January 23, 2026 | News
A senior nurse at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta, has been hospitalised following an alleged physical and verbal confrontation with the hospital’s Head of Nursing Services (HNS), an incident she claims triggered a life-threatening hypertensive crisis.
Mrs. Odusola Oluwakemi, a Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) and widow, accused the Head of Nursing Services, Mrs. Fagoyinbo Abosede, of publicly humiliating, verbally abusing, and physically pushing her during an official meeting, allegations the nursing director has strongly denied.
According to Mrs. Odusola, the crisis originated from a disagreement over the lack of water at a clinic due to an ongoing industrial action affecting utilities within the hospital.
She said a doctor had approached her regarding water for clinical procedures. Rather than turning patients away, she advised that management be formally informed. Following intervention by a consultant, water was eventually provided and all patients were attended to.
However, the matter resurfaced later during a routine “rapport” meeting attended by over 15 nurses. Mrs. Odusola said she was asked to explain the earlier incident, after which the meeting resolved to formally write management to ensure consistent water supply.
The nurse alleged that the atmosphere changed dramatically when the Head of Nursing Services arrived.
“She singled me out, criticised my posture, and ordered me to repeat my explanation,” Mrs. Odusola said. “After I spoke, she insulted me, saying I lacked common sense and mocked my career progression.”
She further claimed that her widowhood and inability to further her education—due to caring for three children currently in university—were used against her during the meeting.
“She told me my mates were now Assistant Directors and Directors of Nursing while I was still a CNO,” she said, adding that the remarks were made in the presence of her juniors and colleagues.
Mrs. Odusola denied claims that she had been rude to the Medical Director on the phone, insisting that no such call ever took place.
She said tensions escalated when she objected to the personal insults and asked that the discussion remain professional. According to her, when senior colleagues tried to calm the situation by asking her to step outside, the Head of Nursing Services allegedly pushed her back into the room.
“She pushed me and I staggered,” she alleged. “I reminded her that civil service rules forbid physical contact.”
The nurse said the confrontation left her emotionally distressed and breathless, prompting colleagues to rush her to the staff clinic, where her blood pressure was found to be critically high.
She was reportedly treated and monitored for several hours before being sent home due to the absence of doctors overnight, a situation she linked to the ongoing strike and security concerns.
Her condition, she said, deteriorated in the days that followed, resulting in recurrent nosebleeds that became severe by Sunday.
“I started bleeding profusely from my nose and mouth. As a nurse, I knew my life was in danger,” she said.
She was eventually rushed to a private hospital by her daughter and a nearby nurse, where she received emergency treatment.
Mrs. Odusola further alleged that despite management being informed of her condition, she received formal queries demanding explanations while still unwell. She also claimed the Head of Nursing Services never reached out to inquire about her health.
She said she shared her experience on an internal staff platform out of fear she might not survive, but later deleted the post after a director assured her the matter would be handled internally.
However, she accused unnamed individuals of attempting to distort the narrative through unofficial blogs and internal misinformation.
“I am not lying against anyone,” she said. “I only want the truth to be known and justice served.”
Responding to the allegations, Mrs. Fagoyinbo Abosede denied any form of physical assault, describing the claims as “false, malicious and unbalanced.”
Speaking with SUNTV Global Channel, she said the issue arose from a professional investigation into what she described as a serious lapse in duty that allegedly resulted in patients being turned away from care.
She said the Medical Director had complained that patients, including those requiring catheter changes, were sent home because nurses claimed there was no water.
“For a professionally sound nurse, you do not wait for a doctor before reporting challenges,” she said. “If there is no water, you escalate immediately.”
She explained that an emergency meeting was convened to investigate the incident, insisting it was conducted professionally.
“She became argumentative and walked out of the meeting. There was no physical contact,” she said. “I know my limits as a professional nurse.”
Mrs. Abosede also dismissed claims that the meeting caused the nurse’s medical emergency, noting that Mrs. Odusola has a known history of hypertension.
“Epistaxis is common in hypertensive patients,” she said. “This should not be turned into an assault allegation.”
She added that due process was being followed administratively and that she oversees more than 900 staff members.
“If I were the person being portrayed, managing an institution of this size would be impossible,” she said.
As of the time of filing this report, FMC Abeokuta management had not issued an official public statement on the incident.
Meanwhile, the nurse at the centre of the controversy remains under medical care and insists she is seeking accountability, not revenge.
