Bayelsa State medical varsity takes off, matriculates 208 students

The Bayelsa State Medical University (BMU) has taken off with the matriculation of 208 students for nine academic programmes. Visitor to the university and Governor of the state, Seriake Dickson, who spoke at the maiden matriculation ceremony, charged the incoming government and the Ijaw nation to give the necessary support to the institution, being the second specialised public medical institution in the country for the general good.

Dickson said the BMU was an idea that has become a reality not only in Bayelsa, but also the entire Ijaw nation and Nigeria, adding that it was not about him or his administration.He noted that it was imperative for all to support the growth of the institution in the pursuit of the realisation of the great vision that inspired it.

According to Governor Dickson, the vision behind the establishment of the BMU is about the long-term strategic interest and future of Bayelsa people.He said the rationale for establishing the institution was to produce medical manpower that would serve the needs of not only the state but also the whole country.

“We want to take over the world in the area of medical knowledge and research. We want to produce the highest number of medical doctors, pharmacists and other medical personnel,” he stated

Dickson pointed out that with the kind of facilities the BMU parades, there was no specialised medical university like it in the country and entire West Africa.

Congratulating the students on their matriculation, he said he was fulfilled to see the progress that had taken place in the university and expressed gratitude to parents and students for sharing in his dream.

Speaking, Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Abubakar Rasheed, who was represented by Chris Myaki, commended Governor Dickson for what he described as his audacity and uncommon zeal in providing qualitative and inclusive university education.

Rasheed saluted Governor Dickson’s courage on embarking in the establishment of an institution of medicine and medical sciences that is capital intensive and assured the BMU of the commission’s support.

Also in his address, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the institution’s Governing Council, Professor Nimi Briggs, described BMU as a dream come true.He applauded Dickson for his foresight in setting up the institution and urged the students to seek knowledge that would improve them, their families and society.

Also speaking, Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Ebitimitula Etebu, said on January 31, 2018, the NUC recognized the BMU as the 48th state university and the 170th university in the country’s university system.He maintained that in July 2019, NUC officials visited BMU to conduct a resource verification exercise to enable the institution to obtain approvals for Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, Medical Laboratory Science and Biomedical Engineering, among others.