Education
Don Advises Dental Surgeons At Graduation
When former Nigerian
President, the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe founded the University of Nigeria Nsukka in 1960, his dream was to establish a citadel of learning and research in a bid to halt the exodus of Nigerians to foreign countries in search of the Golden Fleece.
To achieve that desire of excellence, he recruited the best of academic and non- academic staff from parts of Europe to lay a solid foundation for a university that could compare favourably with any around the globe.
It was in pursuance of this noble objective that the Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry of the institution, Dr. Linda Oge Okoye, restated her determination to make the faculty the best dental training centre in the world.
Speaking during the third induction ceremony of dental surgeons of the University of Nigeria Nsukka at the faculty’s main hall of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu State, Dr. Linda Okoye said in order to keep the dreams of the founding fathers alive, management had not only increased their training capacity but has also provided an atmosphere conducive enough to teaching and learning.
She noted that since the accreditation of the faculty programme in 2004, efforts had been made to equip it with the state-of-the-art facilities, while experienced academic and non-academic staff had been recruited to elevate the status of the school to international standard.
She also added that their collaborative linkage educational programme with the University of British Columbia had yielded great dividends, with more than five dental surgeons from UNN benefiting from the scheme.
Despite the feat achieved by the faculty, the Dean, fondly addressed as the doyen of Dentistry in Africa by professional colleagues of hers, stated that more was still needed to truly place UNN as a centre of excellence for dental training on the continent.
“Since dentistry is an expensive profession, we therefore enjoin all stakeholders, government and corporate bodies in Nigeria to support the dream of the only Faculty of Dentistry in the entire Eastern Nigeria with more funding. Just as an adage says if you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together. To the alumni, there is strength in unity.
We have capacity to make this school the best in the world, if we can come together,” she said.
To the graduating young dental surgeons, the Dean challenged them to exhibit those rare qualities that distinguish them from other surgeons, adding that “it takes a lot of hard work, discipline and patience to earn a Bachelor of Dental Surgery Degree of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. These are the same virtues you need to succeed in life”.
She said: “I have no doubt therefore, that you have what it takes to excel and succeed in life. You are today licensed to practice your profession with dignity to the service of God and humanity. My personal expectation and wish for you all is that the licenses you receive today should enable you to stand out in the dental profession, both in Nigeria and elsewhere.”
Administering the oath of allegiance on behalf of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, the outgoing Provost of the College of Medicine of the University of Nigeria, Prof. Basden Onwubere, under whose tenure the Faculty of Dentistry blossomed, urged the graduates to shun the get-rich-quick syndrome of society and aim for excellence and discharge their duties creditably, even as he reminded them of the need to be of great assistance to their alma mater at all times.
Onwubere, who won the Africa’s best provost award by African Medical Students last year, observed that following the impressive performance of graduates of dentistry from UNN in the field at the local and international scenes since 2004, the Faculty of Dentistry of the university had come to stay.
He said the university Senate had recently praised the College of Medicine team for the performance of dental surgeons from UNN and also praised the efforts of the Dean, the academic and non-academic staff of the faculty for this feat. He expressed his hope that the effort would be sustained.
The Provost, who also represented the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Chukwuma Ozumba, on the occasion, announced that the college had concluded arrangement to build a shopping mall, bank and a centre of excellence for staff and students within the college premises, while the ultra-modern medical library under construction would be completed within the next one year to boost learning and research.
In a valedictory speech, the best graduating student of the class of 2013, Faculty of Dentistry, Dr. Obinna Franklin Eboh, called for the establishment of the Department of Dentistry at health centres in all rural communities of the country. He regretted that despite the importance of oral healthcare, government was not doing enough, as most Nigerians know little or nothing about oral health.
Dr. Eboh expressed joy that a journey that started seven years ago, had been blessed with success, even as he thanked the lecturers and their parents for their support.
Earlier in a lecture to mark the occasion, chairman of the Nigerian Dental Association, Enugu State branch, Dr. Felix Chukwuneke, emphasised the need for the graduating students to maintain ethics in the discharge of their medical practice, stressing that the duty of care should be paramount in the relationship between the clinician and patients.
Dr. Chukwuneke, a union leader and one of the pioneers of the faculty, enjoined the graduates to make a difference in a positive way in the medical profession, as that is what they owe the present and future generations of Nigerians.
He admonished them: “As you go into the world of dental practice, you should always remember the “Hippocratic oath” which you took before all the dignitaries, your senior colleagues and your parents here today.”
Two of the eight graduates, Dr. Obinna Eboh and Dr. Martins Chibuike received all the four prizes available in child dental health, preventive dentistry, restorative dentistry and oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Two former Deputy Vice-Chancellors of the Enugu Campus of the university, Prof. Bede Ibe and Prof. Sam Ohaegbulam as well as the former Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Etisiobi Ndiokwelu, were among top academics that attended the event.
The Covenant University (CU) has, for the second time, been rated as the best university in Nigeria.
According to Times Higher Education‘s 2024 rating, Covenant Unirersity, as a growing, dynamic vision-driven university, founded on a Christian mission ethos and committed to pioneering excellence at the cutting edge of learning, is among the top 1,000 universities in the world.
The 2024 ranking includes 1,906 universities across 108 countries and regions. The Ranking Website indicates that the grading was compiled based on their new World University Ranking (WUR) 3.0 methodology which includes 18 carefully calibrated performance indicators that measure an institution’s performance across five areas: teaching, research environment, research quality, industry, and international outlook.
Analysis of the latest ranking on Thursday showed that the university based in Ota, Ogun State, is following on the ranking by the University of Ibadan (UI) as the second-best in the country, with the Federal University of Technology, Akure clinching the third position.
Currently ranked 801st university in the world, CU first gained prominence in 2018 after it emerged as the best university in Nigeria and the sixth-best university overall.
The ranking webpage explained that the site is trusted worldwide by students, teachers, governments, and industry experts, adding that the 2024 league table reveals how the global higher education landscape is shifting.
It stated thus; “This year’s ranking analysed more than 134 million citations across 16.5 million research publications and included survey responses from 68,402 scholars globally. Overall, we collected 411,789 data points from more than 2,673 institutions that submitted data”.
Meanwhile, also captured on the list of universities with the top rating in Nigeria are the University of Ilorin, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Afe Babalola University, and the University of Benin.
Others include the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Lagos State University, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Obafemi Awolowo University, and the University of Port Harcourt.
Available statistics showed that of the 15 top universities in the country, nine are located in the South West region, two in the South-South region, two in the South East region, one in the North Central zone, and one in the North West zone. Interestingly, the North-East zone was conspicuously missing from the list.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) have raised an alarm over fake sites for the ongoing printing of the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) Notification Slip which contains vital information such as the date, venue, and time of candidates’ examinations.
In a joint briefing by the NPF and JAMB recently in Abuja, candidates are enjoined to patronise only the approved sites by the JAMB, so as not be defrauded.
The Force Spokesman, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who signed a press release on behalf of the two Government agencies said: “The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) hereby bring to the attention of the public the ongoing printing of the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) Notification Slip which contains vital information such as the date, venue, and time of candidates’ examinations.
“Unfortunately, the emergence of several fake websites created by unscrupulous individuals with the intention of misleading candidates has been observed necessitating this joint press briefing.
“These fake sites are designed to deceive innocent candidates into providing personal details such as registration numbers, email addresses, and phone numbers. These details are then exploited for malicious purposes.
“Both JAMB and the Nigeria Police Force condemn these fraudulent activities and hereby reiterate the readiness to safeguard the interests of candidates and maintain the integrity of the examination process.
“We urge parents, guardians, and all stakeholders to ensure that candidates print their UTME Notification Slips only from the Board’s approved website: www.jamb.gov.ng. Candidates can print their slips from the comfort of their homes or visit any of the over 700 accredited Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres nationwide.
“It is important to note that we are familiar with the tactics employed by these fraudsters, especially during the annual assessment and admission exercises. We are actively sensitizing candidates and the public about these deceptive practices.
“Any candidate who visits these fake sites will definitely have unreliable information and thereby miss out in the forthcoming exams.’’
“Candidates are advised to print their UTME Notification Slips before Friday, 19th April, 2024, to access vital information about their examinations. Any website other than www.jamb.gov.ng offering UTME slip printing services is fake and designed to defraud candidates. Candidates should also beware of sites offering ‘live’ questions and answers, as they are false and deceptive, and accessing such materials is prohibited.
“The 2024 UTME is scheduled to commence on Friday, 19th April, and end on Monday, 29th April, 2024. We call on parents, guardians, and the general public to join hands in fostering a culture of integrity and compliance with established guidelines. Together, we can nurture a generation of upright and law-abiding leaders by discouraging fraudulent practices and desperation.
“Furthermore, JAMB is partnering with the Nigeria Police Force National Cyber Crime Centre (NPF-NCCC) to address online scam-related issues seamlessly. We assure candidates and the public of our firm dedication to ensuring a fair and transparent examination process.
“In addition, the Inspector General of Police has ordered the NPF-NCCC to go after scammers and fraudsters who engage in cyber related crimes and create phishing sites/portals, and cause them to face the full wrath of the law”.
The authorities of the Rivers State University (RSU),Nkpolu Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt says it will commence the First semester examinations.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Acting Registrar of the university, Mrs. I. B. S. Harry and made available to Dean’s and Heads of Departments, adding that the the examinations were earlier shifted to begin today from its initial date of last Monday to enable students who were yet to complete their registration and pay the necessary approved fees and give all students equal opportunity to participate in the examinations.
The statement reads “This is to inform all staff and students of the Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, that the First Semester Examination for the 2023/2024 academic session earlier scheduled to commence on Monday, 8th April, 2024, has been shifted to Monday, 15th April, 2024.”
“The change in date of the Examination is to enable students who are yet to pay stipulated fees/ charges and complete their course registration for the First Semester, to do so.”
All students in this category are advised to utilise the period to make necessary fee payments as well as course registration.”
By: Akujobi Amadi
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