Taking care of animals is taking care of people, Veterinary Council of Nigeria presidents tells new UNILORIN veterinary doctors
The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ilorin on Monday, September 29, 2025 inducted 32 new veterinary doctors at its seventh induction/oath-taking ceremony.
Speaking as the keynote speaker at the event, a former vice president Veterinary Council of Nigeria (VCN), Dr. Bala Muhammed, told both the graduands and audience at the event that solutions to contemporary health challenges demand interdisciplinary cooperation.
“Solutions to today’s greatest health challenges cannot be designed in isolation—they demand cooperation across veterinary medicine, human medicine, environmental sciences, and public policy”, he said.
Muhammed, a veterinary surgeon, also said that, “the health of humans, animals, and the environment can no longer be treated as separate concerns.
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“They are intricately linked, forming the foundation of the one health approach, a global strategy that requires collaboration across disciplines to achieve optimal health outcomes for all”.
He also said that, “despite successes, veterinary services remain underfunded, under-recognized, and under-integrated into national health frameworks.
“Many countries, including ours, face surveillance blind spots, weak laboratory capacity, and governance silos.
“These gaps allow diseases to simmer unnoticed until they explode into public crises, with devastating health and economic consequences.
“To truly protect one world, we must invest in veterinary infrastructure and laboratories, foster collaboration among doctors, veterinarians, ecologists, and policymakers to strengthen education, funding, and data systems which empower community-centered prevention strategies. “Veterinarians must be recognized not only as responders but as guardians of planetary health”.
The president of the Veterinary Council of Nigeria (VCN), Prof. Mathew Adamu, urged the graduands to uphold the ethics of the profession.
Prof. Adamu, who was represented by the Vice President of VCN, Halimah Gambo, urged the graduands to let the integrity be their watch word and serve with compassion.
According to him, taking care of animals as a veterinary doctor, means they are indirectly taking care of people of the nation.
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole (SAN) who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Management Services, Prof. Adegboyega Fawole charged the new vet doctors to be good ambassadors of the university.
Earlier, Dean of the Faculty Professor Saliu Ameen, said that the induction marked the formal licensing of these young doctors as veterinary professionals.
Professor Ameen added that, “this ceremony is not merely a ritual; it is a defining moment. It signifies the transition of our graduands from students of veterinary medicine to full members of a noble and globally relevant profession”.
Dr Kareemot Babalola, who spoke on behalf of the graduands commended their lecturers for the mentoring and tutorship for their six years rigorous of learning.
Babalola appreciated their parents for the spiritual, moral and financial support throughout the journey.
She, therefore urged her colleagues to be good ambassadors of the institution and Nigeria.
