The Provost of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan (UI), Prof Olayinka Omigbodun, could not hide her displeasure at the rate at which doctors, nurses and other categories of health workers are relocating from Nigeria to Europe, North America, the Middle East and some other parts of the world.
Speaking on Monday, December 12, 2022, at the induction ceremony of 133 new doctors into the medical profession for the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), Graduating class of 2022, Omigbodun, a Professor of Psychiatry, begged President Muhammadu Buhari-Federal Government to stop the hemorrhage of health professionals before it is too late.
The first female Provost of the College, who described the exodus of medical doctors as a hemorrhage of Health said, “Presently, Nigeria is facing a rapid, uncontrollable hemorrhage of health professionals.”
“In 2020 alone, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of University College Hospital (UCH), Professor Jesse Abiodun Otegbayo reported that 609 medical and paramedical resigned and left the hospital. We are just training for export”, she said.
She explained, “It never occurred to me to stay out of Nigeria. I have never sought the opportunity to leave and I was very fulfilled. My mentor called me and asked me to ask my husband if he will allow me to go abroad and I went there for two years for training and returned. Later, I and my family travelled and returned. Every time, I returned because we have our definite plan to return. Everyone now leaves and burns the bridge.”
Omigbodun stressed that no serious nation would ever allow its best to relocate to another country after investing so much in training them.
“It is a disaster for a nation to allow the best to leave. The best minds are leaving. Those who graduated from the University of Ibadan are the best of the best, the best mind this nation has. All of you were admitted on merit and with a very high score. Virtually, all of you are first. No nation allows its best to leave”, she emphasised.
The erudite scholar proffered solutions to the exodus of medical professionals asking the government to engage medical practitioners with a view of finding a lasting solution to brain drain.
In the same vein, the Vice Chancellor of the Nation’s Premier University, Professor Kayode Adebowale, said brain drain is one of the headaches of the Nigerian university system.
Aebowale cited an instance of a department in UI where nine out of the 13 lecturers have resigned and relocated abroad adding, “A man sold his property and went abroad with his family. We are currently in a difficult system.”
Adebowale urged the Federal Government to decentralize recruitment exercise for the universities, saying that what vice-chancellors are passing through for the newly recruited staff to be included in the payroll is unthinkable.
In his speech, he revealed that out of the 160 students that started the programme about eight years ago, only 133 of them were being inducted today.
Contrary to the narrative of the westerners that medicine started in the west, Adebowale affirmed that medicine started in Africa.
His words, “Today, we gather to witness the continuation of a tradition that began over five thousand years ago. After years of intense disagreements among historians, the world has finally recognised that modern medical practice started in Africa, about three thousand BC with a practitioner called Imhotep in Egypt. He was the one that compiled about 200 medical conditions along with actual and potential ways of treating them. One could correctly say that Imhotep wrote the first textbook in medicine and medical science.
“Hippocrates who is widely described as the father of modern medicine came over 2500 years after Imhotep and expanded on the fundamental foundations he met on the ground. How he, therefore, came to be called the father of medicine beats the imagination of many historians. The trajectory taken by an Afro-Egyptian practice to become known as ‘western medical practice’ invites some curious contemplation for which we do not have the time today. One thing is clear: unless we tell our own stories, they become the stories of others.
“As Africans, we were not grafted into the medical practice; neither did we borrow it from others. The modern medical practice began with us in ancient Egypt.
“It is into this ancient heritage with authentic African roots that you are being called today. It is your culture; it is your heritage; it is your tradition. It is your gift to the world. And not the other way round.”
Noting that when the medical school was established in 1948 in the then University College, Ibadan, it largely welcomed medical practice back to its ancient roots. The University of Ibadan College of Medicine has since remained the medical school of choice for everyone on the continent and beyond.
He stated that some of the best medical doctors in the world today are products of UI College of Medicine.
In his remark, UI Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council and first national chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie Oyegun charged the new doctors to prove the best that has been instilled in them by their training institution.
Odigie-Oyegun noted that there is a preference for Nigerian doctors all over the world because they are well grounded, charging them further to conquer the world in the field of Medicine.
He lauded the management of UI College of Medicine for maintaining dignity and quality of delivery which has proven Nigeria a second to none in the training of medical practitioners.
Among the highlights of the event was the presentation of various awards including the Provost’s Award for Excellent Participation in Community Life to two candidates: Adewale Boluwatife Adeleye (male category) and Eribouna Ebubechukwu Nzubechukwu, and the Emeritus Professor O. O. Akinkugbe Leadership Award to Adekunle Titus Adeolu. The Valedictorian was Makata Chibuzo Aloysius.
Also presented was the Abib Olamitoye Foundation (AOF) Prize for the best student in each specialty in the MBBS Degree Programme to 11 new doctors: Afolayan, Abdul-Gafar Olayemi (Anatomy, 77%), Adesanya, Oluwafolajimi Adetoye (Biochemistry, 72%), Afolayan, Abdul-Gafar Olayemi (Physiology, 72%), Oduguwa, Ifeoluwa Oluwasegun (Pharmacology & Therapeutics, (79.2%), Makata, Chibuzo Aloysius (Pathology, 69.9%), Oluwadamilare, Faith Anuoluwapo (Paediatrics, 69.9%), Olaosebikan, Omolola Adunni (Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 75.1), Makata, Chibuzo Aloysius (Medicine, 75.4%), Makata, Chibuzo Aloysius (Surgery, 71.03%), Adesanya, Oluwafolajimi Adetoye (Preventive & Social Medicine, 72.57%) and Adewale Boluwatife Adeleye (Psychiatry, 79.05%).
Some indigent students of the college were also granted scholarships to complete their studies.
In his speech, Dr Makata, the valedictorian expressed gratitude to their parents and loved ones for supporting them to become medical doctors, believing in their dreams, encouraging them when they felt defeated and celebrating their wins.
He also extended their gratitude to the faculty, staff and preceptors for being their pillars in the medical school journey.
To his graduating class, tagged, “TITANIUM’ 2022”, he said, “From our first meeting sometime in March 2015 till date, we have demonstrated strong leadership and exceptional abilities with various flavours of talents. Some of us have worked and interned abroad. Others have published field influencing papers. Some of us have approached medicine from the perspective of business and policy. It did not take long for us to realise that each of our classmates was remarkable and had a unique perspective to bring to our medical education. We have shown that we are capable of doing what has not been done here in Ibadan Medical School. We are the class who will explore uncharted territories. Here is to the creatives, pacesetters, and medical wizards mentored by some of the greatest leaders in Medicine at an institution that continues to re-define excellence in Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond. Even though we will encounter myriads of obstacles on the road ahead, we are confident that with the resilience and tenacity which we have nurtured while united together, we will overcome.”
Also present at the event include the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics), Professor Aderonke Baiyeroju, Registrar, Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), Dr T. A. B. Sanusi, former provosts, Professors O. A. Ojengbede and Akinyinka Omigbodun, former deputy provost, Professor Kikelomo Osinusi, President and Ibadan College of Medicine Alumni Association (ICOMAA), Professor Dipo Otolorin.
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