“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade out of it.” This iconic phrase perfectly captures the remarkable professional journey of Dr. Solomon Obiri-Yeboah, a renowned Craniofacial Surgeon in Ghana and West Africa.

Despite facing overwhelming challenges, including the loss of his mother during a critical period of his education, Dr. Obiri-Yeboah's unwavering perseverance, determination, passion, and faith in God propelled him to defy all odds and achieve exceptional medical excellence.

Few people could endure what Dr. Obiri-Yeboah went through without contemplating dropping out of school due to a lack of financial support. Yet, he turned his struggles into opportunities.

In an interview on Wednesday (October 1, 2024), the renowned Craniofacial Surgeon shared his experiences: “My mother passed away at a very critical time. Life became extremely difficult—unbearably so. I had to repeat MB2 and MB3. In terms of food, finances, and fees, everything became a struggle. My mother was my backbone, but dropping out of school never crossed my mind because of the God factor.”

Dr. Obiri-Yeboah explained that during this difficult period, a lecturer at the medical school, Dr. Asante Poku, noticed his struggles and introduced him to the school accountant, Mr. Tweneboah Kodua, who then introduced him to Mr. Fred Asare, the Director of Village of Hope Orphanage Home.

Initially, they said Dr. Obiri-Yeboah was above the age limit for assistance, but they agreed to take care of his younger sister, which was a huge relief. Later, the Home took over his school fees and provided him with a monthly stipend. This support allowed him to complete his studies at the University of Ghana Dental School from 2001 to 2004 without any academic referrals.

He recounted times when life at school became so tough that he would go to bed without eating for an entire day. At other times, he ate only once a day while attending as many as 10 lectures.

Dr. Obiri-Yeboah expressed immense gratitude to God for providing support through some members of the Church of Pentecost at Atomic and Legon in Accra, who helped him during his most challenging moments.

“I used to lead Bible studies, so the members knew me well. Sometimes, the church would organize visits and bring me provisions like gari and other items, which really kept me going. Along the way, friends who noticed my struggles also stepped in to help. I have to mention Ashinyo Anthony and Dr. Nana Hagan as notable people who came to my aid,” Dr. Obiri-Yeboah recalled.

Surgical Operations

As a Craniofacial Surgeon, Dr. Obiri-Yeboah specializes in surgical procedures that correct congenital or acquired deformities of the skull, face, and jaw. His work includes operations to treat skull and facial malformations, jaw tumors, and trauma.

Currently, Dr. Obiri-Yeboah is the Head of the Departments of Oral, Maxillofacial Surgery, and Community Dentistry at the School of Dentistry at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi.

He explained that Craniofacial surgery is a surgical subspecialty of Maxillofacial surgery that deals with congenital and acquired deformities of the skull, face, jaw bones, skin, muscles, and teeth.

"Maxillofacial surgery focuses on the bony tissues of the face, mandible, maxilla, and the surrounding soft tissues," he added. "We treat jaw tumors, facial trauma, and broken jaws. After an accident or a fall that damages the face, we can reconstruct the bones to restore the face to near-normal or as close as possible to how God created it."

Dr. Obiri-Yeboah emphasised that Craniofacial surgery involves the reconstruction of the skull and the re-arrangement of facial bones. He pointed out that some patients require surgery due to diseases or syndromes that cause facial deformities.

In such cases, the Craniofacial Surgeon “re-arranges the bones to make the patient’s face look more symmetrical.”

Dr. Obiri-Yeboah explained that the skull is composed of bones separated by sutures—immovable joints that allow the skull to expand as the brain grows. However, in some children, these sutures fuse prematurely, putting pressure on the growing brain.

“When that happens, we open up the skull and expand it, allowing room for the brain to grow while also restoring the shape of the head,” he said.

Difficult Surgery

When asked about his most difficult surgeries, Dr. Obiri-Yeboah cited cases involving syndromic patients where he had to reshape the forehead and bring the face forward.

“These surgeries can take up to 10 hours because the brain tissues are involved. The neurosurgeon alone may spend six hours working on the brain to ensure there is no bleeding. While they do that, I take the bones from the skull, re-arrange them, and return them to the patient.”

He also mentioned complex syndromes like Crouzon and Pfeiffer, which involve genetic conditions that affect the skull's development. The challenge, he said, lies in carefully cutting the bones without damaging the brain.

Virtual Operation

Dr. Obiri-Yeboah recalled a particularly difficult surgery he performed about a year ago, where he needed to split the maxilla from the base of the skull. He sought guidance from an experienced specialist in the United States, who assisted him virtually using Ohana eyeglasses.

"With the Ohana eyeglasses, the specialist in the U.S. could see exactly what I was doing in real-time and guided me through the surgery," Dr. Obiri-Yeboah said.

Faith and Guidance

Dr. Obiri-Yeboah, who serves as the Finance Committee Chairman of the Bompata Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC) in Kumasi and was the Presiding Elder at the Church of Pentecost in Kwadaso for seven years, said, “I don’t do anything outside of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit has always guided me, even in surgery.”

He shared how he often dreams about his surgeries, planning every cut and approach. However, when things don’t go as planned, he prays and speaks in tongues, trusting that God will guide him through.

“The path I’ve taken has been directed by God. One of my foundation scriptures is Acts 17:28,” the renowned surgeon said.

Qualifications and Career

Dr. Obiri-Yeboah was born in Koforidua in the Eastern Region on December 26, 1973. He began his career as a Dental Surgeon (BDS) and progressed to become an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon.

During his residency at the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, he developed an interest in facial clefts and craniofacial surgery. He also completed an international fellowship in Cleft and Craniofacial Surgery at the University of Alabama Children’s Hospital in Birmingham, USA.

As a Senior Lecturer at KNUST and a Senior Specialist Oral and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgeon at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Dr. Obiri-Yeboah provides clinical services, trains house officers and residents, and is actively involved in cleft and craniofacial surgery.

He also participates in international collaborations that provide clinical care, training, and research, and he volunteers in free surgical outreaches.

Dr. Obiri-Yeboah has presented numerous papers at local and international conferences and has published 32 peer-reviewed journals. He has received several prestigious awards, including the American Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Association’s Visiting Scholar and Emerging Leader awards in 2017 and 2019, respectively. He currently serves as the Chairman of the ACPA's Global Care SIG.

He is married to Patience Obiri-Yeboah, and the couple is blessed with three children—two daughters and a son.

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The writer is a Radio and Television Consultant/Managing Director of Assemblies of God, Ghana Television (AGTV).
Email: neneabraham@ymail.com