Professor Josbert Thomas Kofi Duncan belongs to the generation of Nigerian medical pioneers whose work helped give structure to modern specialist care in the country. In the history of cancer treatment, his name stands beside the early development of clinical and radiation oncology in Lagos, especially at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, and Lagos University Teaching Hospital.
His story is not simply one of professional titles. It is the story of a doctor who worked during a period when cancer treatment in Nigeria was still building its institutions, its equipment base, its specialists and its public confidence. By the time he was honoured by the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, in April 2026, his legacy had already become part of the wider memory of Nigerian medical education and oncology practice.
A Life Remembered by the Medical Community
Professor Duncan died on 10 March 2026, at the age of 94. Contemporary reports of his commendation service gave his date of birth as 2 October 1931. His passing drew tributes from senior figures in Nigerian medicine, including officials of the University of Lagos, the College of Medicine and Lagos University Teaching Hospital.
The College of Medicine, University of Lagos, held a commendation service for him on 22 April 2026 at the Old Great Hall of the college. The event brought together academics, doctors, students, family members and colleagues who remembered him as a pioneer clinical and radiation oncologist whose contributions shaped cancer care in Nigeria and West Africa.
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That institutional honour is important. It places Duncan’s legacy beyond casual remembrance and into the public record of one of Nigeria’s most important medical institutions. The College of Medicine described him as a trailblazer and a foundational figure in the development of oncology practice in the region. Speakers at the event remembered not only his knowledge, but also his mentorship, discipline and commitment to raising younger doctors.
The Medical World That Produced Duncan
To understand Duncan’s place in history, it is necessary to understand the medical environment in which he worked. Nigeria’s modern university medical system expanded rapidly in the middle of the twentieth century. The University of Ibadan began in 1948 as University College Ibadan and became an independent university in 1962. It was one of the major centres that trained the first generations of Nigerian doctors and specialists.
The College of Medicine, University of Lagos, also emerged in this period of national institution building. Its first batch of 28 medical students was admitted in October 1962. Lagos University Teaching Hospital, linked to the medical school, was established out of the national effort to expand medical education and specialised care.
These institutions were not only classrooms and hospitals. They were foundations for Nigeria’s future medical independence. Through them, Nigerian doctors began to build departments, specialist services and training pathways that would serve the country long after the colonial era. Cancer care, especially radiotherapy, required equipment, expertise, patient trust and institutional commitment. It was within this demanding environment that Duncan’s work became significant.
A Pioneer in Clinical and Radiation Oncology
Professor Duncan has been widely recognised in contemporary accounts as the first clinical and radiation oncologist in West Africa. The wording is historically important. The claim appears in Nigerian reporting and in tributes connected to his 2026 commendation service. It reflects the way colleagues and institutions remembered his standing in the field.
For a careful historical article, the strongest wording is that Duncan was widely recognised as West Africa’s first clinical and radiation oncologist and was honoured as a pioneer in the field. This avoids overstating what has not yet been settled by a complete regional archival comparison, while still respecting the documented recognition given to him by his medical community.
What is firmly documented is his pioneering role in Nigerian oncology. The College of Medicine, University of Lagos, described him as a pioneer clinical and radiation oncologist whose contributions significantly shaped cancer care in Nigeria and West Africa. The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, represented at the commendation service, described him as a trailblazer and a foundational figure in oncology practice in the region.
The Provost of the College of Medicine, Professor Ademola Oremosu, also reflected on Duncan’s early role in the college. He highlighted his contributions as one of the pioneering faculty members who advanced the use of radiation therapy in cancer treatment at a time when specialised equipment and expertise were still rare in the region.
His Role at LUTH and the Growth of Radiotherapy
One of the clearest parts of Duncan’s recorded legacy is his connection to radiotherapy services at Lagos University Teaching Hospital. At the CMUL commendation service, the Chief Medical Director of LUTH, Professor Wasiu Adeyemo, credited Duncan with a pivotal role in the establishment of radiotherapy services at the hospital.
This included his contribution to bringing the first radiotherapy machine to the institution. That detail matters because radiotherapy is equipment dependent. Without machines, trained personnel and institutional support, cancer treatment remains limited. Duncan’s role in helping establish radiotherapy at LUTH therefore places him at the centre of a major stage in Nigeria’s cancer care development.
The same tribute also highlighted his mentorship. Duncan was remembered as instrumental in training generations of oncologists who continued the work of advancing cancer care in Nigeria. This is one of the most enduring marks of a pioneer. His work did not end with his own patients or his own department. It continued through the doctors he taught and the standards he helped set.
A Career Connected to Teaching, Practice and Research
Professor Duncan’s name also appears in published radiation oncology literature. A 2015 article in the Annals of Medical and Health Sciences Research listed JTK Duncan among the authors of a study on entrance dose measurements using thermoluminescent dosimeters in conventional radiotherapy procedures delivered with a cobalt 60 teletherapy machine. The article connected him with the Department of Radiotherapy at Eko Hospitals, Ekocorp Plc, Ikeja, Lagos.
A 2018 multicentre study titled “Techniques and Practice of Post Mastectomy Radiotherapy in Nigeria” also listed Duncan Josbert Thomas Kofi among the authors. His affiliation was given as the Department of Radiation Oncology, EKO Hospital, Lagos. The study examined post mastectomy radiotherapy practice among breast cancer patients treated in Nigerian centres.
These published records are significant because they show that Duncan’s professional presence was not limited to memorial tributes. His name appears in scientific work connected to the practice of radiotherapy in Nigeria. They also suggest that even in advanced age, he remained linked to the medical and academic world of oncology.
King’s College, Lagos, and Personal Memory
Duncan’s connection to King’s College, Lagos, also appears in institutional remembrance. Professor Osato Giwa-Osagie, speaking at the CMUL commendation service, recalled their shared history, including their time at King’s College. This places Duncan within one of Lagos’s long standing educational traditions and helps explain the respect shown by alumni communities after his death.
His children, Mofe Duncan and Erejuwa Gbadebo, also spoke at the commendation service. They remembered him as a principled and supportive father whose influence extended beyond medicine into family life. Their words added a personal dimension to the public tribute, showing a man remembered not only for professional distinction, but also for discipline, warmth and guidance at home.
The Meaning of the “Duncan Line”
One of the most striking phrases associated with his legacy is the “Duncan Line”. At the CMUL event, speakers referred to it as a benchmark of discipline, mastery and distinction in medical practice and scholarship. The phrase captures how colleagues remembered the standards he represented.
In medical history, such phrases often survive because they reflect more than rank. They point to habits, expectations and professional culture. Duncan’s influence appears to have rested not only on what he built, but on what he demanded of those he trained. Excellence, discipline, respect for patients and serious scholarship formed the memory that younger doctors carried forward.
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Why His Legacy Matters Today
Cancer remains one of the most serious health challenges in Nigeria. Modern oncology depends on early diagnosis, specialised training, functioning equipment, patient centred care and strong institutions. The work of pioneers like Duncan belongs to the earlier chapter of that ongoing struggle.
He worked at a time when the field was still developing, when radiotherapy was scarce and when Nigerian medical institutions were still building their specialist identity. His contribution to radiotherapy at LUTH, his role at the College of Medicine and his mentorship of later doctors place him within the foundation of Nigeria’s cancer care system.
The historical value of Duncan’s life lies in this combination of service, teaching and institution building. He was not remembered simply because he held a title. He was remembered because his career helped open a path for others.
Author’s Note
Professor Josbert Thomas Kofi Duncan’s legacy reminds us that medical history is built by people who strengthen institutions before those institutions become familiar to the public. His work in radiation oncology, his contribution to radiotherapy services at LUTH and his influence on generations of doctors show how one career can shape a field long after its earliest struggles have passed. In remembering him, Nigeria also remembers a period when specialist cancer care was being built with discipline, courage and vision.
References
College of Medicine, University of Lagos, “Pioneer, Mentor, Icon: CMUL Honours Prof. Josbert T.K. Duncan”, 2026.
The Nation, “UNILAG honours legacy of WestAfrica’s first clinical radiation oncologist”, 2026.
The Guardian Nigeria, “UNILAG VC, Oremosu, Giwa-Osagie, others honour oncologist, Duncan”, 2026.
Evwierhurhoma, O. B., Ibitoye, Z. A., Ojieh, C. A., and Duncan, J. T. K., “Verification of Entrance Dose Measurements with Thermoluminescent Dosimeters in Conventional Radiotherapy Procedures Delivered with Co 60 Teletherapy Machine”, Annals of Medical and Health Sciences Research, 2015.
Salako, Omolola, Aliyu Usman Malami, Jimoh Mutiu Alani, Oboh Oseiwe Evaristus, Nwankwo Kenneth, and others, “Techniques and Practice of Post Mastectomy Radiotherapy in Nigeria: A Multi Centre Study”, International Journal of Clinical Oncology and Cancer Research, 2018.
University of Ibadan, official institutional history.
College of Medicine, University of Lagos, official history of CMUL.
Lagos University Teaching Hospital, official institutional history.
