Dr. Nurudeen Adekunle, a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at Ogun State Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta, has denied allegations of slapping a male nursing student, explaining that he merely asked the student to leave the operating theatre due to alleged rude behavior.
The accusation led to a protest by the state chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, who demanded disciplinary action against Adekunle.
Adekunle has labelled the claims as unfounded, stating that there was no physical confrontation. He clarified, “During a surgical procedure, I took some time to teach both medical and nursing students present. At that moment, a male nursing student behaved disrespectfully, which he later claimed was a joke. I corrected him, emphasising the importance of respecting senior professionals.”
He further explained that his interaction with the student was intended as a disciplinary measure and did not involve any physical aggression. “I placed my hand on his shoulder as I asked him to leave but released him shortly after. Days later, I started hearing false rumours that I slapped him, which is not true,” Adekunle said, denouncing the spread of misinformation.
Addressing additional reports, Adekunle noted that some accounts inaccurately claimed he slapped a female nurse. He clarified that the student involved was a 21-year-old male, adding, “I aimed to correct him for his mistake but did not resort to slapping.”
Dr. Luqman Ogunjimi, Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association in Ogun State, supported Adekunle’s version of events, describing the situation as exaggerated and confirming there was no evidence of a physical altercation.