Nigerian Doctor Bags 2025 Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Award in U.S.

A Nigerian medical doctor, Dr. Festus Oluseye Babarinde, has been awarded the 2025 Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Award in the United States, recognising decades of volunteerism, community health advocacy, and service to underserved populations in Nigeria and the diaspora.

The honour was presented at the 44th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Ceremony held at the Chevy Chase Auditorium of Johns Hopkins Hospital, East Baltimore. The event celebrates individuals whose work reflects Dr. King’s enduring ideals of equity, compassion, and social justice.

Dr. Babarinde was recognised alongside senior professors and research fellows from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine for his sustained contributions to public health, medical education, and community development across two continents.

Currently an intern at the Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center and a Master of Public Health candidate at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, his record of service spans several years and began well before his move to the United States.

In Nigeria, he served as a volunteer camp doctor providing care for vulnerable groups and played a key role in the rehabilitation of the Igboore Primary Health Centre in Abeokuta, expanding access to basic healthcare in rural communities.

He is also the founder of The Concept Academy, an initiative that offers mentorship and structured tutoring, both free and subscription-based, to Nigerian doctors and medical students preparing for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) in Nigeria and abroad.

Beyond education, Dr. Babarinde supports health-focused organisations, including the Spinal Cord Injury Association of Nigeria, and co-founded the BAARD-Concept Programme at the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, aimed at improving doctors’ professional competence and wellbeing.

A graduate of Medicine and Surgery from the University of Ibadan, class of 2017, Dr. Babarinde hails from Okeho in Oyo State. He previously received the NYSC Presidential Award for the 2019/2020 service year for outstanding community impact during his national service.

Organisers of the MLK Commemoration described the award recipients as individuals delivering measurable social impact, noting that Dr. Babarinde’s work demonstrates the continued relevance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s values in modern society.

His recognition further highlights the growing global influence of Nigerian-trained medical professionals in advancing healthcare delivery, education, and humanitarian service worldwide.