ABUAD producing graduates impacting positively in society — Afe Babalola

The Founder of Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola has said the principles of character discipline and hard work in the institution are helping to produce graduates who are making positive impacts in society.

Babalola explained that ABUAD, in the last few years of its existence, has made remarkable efforts in changing the nation’s education sector, saying that ABUAD graduates are making him proud with their exploits across the world.

The elder statesman spoke during the 10th Induction ceremony of no fewer than 113 Nursing graduands of the university by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria.

While lamenting the brain drain in the nation’s health sector, the nonagenarian noted that the institution has produced over 1,000 nursing graduates who are contributing to the growth of the health sector.

Afe Babalola said, “At ABUAD, we have trained over 1,000 Nurses, but we don’t have up to 15 of them in the country. At my hospital, where we pay higher wages, they still leave; this is due to the situation in the country. I don’t blame them.

“Wherever you go, please remember to be a great ambassador of ABUAD. The future is bright for you if you imbibe character, hard work and faith because faith never fails.

“You must be an outstanding nurse. If you recite the nursing anthem, as well as the ABUAD anthem, you will see the emphasis on character and discipline. In my hospital here, we emphasise character and discipline and university graduates have been doing well globally.”

In her keynote lecture, Professor Adekemi Olowokere, a senior lecturer in the Department of Nursing Science at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, urged the inductees to always be guided by the ethics of the nursing profession.

Speaking on the theme ‘Building Competence, Embracing Global Relevance, and Developing Quality Care: The Modern Nurse’s Mandate’, she stated that the government must urgently address the shortage of health personnel to alleviate burnout and low morale among workers in the sector.

The Vice-Chancellor of ABUAD, Professor Smaranda Olarinde, urged the inductees to develop competence, embrace global relevance, and provide quality care in a rapidly changing healthcare environment.

Olarinde said that the theme of the event could not be more timely, “in a world plagued by complex health challenges, climate shocks, and pandemics, the role of the nurse has become more indispensable than ever.

“At ABUAD, we affirm that nursing is the mother of medicine and the heartbeat of all functional healthcare systems.”

She urged the graduands never to forget the timeless counsel of the Founder and Chancellor: “You must be kind to your patients. You must love them, share in their pains, and provide them comfort. Let them feel that they can still make it. Give them that hope.”

In her remarks, the Dean of the Faculty of Nursing Science, Professor Elisabeth Ojo, urged the inductees to emulate the hard work of Babalola, urging them not to disappoint ABUAD and their parents.

She revealed that the graduates of the institution performed well in the external examinations conducted, saying the results of the students turned out to be above other universities in the country.

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