Veterinary Council of Nigeria (VCN) has canvassed transformative potential within the veterinary field to improve food security across the country following the current shortage of food and consequent inflation threatening most citizens.
The president of the council, Dr. Aisha Abubakar Baju, gave the option at the 15th oath-taking and induction of 21 students from the College of Veterinary Medicine in collaboration with VCN, held at Federal University of Agriculture (FUT), Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The association boss emphasised that the council is strategically aligning with President Bola Tinubu‘s “Renewed Hope Agenda ” on national livestock reform, to ensure the highest level of veterinary service delivery is provided by veterinarians.
Baju added that it was in order to enhance livestock productivity, and deal with the issues of emerging and re-emerging disease, especially zoonosis in the country, that she commended the university for taking major steps to improve the quality of veterinarians to align with the national reform agenda.
The vice chancellor, Prof Olusola Kehinde, highlighted the exceptional quality of the college, labelling it as the premier institution of its kind in Nigeria.
He emphasised on the rigorous six-plus years of training that the graduates underwent, encompassing practicals, laboratory work, lectures, and field experiences.
Kehinde, who was represented by the deputy vice chancellor (Academics) Prof. Kayode Akinyemi, expressed confidence in the abilities of the 21 inductees, expressing optimism that they would bring honour to the university through their exemplary service and commitment to veterinary medicine.
“Six years is not a joke, practicals, laboratory work, teaching, classes, student‘s industrial work, they do some practice outside with other veterinary experts. So the past six years has been a lot of work, field work, lectures and a whole lot of things. So, it‘s been a lot of rigorous activities for them. And I want to believe that these twenty-one inductees, by the time they go out there, will make the university proud,” he said.
The guest speaker, Dr Samuel Olufemi, in his presentation, urged the graduands to embrace innovation and self-reliance in their professional journeys, pointing out the importance of thinking outside the box and charting unique pathways in a challenging environment.
He cautioned against waiting for external circumstances to change, noting that reliance on the status quo could lead to perpetual stagnation, and equally encouraged the graduates to seize opportunities and create their own avenues for success, whether through entrepreneurship or employment.
An exceptional graduate with a remarkable CGPA of 4.32, Olayinka Oguntade, expressed gratitude for reaching this milestone, acknowledging the immense dedication and perseverance required to excel in the veterinary programme.
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