James was born on 24th April 1947 in Imo State in Nigeria. His father, an Anglican priest, died when James was 3 years old and he was brought up by his mother and 3 older sisters. The Church was always an important part of James’ life and he was enrolled in his local church choir at the age of seven. Having attended his local primary school, James’ further education was supported by his extended family and he was able to attend the Government College Umuahia where he excelled both academically and at sports. Having obtained an undergraduate place at the Ibadan Medical School, James’ undergraduate education was interrupted by the Biafran Civil war. His family had to flee the fighting on more than one occasion and James joined the Biafran army, eventually rising to the rank of Captain. After a hiatus following the war, James was finally able to attend Ibadan Medical School where he clearly was a stellar pupil, winning several prizes and qualifying in 1975 with distinction and winning the prize for best all-round graduate.
James’ early medical training was in the University of Nigeria Teaching hospital. He came to England in 1978 to complete his postgraduate education and his first post in England was as a renal SHO at Hammersmith Hospital. He then moved to Northwick Park as an SHO and, after obtaining MRCP in 1979, was appointed as renal registrar to the old 3Ps institute (St Peter’s, St Paul’s and St Philips’ hospital) in Soho. James was a renal registrar at the 3Ps from 1979 to 1981 and retained very fond memories of the institute all of his life. James was then appointed as an MRC research fellow at the MRC Research Centre, Northwick Park, and was awarded an MD in 1985 for his research on “A Spectrum of Immunity in Tuberculosis”
Whilst a registrar at the 3Ps, James married Vivian Eruchalu in 1981 and they went onto have 3 children, 2 sons, James and David, and a daughter Chioma.
In 1984 James returned to Nigeria with his family and set up the first dialysis unit in Enugu in Eastern Nigeria. He was instrumental in establishing both haemo and peritoneal dialysis in the unit and recruited and arranged training for a whole new team of dialysis nurses and technicians. In 1989 James chaired the committee set up to combat an outbreak of Lassa fever in Enugu.
James had a lifelong commitment to teaching and training and helped set up the undergraduate and postgraduate examinations at the UNTH medical school and was Director of Postgraduate Education at the medical school between 1986 and 1989.
In 1989 James moved with his family to Saudi Arabia where he worked as a consultant nephrologist until 1995. His wife and children moved back to England in 1990 to enable the children to complete their education.
In 1995 James was appointed as consultant physician and nephrologist at the North Middlesex Hospital, initially working with the Royal London to set up a haemodialysis unit at the North Middlesex. James was a single handed nephrologist until 2001 when the dialysis unit was taken over by the Royal Free hospital.
James was very conscious of the levels of deprivation and needs of the patient population attending the North Middlesex and was a great advocate of better access to good renal care for patients from ethnic minorities.
Throughout James remained dedicated to teaching and was RCP tutor for many years. He was an examiner for the MRCP PACES examination from 2002 until he retired. He was Associate Professor of Medicine to the students of St George’s Medical School Grenada, who rotated to the North Middlesex as part of their training.
James was a devoted family man and was delighted and extremely proud when all three of his children followed him into medicine, qualifying from UCLH. He was a gentle and dignified man who inspired great loyalty and affection from his patients and all those who worked with him.
During his last year of work his illness started to take its toll, but he bore his struggles with great dignity and stoicism. He retired quietly at the end of 2016 declining a formal leaving lunch, as he did not want colleagues to enquire after his health. However, the dialysis nurses, some of whom had worked with James for over 20 years, gave him a surprise lunch at his last MDT and he was clearly very touched by their efforts.
James Onwubalili died peacefully at home on the 4th May 2017 surrounded by his family.
When I announced his death to colleagues at the North Middlesex, I was inundated with messages. One of the most moving came from an FY1 trainee, Dr Chantal Heppolette, who had worked with James on just one occasion.
She wrote,
"I worked with him on his last weekend as a doctor as the FY1 on his consultant ward round. It was early on in my FY1 training and there were many things I didn't know how to do. He helped me with each and every job we had to do and never made me feel inadequate. I really admired his patience with me and his willingness to teach me.
He spoke about his children and how one was a GP. He spoke about how the NHS has changed over the years and still maintained that it was a privilege to be a doctor.
I just want to pass onto the family how inspired I was by him and what a pleasure it was to work with someone so senior who was yet so patient with someone so junior. I'm very sad to learn about his passing away. I had no idea he was ill and I always remember that weekend as a time that I was inspired to still want to be a doctor despite the current pressures of being a junior doctor."
This epitomises James; his enthusiasm for medicine right to the end, his delight in teaching and his pride and joy in his children.
I can think of no finer tribute.
