How Mrs. Victoria Gowon Elevated Nursing Profession in Nigeria

During Yakubu Gowon’s administration, there was this problem of segregation between nurses pay package and that of the English nurses. The nurses union then agreed that they go on strike. But Gowon’s wife, Victoria, who was in the nursing school at the University of Ibadan that time, got wind of the strike plan and sent a message to the husband to act promptly. He ordered that the pay package of be elevated and demands be met and that was all.

Here is what she said on Health workers going on strike in the Interview she granted Daily Independent in 2013

“We never experienced it. During Yakubu Gowon’s administration, there was this problem of segregation between our pay package and that of the English nurses. The nurses union then agreed that we go on strike. But Gowon’s wife, Victoria, who was in the nursing school at the University of Ibadan that time, got wind of the strike plan and sent a message to the husband to act promptly. He ordered that our demands be met and that was all. There was never occasion for strike again until I left the profession. Besides, we knew it was dangerous to embark on such actions, as there were a lot of patients in the hospitals with very limited private hospitals around in those days. A lot of people would die, so he called off the strike nationally and paid us immediately.

She got married in 1969

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