The Veterinary Council of Nigeria (VCN) has called for transformative potential within the Veterinary field to improve food security across the country following shortage and expensive of food threatening homes of Nigerians.
President of the Council Dr. Aisha Abubakar Baju, gave the option at the 15th Oath Taking and Induction Ceremony for 21 students from the College of Veterinary Medicine in collaboration with the Veterinary Council of Nigeria, held at Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State Capital.
The association boss emphasized that the council is strategically aligning with President Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda ” on national livestock reform, with vision by putting measures in place to ensure that the highest level of veterinary services delivery is provided by veterinarians.
Baju added that it was in order to enhance livestock productivity, deals with the issues of emerging and re-emerging disease especially zoonosis in the country, as he commended the university for taking major step to improve the quality of veterinarians to align with the national reform agenda.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Olusola Kehinde while speaking highlighted the exceptional quality of the College of Veterinary Medicine, labeling it as the premier institution of its kind in Nigeria, emphasized on the rigorous six-plus years of training that the graduates underwent, encompassing practicals, laboratory work, lectures, and field experiences.
Kehinde 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, they will make the university proud’, he said.
The guest speaker of the event Dr. Samuel Olufemi earlier 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.
‘They have to think out the box, chat a partway for themselves because if they want to wait for this country, it means they would have to wait forever. They should chat a way for themselves whether it is private veterans or as employed people and also to believe that nothing is impossible. Also they can use this profession to step to another field’.
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.
The graduate expressed his confidence in the capabilities of his graduating class, asserting that they represent a cohort of highly skilled and innovative veterinarians poised to make a lasting impact on the profession, and equally emphasized the importance of expecting the best from this new generation, whose fresh perspectives and forward-thinking approach are set to redefine standards within the field.
