The Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) yesterday inducted its 43 pioneer medical graduates.
The university’s Best Graduating Student, Azom Esther Adaobi, was the cynosure of all eyes as she received a brand new MG3 automobile valued at N5.7 million, courtesy of an alumnus, Mr Cosmas Maduka.
According to the institution’s management, Azom made a Distinction in Medicine, Surgery and Community Medicine in her final medical examination conducted by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).
She had been a five-time beneficiary of ABUAD’s N500,000 scholarship for students with outstanding Cumulative Grade Point (CGP) in each of the programmes run by the university at the end of each academic session.
ABUAD’s Founder, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), who instituted the scholarship award, also rewarded Azom with another N500,000 cheque.
He also presented a N500,000 cheque to the second and third best graduating students -Igbokwe Chiso and Apata Module Victoria.
Chairman of the event and Ooni of Ife, HRM Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, instituted the ‘ABUAD Class of 43’ with N1 million and N250,000 separately for Azom.
While the N250,000 will be an annual presentation to the Best Graduating Student in Medicine, the N1 million was for the inauguration of the 43 Class which Oba Ogunwusi instituted as a forum for the graduates to give back to their alma mater and continue to relate with one another anywhere in the world.
Oba Ogunwusi said: “I am giving this N1 million for the inauguration of ‘ABUAD Medical Students Class of 43’. As the pioneer set, I want you all to form a bond, add value to ABUAD and the world as you move along.
“You have my support anytime. You can easily reach out to me anytime you need my attention. I am for you all.”
The monarch said aside state-of-the-art facilities, he fell in love with the university’s anthem.
He said the university is living each line of the anthem.
The Ooni, who recalled that he had visited ABUAD twice, added that he would love to visit the institution as many times as he is called upon.
He urged the students to unite and be good ambassadors of ABUAD and Nigeria.
NDCN’s Registrar, Dr T. A. B. Sanusi, who conducted Physicians’ Pledge on the new doctors, congratulated ABUAD for ensuring that the students completed their programmes within six and a half years.
He said the council has always insisted on minimum standard that are non-negotiable.
According to him, the induction was the beginning of their careers while they will need to guide their loins as they compete with their contemporaries outside the country.
Sanusi implored the new doctors to comply with the ethics of the profession.
He said: “Being addressed as medical doctors carries a lot of responsibilities. You, therefore, need to comply with the ethical codes.
“Infringement of ethical codes could lead to serious penalties, such as admonition, suspension or erasure of your name from MDCN’s register.
“Once the council found you guilty, it may take you between five years, if you are suspended, or 10 years, if it is erasure. The most painful thing is that even if you are lucky to be restored, the report remains permanently in your resume anywhere you go seeking for job, and your potential employer would see it and want to know what infractions you committed.”
MDCN’s National President, Dr Francis Faduyile who presented the provisional registration certificates to the new doctors, urged them to seek medical advice, especially from older colleagues, anytime they encounter hitches.
He said: “You must henceforth live according to your new status. This is because you will now be held in high esteem in the society.
“This is the beginning of your training. You need to be flexible and adapt yourselves to retraining in order to meet up with new challenges in the medical field.”
The Chief Medical Director of the University of Ibadan (UI), Prof Temitope Oluwagbemiga Alonge, delivered the induction lecture, with the theme: Medicine by Choice or Medicine by Profession.
He offered the mandatory housemanship to the three outstanding students at UI.
Aare Babalola thanked parents of the new doctors for having confidence in him and ABUAD.
The eminent lawyer said the induction confirmed the university’s resolve to bring medical education at same standard as obtained overseas and at 15 per cent less.
He said the university was able to attain the features within six and half years because it complied with standard.
Aare babalola said: “From my experience, there isn’t much compliance with rules and regulations in Nigeria. That is why there has been poor reading culture.
“We are probably the only university in Nigeria that makes its students go to classes between 8 a.m and 3 p.m. There is no room for insolence here. This has paid off handsomely with the comments of the examiners during the final MBBS examination.
“Some of them acknowledged the fact that the standard we set here is very high and that it will not be difficult for most of the new doctors to pass their first professional examination. That is the stuff we are made of here.”