Retired Professor of Surgery at the Father Adasu University College of Health Sciences, Makurdi, Dr. Shima Gyoh, 88, has emerged as the winner of the 2025 Mzehemen U Tiv Foundation (MUTF) Public Service Award. The award was presented to the nonagenarian in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, by a team from MUTF led by Torkwase Nguveren Faith Shirsha on Sunday, December 21.
Prof. Kohol Iornem, founder of MUTF, said in a statement that Prof. Gyoh is “honoured with the award in recognition of his distinguished and lifelong service to Nigeria through exemplary leadership, professionalism, and humanitarian commitment to public health.”
According to Prof. Iornem, Prof. Gyoh is “eminently deserving of the Public Service Award” because of his “pioneering achievements, outstanding public service, and lasting impact on Nigeria’s health system.”
The award, he said, is MUTF’s modest way of recognising Tiv sons and daughters who are making significant contributions in their professions and communities.
“I feel very, very grateful,” Prof. Gyoh said, adding that he was “so happy that there are young people who recognise public service that wasn’t given in exchange for material benefits.”
He disclosed that he has received many awards, but the MUTF Public Service Award is the first to have come with gifts.
A graduate of Durham University and a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons (England) and the West African College of Surgeons, Prof. Gyoh has devoted over five decades to advancing healthcare, medical education, and public service, combining clinical excellence with visionary leadership in service to the nation.
Prof. Gyoh contributed significantly to improvements in Nigeria’s health indicators during a defining era of public health reform. His leadership in medical regulation revitalised the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, strengthening professional self-regulation and improving standards of healthcare delivery nationwide.
As a consultant surgeon, former Chief Medical Director of the University of Jos Teaching Hospital, and respected medical educator, Prof. Gyoh mentored generations of healthcare professionals and strengthened key medical institutions. Rooted in cultural values and community service, his career reflects an enduring commitment to the wellbeing of country, state, and community.
Prof. Gyoh received the MUTF Public Service Award alongside a cash sum of One Hundred Thousand Naira (₦100,000.00).
The mission of the Mzehemen U Tiv Foundation (www.mzehemen.org) is to strengthen the Tiv nation by supporting its causes, celebrating its culture, and honouring those who positively contribute to society, Prof. Iornem stated.
