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By Ayo Kehinde
Nigeria’s former head of state, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, has become the target of viral reactions on social media following his appearance in promotional materials by an Indian hospital following knee replacement surgery at the facility.
The video, which has gone viral on social media, shows Nigeria’s former military head of state and current chairman of the pro-democracy National Peace Committee receiving treatment at Krishna Shalby Hospital in Ahmedabad, India, including footage of him walking and undergoing rehabilitation exercises after the procedure.
The hospital used images and videos of Abdulsalami’s recovery to promote its services to international patients, highlighting the treatment as an example of its healthcare offering.
In an Instagram post on Monday, the Indian hospital said Vice President Kashim Shettima visited the facility and met with management to discuss Abdulsalami’s progress and well-being.
The hospital described the visit as a reflection of “growing confidence in Indian healthcare” and its commitment to treating patients from across the world.
When patients travel across borders for specialty care, their trust means everything,” the hospital said.
It is not immediately clear whether Abdulsalami’s treatment was fully sponsored by the Nigerian government.
The hospital’s use of Abdulsalami’s treatment in its promotional material has sparked reactions from Nigerians, with some questioning its development against the backdrop of Nigeria’s health challenges.
Activist and presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore shared the promotion video on X, criticizing Nigerian leaders’ continued dependence on foreign healthcare systems despite their years in public service.
“This is former Nigerian head of state, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, used in a hospital advertisement after undergoing knee replacement surgery in India,” Sowore said.
Lawyer Aloy Ejimafor also reacted to the incident, describing the hospital’s use of Abdulsalami’s image as a “diplomatic insult” in a Facebook post.
Reacting to Sowore’s post, an X user identified as R. Moore argued that the question was not necessarily whether Abubakar could afford surgery anywhere in the world, but whether the episode reflected a lack of trust in the healthcare system associated with Nigeria’s political leadership.
R. Moore described the situation as unfortunate for a former leader of a country with Nigeria’s resources and questioned whether it was wise to rely on foreign healthcare after decades of political leadership.
Another contributor, Dr Bak, supported Sowore’s argument, attributing the situation to what the commentator described as decades of underinvestment and negligence in all critical sectors.
Dr Bak described the development as an embarrassment to the ruling class and argued that the country continues to repeat mistakes that have contributed to its development problems.
Similarly, a user X identified as Banilion expanded the debate beyond Abubakar, arguing that Nigeria continues to repeat the mistakes that have kept it behind.
The user called for greater accountability and urged Nigerians to consider the consequences of current decisions for future generations.
Not all reactions, however, supported Sowore’s criticisms. An X user identified as Biodun Adeyanju has disputed the suggestion that Nigerians need to travel abroad to undergo knee replacement surgery.
Adeyanju argued that such procedures are available in Nigeria and are already being performed at tertiary healthcare institutions.
He argued that Nigerians with the financial capacity to travel should have the freedom to choose where to receive medical treatment.
“Not everything is about opposition politics and criticism,” Adeyanju wrote, urging Nigerians to seek information and knowledge before reaching conclusions about the capabilities of the country’s medical institutions.
His speech shifted the debate towards an important question: whether the problem is the lack of medical expertise in Nigeria or patient confidence in the quality, accessibility and reliability of available services.
Joint replacement procedures are performed in Nigerian tertiary hospitals, although access to specialist services, equipment, costs, waiting times and availability of particular procedures vary from institution to institution.
Another X user identified as Akan Mpah urged caution, noting that Abubakar led a transitional military government for about a year before handing power to an elected civilian administration in 1999.
The commentator argued that if Abubakar had chosen to undergo the procedure abroad and paid for it himself, the most controversial issue would not necessarily have been his decision to seek treatment outside Nigeria, but the alleged use of his treatment in advertising foreign hospitals.
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