Japa: Kwara First Lady begs student Pharmacists to stay, build Nigeria
Ambassador Professor Olufolake AbdulRazaq, the Kwara First Lady, has appealed to student pharmacists to consider practising in Nigeria after graduation to help build the country rather than seeking opportunities abroad.
Represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina Ahmed El-Imam, at the Annual Conference of the Pharmaceutical Students Association of Nigeria (PANS) held at the University of Ilorin, the First Lady, in her keynote address, emphasised that true growth and success are best achieved through personal efforts and commitment to one’s home country.
She said, “There is no greener pasture anywhere in the world than the one you water yourself,” she remarked, encouraging the students to invest their skills and expertise in building the country’s healthcare system.
Professor Abdulrazaq, while acknowledging the challenges in Nigeria’s health sector, also highlighted the ongoing efforts of the Federal Minister of Health and the Governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, to improve healthcare services across the country, while reassuring the students that their contributions as pharmaceutical professionals are crucial to the development of a nation which is home to over 200 million people.
She added, “Nigeria needs you to help make a difference,” she stated, emphasising the significance of pharmaceutical professionals in addressing the nation’s healthcare needs.
“No one understands the country’s health needs better than those who have studied and trained here,” she said, urging the students to take up the mantle of leadership in shaping Nigeria’s healthcare future.
Professor AbdulRazaq thereafter reaffirmed the government’s commitment to achieving high standards in the health sector. She urged the students to acquire the best knowledge and skills, whether in Nigeria or abroad, but to ultimately return home to help build a better, more prosperous nation.
