The founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Chief Afe Babalola, has stated that the future and progress of the country would largely depend on the quality of graduates produced by tertiary institutions.
Babalola emphasised the importance of students maintaining integrity both academically and ethically, saying this would enable them to contribute meaningfully to national development.
The legal luminary spoke at the inaugural induction ceremony for 95 pharmacy graduates from the institution, conducted by the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN). Notably, 25 of these students graduated with distinction. He encouraged the new graduates to utilise the knowledge and skills acquired at the university to make a significant impact in the country’s health sector.
Babalola said the institution aims to continue producing graduates who will excel in their chosen careers. “My experience as Pro-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) taught me that the future of this country depends on the quality of students, both in terms of academics and character.
“We have distinguished ourselves by inculcating the requisite learning and character in our students. Please do not depart from the teachings you learnt here, doing that the future is yours,” Babalola stated.
Delivering the induction lecture, the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, while congratulating the fresh graduates, said by leveraging their expertise in medication therapy, providing essential health education, and serving as a readily available health resource, pharmacists act as a vital compass, guiding patients and the healthcare system towards better outcomes, especially when resources are strained and access is limited.”
The NAFDAC boss advocated policy change, flexible staff and the use of technology as necessary ingredients needed to tackle some of the challenges militating against sustainable healthcare.
While lamenting the impacts of substandard and fake drugs on the country’s healthcare system, Adeyeye noted that through the instrumentation of post-marketing surveillance, as well as the track and trace technology, the agency has continued to ensure that consumers have access to safe and effective medicines.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Smaranda Olarinde, advised the newly inducted pharmacists to be dedicated and disciplined with high ethical standards in the course of discharging their duties.
He said: “The world you are entering demands professionalism anchored on international best practices. In this age of transnational epidemics, counterfeit medications and rapid pharmaceutical innovation, the pharmacist cannot afford parochial knowledge or ethical lapses. Uphold the values of diligence, accuracy, and empathy. Remain students of life: learning, re-learning, and innovating.”
