otun Iyalode of Gbobaniyi age grade, what is she looking towards to do for the development of the community?
“As Otun Iyalode of Egbe Gbobaniyi Olanrewaju Akile Ijebu 1962-1964, and as a group, we need to be Transparent, Honest and pick a project that can benefit and uplift Ijebu people and Ijebu Land and also supports our members and educates each other. All Regberegbe need to be charged with a project to improve Ijebuland. Not just showing up at Ojude Oba alone. The Regberegbes need to see how to make Ojude Oba a revenue generation project to be used to improve Ijebuland.
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