“This is Nigeria!” — Doctor Performs Surgery in Darkness as Assistant Uses Phone Torch, Sparks Reactions

 

In a country where power supply is often unreliable and essential services continue to suffer, one recent event has once again stirred deep concern and conversation online.

A young Nigerian doctor took to X (formerly Twitter) to celebrate a major milestone in her medical journey. She had just performed her first operation as an assistant surgeon, and her joy was evident in her post. Becoming part of a surgical team is a big deal in the medical profession, especially for young doctors building their careers — and this one was clearly proud of the moment.

But while many people congratulated her, the focus of her post quickly shifted. What caught the attention of most Nigerians was not just the fact that she was assisting in surgery, but how the surgery was being performed — in almost complete darkness.

In the video or photo that accompanied her post, it could be clearly seen that the operation room was poorly lit. In fact, it looked like there was no electric power at all. Instead of proper surgical lighting — which is crucial for safe and accurate medical procedures — someone could be seen holding up a mobile phone, using the phone’s torchlight to help her see as she worked on stitching up the patient.

The image was shocking to many. Nigerians flooded her post with questions:

• Why was she performing surgery in darkness?

• Where was the hospital’s generator?

• How safe is it to operate under these kinds of conditions?

But the young doctor’s response was direct, unbothered, and brutally honest. She simply replied:

“This is Nigeria! I don't know why most of you are surprised!”

Her response hit hard, and it sparked even more reactions. For some, it was a sad but true reflection of the reality in Nigeria — a country where even hospitals, which are supposed to be life-saving institutions, sometimes have to operate without steady electricity. For others, it was a painful reminder of how far the country still has to go in terms of infrastructure and basic services.

Many social media users were torn between celebrating her achievement as a young doctor stepping up in a challenging environment, and criticizing the health system that allowed such an unsafe situation to occur in the first place.

One user wrote, “This is both inspiring and heartbreaking. She’s doing her best, but our system is failing her and the patients.”

Another commented, “That torchlight surgery could have gone very wrong. This isn’t something to normalize.”

Despite the controversy, the doctor’s story has sparked an important conversation about the state of healthcare in Nigeria, the resilience of Nigerian professionals, and the urgent need for investment in basic infrastructure like power and hospital equipment.

At the end of the day, her viral post reminds us all of a harsh truth — one that many Nigerians have come to accept but should never stop talking about:

“This is Nigeria!”