October 28, 2022, was not like any other day; it was a special day as an icon was a year older: Dr Adebimpe Olutayo Okunade was a year older.

This celebration started earlier in the day at the University of Ibadan, where she was the head of the department for six years. It was followed by a webinar that was organised by FYNI to celebrate the nonagenarian.

The webinar, themed Nursing Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow: Confluence of Reflections, started at 8 p.m. with over 40 people on a virtual meeting platform (Zoom) and was hosted by one of the mentees in the ongoing FYNI Mentorship Academy, Kumi Sarah.

The meeting was started with a prayer by one of her former students and a welcome address by the co-founder of FYNI, Professor Adebayo Adejumo.

Dr Okunade, the trailblazer, spoke about her nursing journey and how nursing chose her; there was also a session where she discussed the differences in nursing between her years and now; she also dissected the role of young nurses in ensuring young nurses’ roles in moving nursing forward in future years.

She emphasised the need to raise compassionate and polite nurses who will also put patients first.

The webinar was attended by students she taught several years ago and people who have felt her impact in different ways.

There was an interlude of a birthday song, and the meeting was closed with an address from Professor Prisca Adejumo.