35 medical students return from Ukraine, become doctors

The medical doctors were received at the Muritala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on Saturday, August 12, 2017, by a state government delegation led by the Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Engr Remi Omowaiye and Special Adviser to the governor on Higher Education, Bursary and Scholarship, Prof. Grace Akinola.

They returned home after graduating from the the V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, Kharkov, Ukraine and certified as medical doctors. About 15 of them stayed back in Ukraine for future pursuit.

50 of the 85 students recently graduated and were inducted as qualified medical doctors after passing the 2017 KROK 2 Ukraine National Medical Exams in June.

The students were sent to Ukraine by the Aregbesola administration to complete their medical studies in Ukraine in 2013 as a result of non-availability of teaching hospital for their clinical studies.

One of the medical students, Ms Latifat Abiola Oyeleye, was declared the overall best medical student of the Karazin Kharkiv National University as well as the 2017 overall best student in the entire Ukraine with an outstanding score of 95.6% in KROK 2 Exams.

Receiving the young doctors at the Government House, Osogbo, Governor Aregbesola welcomed them and urged them to let their skills, knowledge and education speak for them.

He explained that sending the students to Ukraine was not about nationalism but about justice and fairness, stating that the students were admitted for medicine and it behoved the university and government to fulfill their obligations.

He said: "We had advertised the medical course and admitted the students, it is the obligation of the government to see the students through the program. A human being will only succeed when he upholds justice and fairness. So, what informed our decision on these students is justice and fairness."

The governor, who said education is not about one's discipline but also about having skills, motivation and knowledge, said he was happy and proud for the success in the students' academic programme.

The governor urged the young doctors to be professional, humane and godly in discharging their duties in hospitals and everywhere they find themselves.

In their remarks, the students attributed their academic success to Aregbesola's commitment to promoting functional education and concern on their plights when they were stranded in UNIOSUN.

They promised to embark on service to humanity and give back to the community, particularly Osun state, in appreciation of their free medical studies.

Oyeleye said, "I am one of the beneficiaries of Aregbesola's gesture, I am one of the 85 medical students sponsored by his administration to one of the best universities in the world.

"We have studied and graduated. We thank God that today, we have been made medical doctors through the support of Osun government. It is a dream come true for me and my family.

"Osun government has made history through this. Governor Aregbesola has done excellently well in our lives to attain this giant feat in academic because if not for him, we might not be celebrated like this today."

Another beneficiary, Dr. Oluwasayo Motunrayo, said, "I will forever be grateful to Aregbesola for making our dreams come to pass. He has done well to ensure that we did not fail in meeting up with our medical career in life."

Ezekoye Maria, an indigene of Anambra state, is another beneficiary and said, "We had lost hope when there was no teaching hospital to proceed to for our medical studies at UNIOSUN, we were all stranded.

"But Governor Aregbesola restored our hope, he made us realise our dreams by sending us to one of the best universities in Ukraine for medical studies free of charge. Today, we are certified medical doctors. We are all proud of Osun government."