Welcome to The Young Nigerian Neurosurgeons Forum (YNNF)

I. Background:

The Young Nigerian Neurosurgeons Forum (YNNF) is an arm of the Nigerian Academy of Neurological Surgeons (NANS).

Its existence was proposed and approved by the NANS general assembly and executive council during the November 2019 NANS Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference which held in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria.

At the same meeting, a three-man steering committee was set up to co-ordinate YNNF’s foundational activities

II. Mission:

• To provide an avenue for professional interaction, friendship, and collaboration among young neurosurgical fellows and residents who are either members or associate members of NANS, for progressive career growth and development.
• To create a dynamic platform that will foster and sustain the active participation of all young Nigerian neurosurgeons in both NANS and global neurosurgical programs and events.
• To provide opportunities for group mentorship, development of leadership skills and competencies required for success in organized neurosurgery.
• To create a platform that amplifies and integrates the salient opinions, voices, and concerns of young Nigerian neurosurgeons in NANS policies and decisions.

III. Membership Benefits:

YNNF Members enjoy the following benefits:

• Regular educational programs such as seminars/webinars, courses, clinical case/journal reviews and mentorship sessions with highly resourced experts/mentors as Faculties.
• Regular information as well as facilitation of sponsorship to scientific meetings, courses, clinical and research fellowships in conjunction with NANS executive committee.
• Regular dissemination of educational materials and information on career development opportunities such as research and subspecialty fellowship programs.
• Opportunities to serve in NANS committees and find mentors in various neurosurgical subspecialties.
• A voice in NANS policies especially regarding the welfare and career prospects of residents and young fellows.
• Opportunities to interact and network with other young neurosurgeons in NANS as well as the African (African YNF) and global (WFNS-YNF) fora.

 IV. Membership Categories and Qualifications:

A. Full Membership:

 Members of the YNNF shall fulfill all the following conditions:

1. Must have successfully completed residency training in Neurosurgery from a center accredited by the West African College of Surgeons (WACS) or National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN) or an equivalent surgical college within or outside Africa approved by NANS.
2. Must be a member of NANS and actively serving in a NANS subcommittee
3. Must provide evidence of at least one attendance to a NANS AGM within the last 3 years.
4. Membership is optional for those 46-50 years but obligatory for all Nigerian neurosurgeons ≤45 years
5. Must be willing to pay a YNNF annual dues of ten thousand naira (N10,000.00) only. This should be at the beginning of each year.
6. Must complete the YNNF application form

 Each certified member will be provided with a unique YNNF membership identification or reference number (MRN)

B. Associate Membership:

Associate members shall fulfill all the following conditions

1. Must be a senior resident in a neurosurgical unit partially or fully accredited for training in neurosurgery
2. Must have passed WACS or NPGMCN membership or Part I fellowship examination
3. Must be an associate member of NANS with evidence of attendance of one NANS scientific meeting in the past.
4. Must be willing to participate actively in YNNF and NANS programs
5. Must inform and obtain approval from the program director or unit head of their training center.
6. Must be willing to pay a YNNF associate members annual dues of five thousand naira (N5,000.00) only. This should be at the beginning of each year.
7. Must complete the associate membership form

Each associate member will be issued with an associate membership reference number (a-MRN)

V. Current Membership

• Total: 128 Members
• Full members: 62
• Associates: 66

 VI. Academic/Training Programs

Academic/Training Programs

a. Monthly webinar:

 This program is organized by the webinars/courses subcommittee of the YNNF through Zoom videoconferencing portal. Each presentation is highly interactive and focuses on a topical neurosurgical theme, including principles, pathologies and operative aspects.

 

Presentations are made by one or two main speakers drawn from a pool of highly experienced neurosurgeons from different geographical locations and practice settings both within Nigeria and overseas, so as to provide global and local perspectives to the theme.

Panelists drawn from NANS and YNNF provide further insight and discussion on local nuances while the audience engages with the speakers and panelists in a robust exchange of ideas moderated by a YNNF member.

 

Date	Webinar Theme	Main Speaker(s)	Panelists	Moderator
July 2020	Challenges of Neurosurgical Practice in Nigeria in the Covid era	Prof EO Komolafe	Dr Nasiru, Dr Enoch Uche, Dr Jolayemi	Dr James Balogun
August 2020	Craniopharyngiomas: A challenging Tumor in a Challenging Environment	Prof MT Shokunbi	Emeritus Prof SC Ohaegbulam, Dr Femi Bankole, Dr Salamat Aliu, Dr Abubakar	Dr Enoch Uche/Dr James Balogun
	Is Endoscopic Treatment now a Standard Care for Surgical Treatment by Prof Juan Fernandez	Prof Juan Fernandez-Miranda
September 2020	Traumatic Brain Injury: Guidelines for Management in a Low/ Middle Income Country	Prof JKC Emejulu	Prof Ade Malomo Dr A. Jimoh Dr Oluwamayowa Opara Dr Olakunle Adegboye	Dr Salamat Aliyu   Dr Bamidele Ayodele
	The Role of Decompressive Craniectomy in the Management of Severe Head Injury	Dr Gregory Haryluk
October 2020	Contemporary Nuances in the management of degenerative Cervical Spine Stenosis	Prof Augustine Adeolu	Dr Biodun Ogungbo Dr Chika Ndubisi Dr Linda Iroegbu-Emeruem Dr. Mesi Matthew	Dr SPU Nkwerem
	Pitfalls and Complication Avoidance in Anterior Surgical Approaches to the Cervical Spine	Dr. Shuaibu Dambatta

 

 

 

YNNF webinars have attracted a wide local and international audience.

 

b. Other Programs:

1. Monthly Case discussions – incorporated into the webinar events.
2. Quarterly lectures organised for associate members on preparation, execution and defence of dissertations at Neurosurgery examinations in the various postgraduate colleges.
3. YNNF Social program – At least two every year, the latter of which holds during the NANS annual general meeting.
4. Annual Residents Dissection Course and Surgical Boot camp – Local and sponsored foreign courses.

 

VII. YNNF Executive Committee:

 

Dr. Oluwamayowa Opara – Chair

 

Dr. Kelechi O. Ndukuba- Co-Chair

 

Dr. Oluwafemi Owagbemi – Secretary General

 

Dr. Nenkimum Bakwa – Assistant Secretary General I

 

Dr. Bright Uche Nwekeala – Assistant Secretary General II

 

Dr. Edward Jolayemi – Treasurer

 

Dr. Raheem Bello – Assistant Treasurer

 

Dr. Olakunle M. Adegboye – Coordinator, Webinars/Courses

 

Dr. Mathew Mesi – Coordinator, YNNF International Members & Projects

 

Dr. Oluwakemi Badejo – Coordinator, YNNF Women in Neurosurgery (WIN)

 

XXX – Coordinator, YNNF Socials Committee

 

XXX – Coordinator, Research & Publications

 

XXX – Coordinator, Publicity & Protocol

 

XXX – Coordinator, Advocacy

 

XXX – Coordinator, Mentoring & Training/Welfare

 

Dr. Joel Jinom Iliya – Associates’ Coordinator, North

 

Dr. Kingsley Ugwu – Associates’ Coordinator, East

 

Dr. Abbey Ibrahim – Associates’ Coordinator, West

 

Dr. Dung A. Guga – Immediate Past YNNF Chair

 

VIII. PAST Executive Committee, YNNF

 

Prof. Chika Ndubuisi​

Position	2023 – 2025
Chair	Dr. Dung A. Guga
Co-Chair	Dr. Olumayowa Opara
Member, Foundational/Steering Committee	Dr. Okezie Kanu
Member, Foundational/Steering Committee	Dr. Chika Ndubuisi
Secretary-General	Dr. Afeez A. Aruna
Assistant Secretary General I	Dr. Oluwafemi Owagbemi
Assistant Secretary General II	Dr. Gomina Habib
Treasurer	Dr. Kelechi Ndukuba
Coordinator, Webinar & Courses Committee	Dr. Olakunle M. Adegboye
Coordinator, Research & Publications	Dr. Muhammad Koko Aliyu
Coordinator, International Members & Projects	Dr. John Usuah
Coordinator YNNF Women in Neurosurgery	Dr. Oluwakemi Badejo
Coordinator YNNF Socials Committee	Dr. Olabisi O. Ogunleye
Coordinator, Publicity & Protocol	Dr. Samaila Timothy
Coordinator, Advocacy	Dr. Ega Otorkpa
Coordinator, Mentoring & Training/ Welfare	Dr. Ofodile C. Ekweogwu
Associates’ Coordinator (North)	Dr. Nenkimum D. Bakwa
Associates’ Coordinator (East)	Dr. Ikechukwu V. Okpalike
Associates’ Coordinator (West)	Dr. Ifeanyi Iwuagwu
Immediage Past YNNF Chair	Prof. Chika Ndubuisi

IX. YNNF Contacts

Chair, YNNF:

 

Dr. Olumayowa Opara

 

Consultant Neurosurgeon

 

Federal Teaching Hospital Owerri

 

Imo State

 

Nigeria

 

Phone: + 234 703 138 5127

 

Secretary General ,YNNF:

 

Dr. Kelechi Ndukuba

 

Consultant Neurosurgeon

 

Alex Ekwueme Federal University

 

Abakaliki

 

Nigeria

 

Phone: + 234 803 315 0405

 

YNNF Email: ynnf.nans@yahoo.com

 

YNNF Website: www.nansorg.com/ynnf