One thing that cannot be taken away from Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD) in the less than five years of its existence is its eyes on excellence as the school prides itself as launching path to excellence.
No doubt, the university has been living up to its mission of being a result-oriented institution for producing highly skilled and socially relevant graduates capable of applying scientific knowledge for the resolution of societal problems.
This, coupled with the infrastructures development and novel preparation of students for academic excellence and vocational skills, was why the National Universities Commission (NUC) described ABUAD as “a miracle, model reference point and benchmark for other universities”.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) regional Head in Nigeria, Prof Hassana Alidou, has also described the university as worldclass, “with records which should be emulated by succeeding generations”.
In view of the importance of medical doctors in saving lives and ensuring a healthy society since health is wealth, ABUAD is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring that the medical doctors that it will begin to churn out in the next few years would be more efficient and better rated than their peers anywhere in the world.
This is courtesy of the first-class training they would have received in the university in view of the highly qualified and teachers, the equipment and facilities and the conducive learning environment. ABUAD students are to begin Clinical in January.
The founder of the university, Aare Afe Babalola, who disclosed the institution’s vision to produce the best medical doctors in the world, said that was the reason for the heavy investment in infrastructure, equipment and quality training for their students of Medicine.
So far, ABUAD has committed over N2 billion to upgrade and construct facilities at the Federal Medical Centre, (FMC) Ido Ekiti, which the Federal Government recently upgraded as the teaching hospital for the training of medical students of the university.
The facilities included three-storey male and female hostels, dining hall, library, four fully-equipped laboratories, well-furnished classrooms, auditorium and sporting facilities. Courtesy of these, the FMC is now wearing a new, elegant, and totally different look befitting of a Teaching Hospital.
The university is also in the process of formalizing a memorandum of understanding with John Hopkins Hospital in the United States (US) for the training of medical students of the institution.
Already, personnel of the US-based hospital, which has been voted the best hospital in the US for 25 years running, who had visited the university for arrangements on the MOU, would soon start operating in ABUAD to train the medical students.
Another boost for ABUAD medical students was the approval by President Goodluck Jonathan of upgrading of the FMC to a Federal Teaching Hospital and the use of the upgraded hospital for the clinical training of medical students and allied health professionals of ABUAD.
The former Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, in the letter of approval with Reference Number HMH/ABJ/450/Vol. IV/152 dated October 15, 2014 said the approval would be for a period of 10 years as stipulated in the MoU between the Federal Government and ABUAD Management.
Chukwu, also in a similar letter to the Chairman, Board of Management of the FMC, Ido-Ekiti, urged the Chairman to “kindly ensure that all necessary actions are carried out to actualize Mr. President’s approvals”.
The approval is in tandem with global practice where universities use thoroughly established and well-grounded hospitals as training centres for their clinical students. It would be recalled that ABUAD applied to the Federal Government for the upgrading of FMC, Ido-Ekiti for the use as Clinical training centre for its medical students.
After its initial visit to ABUAD and the FMC, the NUC, the regulatory body for university education in Nigeria, was of the opinion that there was a yawning need to upgrade the facilities at the FMC to meet the standards of a Teaching Hospital for the training of the medical students.
Having satisfied the NUC requirement, ABUAD obtained NUC and Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) approval to commence medical programme after both had certified that by virtue of ABUAD’s investment in FMC, the place was suitable for clinical studies.
After the clean bill by the NUC and the MDCN, the then health minister set up a committee to assess the suitability of the FMC, Ido-Ekiti, for clinical studies which eventually found the place suitable after which the Minister recommended approval of the MOU between ABUAD and the FMC for the commencement of the institution’s clinical studies at the FMC.
Babalola, who described the achievement as historic and a groundbreaking feat, said: “We have been able to achieve what it takes some other universities between 15 to20 years to achieve in less than five years.
“We will continue to set enviable records and within the shortest possible time, we will give to Nigeria and Nigerians the best Medical College in Nigeria and compete with others in the global space.
“What we have achieved so far is only the beginning. With divine help and hard work on our part, and the goodwill of friends and partners, we will get to our destination-the very top…the place of excellence,” the ABUAD founder said.
An elated Babalola was thrilled that his modest efforts at bringing about quality, functional and reformatory education in Nigeria has brought so much excitement to the entire Ekiti community.
He said: “The waiting period between when the letter of approval was written on October 15, 2014 and the time we received it yesterday generated anxiety and concern for us, the parents and the students. We appreciate the help and contributions of well-meaning Nigerians, our friends and well-wishers”.
The Chief Medical Director of FMC, Ido Ekiti, Dr Lawrence Majekodunmi, told journalists during the Second Convocation Ceremony of ABUAD that with the facilities and equipment being provided in the medical facility for the use of the medical students, the university is making unparalleled efforts to be the best for the training of medical doctors.