Ensuring patients and their families can receive care close to home has been one of the training program’s main goals.

“We want to train people who can stand on their own and go and help these babies wherever they are established,” he says, citing the example of a Béninoise surgeon who was sponsored by Smile Train to receive cleft training at LUTH last year through the WACS fellowship program. After the cleft training, the trainers helped the surgeon to set up a clinic in N’Dali city in northern Benin Republic.

“When you train people you get more services to people in remote areas,” he says, adding that the Béninoise surgeon sends pictures via WhatsApp whenever he has any complicated cases and they guide him through it.

In the children’s ward at LUTH, Ireouluwa Oluwafemi and Mirabel Nwokorie recover from their cleft palate repair surgeries.

Four hours after the surgical repair, Adekunle visits the pediatric ward to check Mirabel.

He chats with the mother about the baby’s condition and encourages her to stay positive. He goes over his previous instructions about feeding for emphasis.

“By Tuesday she will be discharged,” he tells her.

Just before nightfall, Adekunle ambles to his car parked by the entrance of the towering dental clinic. “When it gets done it is a big relief,” he says of the cleft surgery. “You just know that this is another [case] that has been sorted [out] so we move to the next one.”

He looks tired and doesn’t walk with his usual brisk gait. He makes small talk with a colleague who is turning on his ignition. They both smile and make farewell gestures before his colleague drives off.

Quizzed on his future plans after his senior residency training, Adekunle prevaricates.

“I don’t know yet; I really cannot say,” he remarks, reflecting for a moment.

Would he stay at LUTH if the conditions are right?

“Yes I will,” he says.