“That speaks volumes about the premium ABUAD places on excellence. I want to tell the Inductees of today for free that you are in one of the best learning environments in the world and you are fully prepared to rule your world”
By Tunde Olofintila
The Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Registration Board of Nigeria, ODORBN, has commended the qualities inherent in Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, ABUAD, stressing that with what the university has attained in its 16 years of existence, there is no need for Nigerians to scamper to study abroad.
The words of commendation came over the weekend during the induction of the university’s 10 pioneer Doctors of Optometrists, made up of nine females and one male, by the Board’s Registrar, Dr. Obinna Awiaka, FNCO, M. Sc, LL. B. Awiaka was full of praise for the 16-year-old university and its Founder & Chancellor, Aare Afe Babalola, OFR, CON, SAN, LL. D (London), Fellow, King’s College, London, FNAE, for what he (Awiaka) described as the former’s “substantial investment in recruiting highly experienced Academics for the training of ABUAD students, including some of those who taught me over two decades ago”.
According to the ODORBN’s boss, “This means that the Inductees of today have been trained by the best hands and brains and are therefore as intellectually prepared as anyone in the profession”.
In his speech before admitting the newly qualified Optometrists into their Professional Body, Awiaka underscored ABUAD’s global standard of training and academic excellence by endorsing the university as “WGA”: Why Go Abroad.
According to him: “When the University Anthem was being rendered at the commencement of this Induction Ceremony earlier this morning, I heard the phrase ‘excellence is assured’ three times.
“To me, that speaks volumes about the premium ABUAD places on excellence. I want to tell the Inductees of today for free that you are in one of the best learning environments in the world and you are fully prepared to rule your world.”
He advised the Inductees to prioritize values, professionalism and ethical conduct in all their endeavours and assured them that with the solid foundation that ABUAD has laid for them, “the sky will only be your starting point.”
Earlier in her welcome address, the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Smaranda Olarinde, FCI. Arb, FCAI, underscored the signification and significance of the human eyes as one of the most vital senses that deserve deliberate care, protection and nurturing because of their profound impact on human perception and quality of life.
Relying on Chapter 6: 22-23 of the Book of Mathew of the Holy Bible which says in part that ‘the light of the body is the eye”, Olarinde emphasized that “The eyes play a divine role as vital conduits connecting our organs, emotions and souls and they remain one of the most powerful instruments of communication among humans.
Olarinde underscored the centrality of vision to human existence, noting that how well individuals nurture their eyes largely determines how effectively they perceive, interpret, and engage with the world around them.
She admonished the Inductees to regard their profession as a sacred responsibility, stressing that their expertise would influence not only individual lives, but also productivity, safety, learning outcomes and national development.
She equally charged the Inductees to put what they have learnt in the university into practice.
Her words: “You should be determined, focused and work hard. This (induction) ceremony signifies your formal admission into a noble, highly specialized and ethically demanding profession, one that plays a critical role in safeguarding vision, enhancing quality of life, and supporting the broader healthcare delivery system. The oath you are about to take is a solemn covenant that binds you to professional competence, ethical conduct, lifelong learning and selfless service.
“You should always have it at the back of your mind that if our Founder & Chancellor, Aare Afe Babalola, can make it, despite his modest beginning, you too can make it. After all, you had an advantage over him. Whereas he obtained his B.Sc (Economics) from the University of London in 1959 and his LL. B from the same University in 1963 by private study, using hurricane lamp to read in a dingy village near Ibadan, you attended one of the best universities in this clime, studying in very cosy environment.
“Like Aare normally tells our students, we are grooming you to go out there to make a difference and effect the necessary changes. You should be good and great Ambassadors of this great university. The future is bright for you, but you should be ready to apply yourselves to hard work.
“You should always appreciate that hard work doesn’t kill. Rather, it pays off both in the short and long run. It is indolence that impoverishes people and eventually kills them. With the academic, leadership and moral as well as the entrepreneurial training you have acquired from here, the sky is your take off point. I wish you well”.
She also expressed deep appreciation to parents and guardians for their priceless sacrifices and for trusting ABUAD with the education of their children and grooming of them into superstars and megastars that will ensure the necessary changes to make the society better than they had met it.
Speaking on behalf of the new Inductees, Dr Hannah Iyango Amiesimaka, the Best Graduating Student, described her set as the Best in the University’s College of Medicine & Health Sciences, despite their relatively small number.
Amiesimaka expressed gratitude to the university management for providing an enabling academic and professional environment that allowed them to thrive and excel.
She encouraged her colleagues to remain steadfast in their pursuit of excellence, noting that the induction ceremony marked not the end of learning, but a call to even greater professional distinction.
* Olofintila, ABUAD’s Director of Corporate Affairs writes from Ado Ekiti
