Ameyo Adadevoh

Ameyo Stella Adadevoh, OON (27 October 1956 – 19 August 2014) was a Nigerian physician.

She is credited with having curbed a wider spread of the Western African Ebola virus epidemic in Nigeria by placing the patient zero, Patrick Sawyer, in quarantine despite pressure from the Liberian government. When threatened by Liberian officials who wanted the patient to be discharged to attend a conference, she resisted the pressure and said, "for the greater public good" she would not release him. She is known for preventing the Nigerian index case from leaving the hospital at the time of diagnosis, thereby playing a key role in curbing the spread of the virus in Nigeria. On 4 August 2014, it was confirmed that she had tested positive for Ebola virus disease and was being treated. Adadevoh died in the afternoon of 19 August 2014. was one of the founders of modern Nigeria. Her grandfather was from the Adadevoh family of the Volta Region of Ghana, to which she was very much connected, though she lived in Lagos. Her father Babatunde Kwaku Adadevoh was a physician and former Vice chancellor of the University of Lagos. as well as a great-great-granddaughter of Sarah Forbes Bonetta and a great-great-great-granddaughter of Ajayi Crowther. Adadevoh worked at First Consultant Hospital, where a statue of her great-grandfather exists.

Education Adadevoh went to preschool at the Mainland Preparatory Primary School in Yaba, Lagos (1961–1962). She spent two years in Boston, Massachusetts before moving back with her family to Lagos. She attended primary school at the Corona School, Yaba in Lagos, Nigeria (1964–1968), then the Queen's School, Ibadan (1969–1974) Nigeria for her secondary school education.

Adadevoh graduated from the University of Lagos College of Medicine with a MBBS degree. She served her one-year mandatory housemanship at Lagos University Teaching Hospital in 1981. She spent her residency at Lagos University Teaching Hospital and obtained her West African College of Physicians credential in 1983. She then went to London to complete her fellowship in endocrinology at Hammersmith Hospital. She spent 21 years at the First Consultants Medical Center in Lagos, Nigeria. There, she served as the Lead Consultant Physician and Endocrinologist.

Work with swine flu Adadevoh was the first to alert the Nigerian Ministry of Health when H1N1 spread to Nigeria in 2012. Adadevoh led the team that oversaw Sawyer's treatment. Adadevoh also kept him at the hospital despite receiving a request from the Liberian ambassador to release him. She also provided staff with relevant information about the virus, procured protective gear and quickly contacted relevant officials. As a result of her report, the Nigerian government declared a national public health emergency and the Nigerian Ministry of Health set up an Ebola Emergency Operations Center. WHO declared Nigeria to be Ebola-free on 20 October 2014.

Marriage and children Ameyo Adadevoh married Afolabi Emmanuel Cardoso on 26 April 1986. The couple had one son, Bankole Cardoso. Her body was decontaminated and cremated by the government. Her family obtained her ashes and held a private interment ceremony while upholding the funeral rites also on 12 September 2014, in Lagos. The film was directed by Steve Gukas. On 27 October 2018, she was honoured with a Google Doodle posthumously on what would have been her 62nd birthday.

In February 2020, a road was named after Adadevoh in Abuja, Nigeria's capital city. The road "Ameyo Adadevo Way" is directly linked to Ahmadu Bello Way, one of Abuja's major and longest roads. This is one of the first efforts made by the Nigerian government to honour her valuable contribution to the country in the last weeks of her life.

In 2017, a College of Health Sciences female hostel in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Bayero University, Kano was named in her honour.

Honors and awards Awards Year Given By Posthumous Rotary Award 3 October 2014 Rotary Club of Abuja-Metro National and Community Service Award 5 October 2014 Trinity House Church Honorary Doctorate Degree: Doctor of Letters, Honouris Causa 11 October 2014 Baze University Nollywood Humanity Award 18 October 2014 Nollywood Movies Awards Arise Award 25 October 2014 Redeemed Christian Church of God Posthumous Award 3 November 2014 Women in Management, Business Organizations and Public Service (WIMBIZ) Exemplary Leadership Award 12 November 2014 Pathcare Laboratories Distinguished Service Award 15 November 2014 Guild of Medical Directors FCT Abuja Commemorative Plaque 19 November 2014 Nigerian American Medical Foundation Nigeria's Hero of the Year Award 30 November 2014 The Sun Awards 2014 SEC Integrity Award 1 December 2014 Security and Exchange Commission Number 1 Humanitarian Everyone Should Know About (2014) 11 December 2014 International Medical Corps UK Woman Who Shaped 2014 22 December 2014 The Guardian Number 1 Global Thinker of 2014 23 December 2014 Lo Spazio della Politica Leading Woman of 2014 23 December 2014 CNN Person of The Year 2014 31 December 2014 Ekekeee Nigerian of the Year Award 4 January 2015 National Infinity Magazine Honorary Doctorate Degree: Doctor of Science, Honouris Causa 17 January 2015 National Open University of NigeriaFirst Woman 11 March 2015 First Bank of NigeriaOfficer of the Order of the Niger (OON) 11 October 2022 Federal Republic of Nigeria