Nigerian-born Bolu Ogunyemi elected president of Canadian medical association — first black in 158 years

Bolu Ogunyemi, a Nigerian-born clinical associate professor of medicine at the Memorial University of Newfoundland, has been elected as president of the Canadian Medical Association (CMA).

Ogunyemi, a dermatologist at St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, becomes the first black person to be elected to the position in 158 years of the association, after defeating his opponent, Susan MacDonald.

He will represent the CMA in the media, provincial and territorial medical associations, government, and other partner organisations in Canada.

Ogunyemi served as the inaugural assistant dean of social accountability from 2020 to 2023 and is also a member of the Labrador Medical Association Board of Directors.

He completed his fellowship in health services improvement in 2024 from the University of Alberta’s School of Public Health.

Ogunyemi will serve as president-elect, pending his approval by CMA’s general council in May 2025, when he will become the association’s president for a one-year term.

Speaking after the election, Ogunyemi promised to use his position to advocate for a robust healthcare system in the country.

“My track record in medical leadership, spanning 15 years, has provided me with expertise on pressing issues facing our health care system today,” he said.

“As CMA president-elect, I will advocate for a unified and respected profession, a robust health care system, and healthier communities.”