The University of Ibadan’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine recently held an induction ceremony for 90 new veterinary medical doctors, marking a significant milestone in the 60-year history of the faculty.
The event, themed “60 Years of Veterinary Education, the Goals, the Gains, and the Gaps,” was conducted in collaboration with the Veterinary Council of Nigeria.
Eleven graduates received distinctions, and the oath-taking ceremony was overseen by the Acting Registrar of VCN, Dr. Oladotun Fadipe.
During the induction lecture, Dr. Adebanji Adeniyi stressed the importance of professionalism and ethical conduct in veterinary practice.
The Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Olufunke Ola-Davies, encouraged the new veterinarians to exemplify the values of their profession as ambassadors.
In an interview, Ola-Davies mentioned her achievements in securing full accreditation for the faculty shortly after becoming dean.
She also highlighted the promotion of faculty members and the recruitment of new lecturers, as well as scholarships awarded to students during her tenure.
Ola-Davies added, “The faculty has taken a new look in relation to infrastructural development including facilitating the completion of the Virology and Parasitology Laboratory, renovation and painting of the faculty administrative building (White House), donation of an R&D building, the renovation of the faculty boardroom; the renovation of the faculty auditorium, Dean’s conference room as well as the clinical and preclinical classrooms.
“Also on the list are the digital room with computers and a 5.4kva inverter, 10 Acer projectors distributed into the 10 departments, and the construction of a walkway leading to the auditorium.
“The faculty now possesses new equipment, inclusive of six binocular microscopes, a compound microscope, two ultrasound machines, a semi-automated microtome, a spectrophotometer, blood pressure monitor, two otoscopes, a large animal weighing scale and a digital X-ray machine in addition to a 45 kVA Mikano generator to assist in power generation in the faculty auditorium.”
Professor Basil Ikede, a pioneering graduate of the University of Ibadan’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (1967), congratulated the faculty on its accomplishments and urged the 90 new inductees to confidently practice their profession.
The induction ceremony was attended by distinguished guests, including Dr. Musa Alasa Yusuf, Chairman of the occasion, and Senator Rashidi Ladoja, represented by Dr. Suraju Ajiboye.
The five-day celebration included various activities such as free anti-rabies vaccinations, health checks, a vet fair, funfair, dog show, career talks, and an orphanage visit.
The pre-induction dinner and alumni homecoming featured a performance by Chief Prof Ebenezer Obey and awards for outstanding individuals and students.
