The Ogun State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Tomi Coker has appealed to nursing graduates of the Ogun College of Nursing Sciences, Abeokuta not to forget their roots and the country that nurtured them despite the attraction that greener pastures hold.
Speaking at the first combined convocation ceremony of the institution on Thursday in Abeokuta, she reminded the graduating students that despite the country’s challenges, the healthcare system had provided the foundation upon which they would build their careers.
Coker noted that graduates from the college remained one of the best in the country, stressing the need for their brilliance, innovation and unwavering professional dedication to Ogun and Nigeria at large.
“As nurses and midwives, you are the backbone of our healthcare system. Your role is critical, not only in providing care but in leading change, advocating for patients and driving improvements in health outcomes.
“The knowledge and skills you have acquired are invaluable. I urge you to continue seeking opportunities for growth and development.
“Pursue further education, engage in research and embrace new technologies and methodologies,” she urged.
Coker expressed gratitude to Governor Dapo Abiodun for his unwavering support and tireless investment as a visionary leader in nursing education.
She said the governor was committed to ensuring accreditation of all state-owned schools of nursing and midwifery by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and the National Board for Technical Education and their transition to the current collegiate system.
In her address, the College Provost, Dr Omotade Sodimu, noted that the school remained one of the oldest tertiary institutions in the state, contributing significantly to the development of education in the health sector.
According to Sodimu, the college has continued to produce skilled and competent nurses and midwives essential for improving the health and well-being of the people.
She revealed that the first set of students admitted through the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination would soon gain admission, adding that this would enable nursing students to be mobilised for the National Youth Service Corps programme.
Sodimu expressed appreciation to the commissioner for health for her immense contributions toward achieving this milestone.
In her remarks, the best-graduating student, Miss Busola Yakubu, urged her colleagues to stand as testaments to the power of education, using their knowledge, skills and experience to make a difference and change the world for the better.
She advised them to always remember the values and principles that shaped them into the individuals they are today.
Yakubu stressed the need to embrace continuous learning, fostering creativity and cultivating compassion to make positive impacts in communities and the world at large.
“We must use our knowledge and skills to break barriers, challenge the status quo and drive innovation. We must be the leaders, thinkers and problem-solvers that our world needs,” she said.
(NAN)