The twentieth annual B.O Osuntokun memorial lecture held today, 7 January 2019 at Emeritus Professor Theophilus Ogunlesi Hall, University College Hospital, Ibadan. The lecture with the theme, “Brain Paradox: Knowledge about Nothing/ Nothing about Knowledge” was delivered by Dr. Tony Marinho (Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist).
A paradox is a premise that contradicts itself. It’s a situation that seems to defy logic by producing an inconsistency that goes against common sense. Most logical paradoxes are known to be invalid arguments. However, they are still valuable for promoting critical thinking and sometimes proving a point by contradiction. Teasing your mind and question everything you think you know makes for greater intellectual activity. Indeed, the more you examine things the more you discover paradoxes around you.
The brain is a beautiful beast and a wonderful weapon capable of creating and capable of destroying. The power of the brain is endless, capable of generating millions of thoughts in milliseconds. The brain does not observe an object or circumstance twice and produces the same reaction, it always come up with different perspectives.
There are a number of brain paradoxes that occur around us, these paradoxes affect our medical and social lifestyles, and that of people around us. It is a paradox that the brain that makes the life of a man miserable is also the same brain that makes the life of another a honey pot.
Depression, one of the leading menaces in our society has been linked in majority of people to being bullied at a very young age and this tends to linger on in their life ever after. Bullying resides in one of the important area of the brain, the hippocampus. It’s paradoxical that this hippocampus that takes someone down with a little hiss can also elevate another to a high status with cuddle and sweet words.
Another of the brain paradox is how easy it is for us to make enemy with strangers whom we know nothing of and become friendly towards them because they are close with our friends. The brain is the most powerful weapon known to man; it is both divine and devilish. It has known love and lust quickly adding over the years cunning and killing. It discovered Nobel’s dynamite and Einstein’s nuclear fission.
The Benjamin Oluwakayode Osuntokun memorial lecture has been holding for the past 20 years to commemorate the achievements and memories of late Professor Benjamin Oluwakayode Osuntokun who lived a short life of 62years. He was a Chief Medical Director (CMD), and Professor of Neurology among other things.
The annual memorial lecture saw in attendance many dignitaries which include Professor Temitope Alonge (CMD UCH), Professor Olaopa (Provost COM UI), Professor Kale, Professor Ikeoluwa Lagunju (HOD Paediatrics Department), Professor Ogunniyi (Consultant Neurology), Members of the Osuntokun Family and lots more.
The program was chaired by Professor Oluwole Akande, Emeritus Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The program also had the award of the Osuntokun prize for best in Medicine in the 2014 set to Dr. Chukudi Ikechukuwu Roland.
The program was rounded off by vote of thanks from the first grandchild of the Osuntokun family, Dr. Olamide Ifaturoti and a closing prayer.
BY TIJANI ADIAT