The College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Gregory University,Uturu,Abia State,recently held its first induction ceremony of Medical Doctors with 24years old Dr Davies Oluwasijibomi Glory,taking the day as the best graduating medical student alongside 11 other awards received.
The Induction ceremony which is the first for the pioneer medical students of the school, had 19 students being inducted into the medical profession.
Interacting with Dr Oluwasijibomi,she expressed gratitude to God for seeing her through a journey that started in 2015.
According to her, the medical journey was indeed a tough one but she surmounted every challenge through hard work and consistency.
She said she frequently interacted with her senior colleagues in other Schools, got mentors that always put her through and today, she is celebrating her success as the best graduating student,Medicine and Health Sciences.
Speaking with the mother of the best graduating student,Prof Onome Davies,she hinted the press, how the medical journey of the daughter started.
Prof Onome Davies
According to her, Dr Oluwasijibomi began her medical career way back at the Kampala International University,Uganda. “She was doing excellently but due to the separation from her twin sister who was studying in Nigeria, Siji was always falling sick,so we had to relocate her back to Nigeria.
“When she came back to Nigeria, the school to enroll her was another problem,because we wanted the best medical school. We learnt about Gregory University, though their College of Medicine and Health Sciences was yet to be accredited but because of the faith we had in the school, we settled for it.
“I knew they would be accredited. Though so many people thought they will not get accreditation. But as an Accreditor in National University Commission, I was following up every process of their accreditation and I knew they would scale through because of the facility they have and the quality of lecturers. Today, we are singing our song”.
Prof Onome Davies thanked the Chancellor of Gregory University,Uturu, for establishing one of the best Medical schools in Nigeria. “This is a selfless investment.Prof Greg Ibe is not making any profit as it stands. I know this because it’s my field. He can only begin to make profit after several years of operation. So this is purely a vision to raise destinies. I appreciate him for giving back to the society”.
Another Inductee who spoke with National Ambassador, Dr Good Gonaka Miracle, said she almost dropped out on the way due to frustration.
Dr Good Gonaka Miracle
According to her, the Medical field was far beyond what she thought before gaining admission, but thanked God who saw her through the hectic journey.
Disclosing the secret behind her success, Dr Miracle stated that she literally married her books and she had zero social life.
While appreciating God for the three degrees bagged, B.Sc Anatomy, MBBS Gregory University and Basic Medical Sciences, the latest Doctor,advised that determination,hard work and zeal must be the watch words for anyone who wants to study Medicine because it’s a noble profession.
Also, the Deputy Vice Chancellor,Academics and Chairman Ceremonials Committee,Prof Uwaoma Uche,who couldn’t contain his joy over the feat recorded by the School, said the process of running a medical school was not a teething issue and thanked God for the possibility to survive it.
DVC Academics,Prof Uwaoma Uche
Prof Uwaoma Uche disclosed that the school is progressing in all areas, both in learning and infrastructure wise,adding that though the pioneer inductees were 19 in number, the next set would be 170 while the one after it would be 236.
He said when the institution started in 2012,people doubted its ability but announced that the school had successfully inducted its first graduates,meeting and surpassing every requirement needed from a medical school.
“On the indices of assessment according to the Registrar of Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), Gregory University is the best medical school in South East. That the Federal Medical Centre,Umuahia, is surviving today, as well as,the General Hospital Amachara, is because of Gregory University. Over 60 percent of the investments there in-terms of building is courtesy Gregory University because we use them for our clinical”.
Disclosing the selling point of the school, the DVC Academics, said the school run a system where its professors and instructors are proven academics of high standard.”Our current provost,Prof Obiora Onuba, is a cerebral and acclaimed medical practitioner in Nigeria. We have great medical practitioners who laid a good foundation for our medical school.
“We have a 1000 medical teaching capacity auditorium at Ezinnachi, which is 80 percent completed. Our medical facilities are top notch. It is only in Gregory University that workers are not owed. We pay all our staff including the ones in FMC and Amachara.
“Gregory University is a blessing to Abia State, this is one school that is thriving medically and we commend the tireless efforts of the Proprietor,Prof Greg Ibe, who is passionate about medical practice”.
Earlier at the maiden induction ceremony which took place at the Michael Okpara Auditorium,Umuahia, the Founder of Gregory University,Uturu,Prof Greg Ibe in his speech, congratulated the newly inducted medical Doctors for the feat attained.
“From my youth, I have always had a burning desire to contribute substantially in filling the skill gaps created by the apparent lack of
trained manpower in the health sector globally.
After my HMO certification, I expanded my already existing humanitarian practice under the platform of the Gregory Iyke Foundation by partnering with such organizations as World Medical Relief Inc. and Global Medical Relief Inc. in executing voluntary free medical aid. Thus, when the vision of founding Gregory University, Uturu,was conceived and birthed in 2012, the
unquenchable innate desire to still impact positively on the health sector led us to immediately begin the
rigorous processes of applying for approval to commence training medical doctors.
“We,therefore,appreciate the due diligence of our regulatory agencies, National Universities
Commission (NUC) and Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), who after thorough advisory accreditation visits,graciously granted us the requisite seal of approval to commence the programme and also created a conducive scholarly environment that enabled successful prosecution of the training exercise subsequently.
“My gratitude also goes to the former Governors of Abia state, Senator TA Orji and Dr Okezie lkpeazu,whose leadership we were able to secure the Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement that forms the basis of our current deployment of the facilities of the state in training our medical scholars.Of course, our current Governor, Dr Alex Otti,deserves our commendation,for also buying into this vision to collaborate with us in delivering more medical personnel to the world of work”.
Founder, Gregory University,Prof Greg Ibe
The Proprietor further thanked the Federal Government,who through the Federal Ministry of Health,released the Federal Medical Centre,Umuahia,for the ongoing collaboration that is affording the Institution the privilege of deploying their facility as their temporary Teaching Hospital, pending the delivery of the School’s ultra-modern Gregory University Teaching Hospital project in Ezinnachi, which is currently at 80% completion stage.
Prof Greg,however,paid tribute to the hardworking academic and non-academic staff of the College of Medicine and Health
Sciences in particular and Gregory University Uturu as a whole, for their sacrifice, commitment and devotion, attesting that the smiles on the newly inducted young doctors are testimonials to the positive impacts of their scholarly stewardship.
“At this juncture let me pause and invite us to pay deserving respect to two great sons of Umuahia, who laid the academic foundation upon which the GUU College of Medicine and indeed what we are doing today
solidly stand; Professor Emeritus Joshua Ogbonnaya and Professor Uwadinachi Iweha.Their labour of
love in ensuring the establishment and sustenance of the medical programme of GUU shall remain evergreen”.
Prof Ibe equally saluted the courage and bravery of the Guardians, who in spite of many competing variables,chose Gregory University, Uturu, even in the face of doubts about the chances of securing accreditation from regulatory bodies. “Today this gamble has paid off as your wards are being
inducted as the pioneer medical doctors of this great citadel of learning.
“To my fresh medical doctors. You have successfully passed through the crucible of rigorous training in character and learning, I have personally taught you how to get your hands dirty in order to give you
additional skills and competencies in my Entrepreneurial Studies lectures. Now it is time to release you as “arrows in the
hands of a mighty man”. So, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save the world from diseases and untimely death, for God is sending you this day”.
