Tony Eluemunor pays tribute to Monye who introduced Lifestyle Medicine in Nigeria

Some people stand out because they diligently do the good works they

meet in life. But the comely Dr. Ifeoma Monye is way beyond that

group. Some others strive to improve on things and situations; that is

fine, very fine. But Dr. Ify Monye, a mother of two boys and two girls

(just as she wished) and married to the handsome Prof Sylvester Monye,

belongs to another group, rarer, more spectacular, so phenomenal, so

extraordinary, so outstanding, so incredible that they dazzle,

astonish or impress those they meet along the path of life. She thinks

of what does not exist and asks “why not”, then she strives mightily

to bring such non-existent things into being. Yes, Dr. Monye is so

singular, so distinctive, so exceptional.

Like in the case of any hero or heroine, it is easy to notice and

wisecrack that Ify Monye came fully prepared by the Almighty with

all the ingredients for greatness; fiercely focused energy, prodigious

intelligence, marvelous education, and passion not just for Medicine

as a career but for life and the living. There is more; she recognizes

no limits, mocks obstacles and appears imbued with the prodigious

will-power that can achieve anything she sets her mind to. From

sitting in her school-teacher mother’s class, because she was too

young to be enrolled in school, she insisted on taking the promotion

exam. Her mum humoured her by allowing her; she had the best result in

that class one. The average you and I didn’t start school in that

magical way. Ify the athlete? Please forget her petite frame; she

represented her secondary school in Basket Ball, and added Table-Tennis and sprints to it. She has the medals to prove it. And

she did all seemingly effortlessly as though she was riding on the crest of a dream and having some help from the wind. Oh, she

acknowledges such help…from the Almighty!

Turning 60 on Saturday 23 August, 2025, Monye came imbued with the

ideal trinity of virtues — heart, brain and courage — that unmistakable combination that produced the wholesome wife, mother,

careerist, doctor, and reaches beyond such rare heights to crown her with the halo of a consequential innovator even in the age-old

medical profession. And she does what she does with panache and as a service to humanity and God. And she does that whether as a mentor bringing up younger doctors under her tutelage, or taking youths under

her wings to allow Lifestyle Medicine tenets to embrace their souls, or just enhancing the quality of life as people laugh and celebrate

life during her “Dancing with the Doctor” sessions. Her birthday celebration, slated for the iconic and exclusive The Dorchester

(hotel) Park Lane, London from 5:PM on Saturday, August 23, would be a gathering

of top class actors in global Medicine, academics, politics, all walks of life in deed. 

She fully earned the celebration. Everybody knows that to challenge friends or employers in their bristling core beliefs maybe to declare oneself an enemy, to risk ostracism, to call undue attention to oneself. At certain quarters it

requires suicidal recklessness to assert that certain “ogas” have

probably been a bit wrong in the ways they have been administering,

say a reputable institution such as the National Hospital. But such dangers do not dissuade Ify from a quest that should benefit humanity.

Certainly, it sounded unorthodox, sacrilegious and outright profane when Ify Monye suggested that the National Hospital, Abuja, needed

to have a Family Medicine section to serve the people better – over 20

years ago. The naysayers rallied against her…but she won in the end and changed the face of medical practice there…bringing untold

benefits to the Nigerian public even as the hospital’s coffers began to ring louder, also, as more money dropped into the coffers. She

fought that battle, making untold sacrifices, for years. And once she had fully set that department up, new challenges beckoned and she said yes to them like an old sailor harkening to the call of the sea.

Some careerists would waste a lifetime testing themselves to see if they have the courage to engage truthfully with peers within their own

profession, or at least to question what have been revered traditions or admit doubt that ingrained prejudices should be held beyond

question. But with Ify, frontiers of medicine must be expanded and changes must be welcomed. This innovator, recognizes no obstacles and

scorns boundaries of limitations. How and why? Please, don’t ask her because she might not know. Anybody who has studied the idea of the

hero knows that the hero/heroine just knows what to do, and Ify Monye

is a heroine. It is that simple … or even complicated, but that is the

life of a hero/heroine. Thus, just a few years after her return from the U.K, she became convinced that curative medicine alone was a

disservice to Nigeria and that a new way had to be found. She began to task her prodigious brain for answers to questions that never occurred to most of her colleagues. In no time she found her think-alike

doctors out there…and she teamed up with them to introduce to the

world a new branch of medical practice that should benefit her beloved Nigeria, Africa and the globe; LIFESTYLE MEDICINE.

In that fluid milieu, she was the one person chosen from among others in the entire world to give leadership to the practitioners of this

innovative medical practice that was being spelt out, being formed, being defined and was being codified. She was elected President to

lead this global body at its embryonic stage. Here, Dr. Ify Monye has

come unto her own – on the global stage, a local girl that grew up in

Nigeria, studied in Nigeria, went to the United Kingdom for specialization, but returned here to serve her fatherland. She rose

above all the frustrations that have hobbled millions of Nigerians in Nigeria to win world acclaim from…Nigeria!

Here, her courage has paid off as she is showing the medical profession the new way to follow. Courage? Yes, courage suggests a

deeper moral or spiritual dimension — the strength of the heart (Coeur

in French). I’ll explain further: The late American President, John F.

Kennedy, considered courage to be the first, the indispensable virtue;

with courage, he said, anything is possible; without it, nothing. Unlike love, which may be an emotion only, courage must manifest

itself in action. Unless courage actually does something, and does it well, it is just bragging. It was courage that made Ify to represent

her school in almost every sporting event she participated in, and it

was courage that made her insist on introducing changes that are, right before her very eyes, making the world a better place.

In the next 1000 years, students may still marvel at Julius Caesar, Shaka the Zulu, Hannibal, the Greek doctor Hippocrates of Kos (of the Hippocratic Oath, c. 460 – c. 370 BC), the Greek physician and

philosopher of the classical period who is considered one of the most

outstanding figures in the history of medicine. He is traditionally referred to as the “Father of Medicine”. History will surely remember

the person who introduced Lifestyle Medicine into Nigeria and Africa

and shepherded it in its first few years across the world viz: – Dr. Ify Monye. She coordinated the American and the European Boards of

Lifestyle Medicine, rallying them to a common course to work as an

entity for the benefit of all of humanity no matter how far apart the oceans have separated them or how diverse their backgrounds. Other

Boards have joined them to form the global body. I looked up the Global Lifestyle Board and found this: “Certification exam hubs for

2025 – Registrations via the National Lifestyle Medicine Organisations; Sri Lanka – Colombo – Friday, September 19^th; Pakistan

– Islamabad – Sunday, September 28^th; UAE – Abu Dhabi – Sunday,

October 19^th; Thailand – Bangkok – Sunday, October 19^th; Brazil –

Vitoria – Wednesday, October 22^nd; Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur – Thursday,

October 30^th; India – Ahmadabad – Monday, November 3^rd; Chile –

Santiago – Friday, November 7^th; UK – London – Saturday, November 8^th;

Australia – Adelaide – Sunday, November 9^th; Argentina – Buenos Aires

– Sunday, November 9^th; Saudi Arabia – Bukairyah – Thursday, November

13^th; USA/Canada – Prometric testing centers – Saturday November 22nd

to Sunday December 7^th; Hungary – Budapest – Sunday, November 23^rd;

Nigeria – Abuja – Thursday, November 27^th; Qatar – Doha – Saturday,

November 29^th; Philippines – Clark Pampanga – Tuesday, December 2^nd;

Mexico – Mexico City – Saturday, December 6^th; South Korea – Seoul –

Sunday, December 7^th; China – Beijing – Monday, December 8^th; Portugal

– Lisbon – Saturday, December 13th. Nigeria is already on the

Lifestyle Medicine world map – thanks to Dr. Ify Monye.

The American college of lifestyle medicine (ACLM) defines lifestyle

medicine (LM) as “a medical specialty that uses therapeutic lifestyle interventions as a primary modality to treat chronic conditions

including, but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. Lifestyle medicine certified clinicians are

trained to apply evidence-based, whole-person, prescriptive lifestyle changes to treat and, when used intensively, often reverse such

conditions. Applying the six pillars of lifestyle medicine—a whole-food, plant-predominant eating pattern, physical activity,

restorative sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances

and positive social connections—also provides effective prevention for

these conditions”.

Here’s a breakdown of each pillar:

One, Nutrition: Emphasizes a whole-food, plant-predominant eating

pattern, focusing on nutrient-rich, minimally processed foods. Two,

Physical Activity: Encourages regular and consistent engagement in

physical activity to improve overall health and well-being. Three, Restorative Sleep: Highlights the importance of quality sleep for

physical and mental restoration, aiming for 7-9 hours per night. Four,

Stress Management: Focuses on developing healthy coping mechanisms and

strategies to manage and reduce stress levels. Five, Avoidance of Risky

Substances: Encourages the reduction or elimination of harmful

substances like tobacco, excessive alcohol, and recreational drugs.

Six, Positive Social Connections: Emphasizes the importance of strong

relationships and social support networks for overall health and

well-being.

All work and no play? No, Dr. Ify Monye exudes what the French call joie de vive; “joy of living” to express a cheerful enjoyment of life,

an exultation of spirit, and general happiness. It “can be a joy of conversation, joy of eating, joy of anything one might do…a

comprehensive joy, a philosophy of life, a “Weltanschauung” in German.

Robert’s (French) Dictionnaire says “joie” is “sentiment exaltant ressenti par toute la conscience, that is, involves one’s whole

being.” Face her for an interview and instead of being tight-lipped as

most people would be, or worried about the right things to say, she

would answer your questions playfully, or almost so, saying the most

serious of things in a most jovial way. Oh yes, you will notice that

she has a sunny smile a minute and a full-throated laughter every five

minutes. You will leave her vowing to embrace Lifestyle Medicine

attributes – at least to banish stress. She cherishes God, her

parents’ memories, her husband, her children, her siblings, her

innovative and futuristic Brookfields Centre for Lifestyle Medicine

(BCLM). Walk into the reception and a piano is there and your fingers

could produce magic on the black and white keyboards – if only you know how.

An interview with Dr. Monye will leave you with a greater appreciation

of Abba’s music track, MOVE ON: “A voyager and a settler, they both have a distant goal/ If I explore the heavens, or if I search

inside/Well, it really doesn’t matter as long as I can tell myself

I’ve always tried”. Ify has always really tried and won laurels, too.

Yes, she has come a long way.

What she will achieve beyond age 60 is in the womb of time but her past serves as the unfailing signpost that her future will be more glorious because she is not alone. God has been her guiding light. She

is a prayer warrior and has always acknowledged that there is always a

benevolent spirit behind her. May God’s blessings be with her and may

her guiding light remain strong.

Eluemunor is a Veteran Journalist

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