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By Wuraola OyedokunÂ
Facts have emerged that only one out of 147 inducted young doctors produced by the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan (UI), Ibadan, intend to stay back in the country.
This was disclosed during the induction ceremony into the medical profession for the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery [MBBS] and Bachelor of Dental Surgery [BDS] graduating class of 2024 of the UI College of Medicine, Ibadan.
The programme took place at Paul Hendrickse Lecture Theatre of the college, University College Hospital [UCH] premises on Saturday.
The  Provost of the College of Medicine, Prof. Olayinka Omigbodun, also confirmed the development.
Omigbodun,who lamented the situation, said it was sad for the country to lose its best brains.
 The provost said: “I am very sad that most of our doctors want to leave the country. Actually, when I interviewed them, I learnt that only one of them really wants to stay back and work here out of almost 150. It is devastating to this nation.
Omigbodun lamented the ‘japa’ syndrome, saying there is a danger in letting your best go.
The provost said: ‘’It is very saddening that most of our doctors want to leave Nigeria. When I interviewed them, only one of them wanted to stay behind. It is devastating to this nation. And I will tell you why they are leaving. These students are the best of the best. They were taken on total merit and the catchment area is the whole nation. These are very brilliant because it is very competitive for Ibadan. We are the best here. About 90 per cent of them were first-class and about 60 per cent were perfect CGPA – 4/4. Any country that wants to move forward should look for the best. You don’t allow your best to leave. They are trained virtually free of charge by the nation.   There is a danger in letting your best go’’.
One of the inducted doctors, Dr. Olatunbosun David Adedayo, said he would not leave the country in order to add value.
 Speaking at the programme, Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State, the Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria [MDCN], Dr. Fatima Kyari; the President, Ibadan College of Medicine Alumni Association [ICOMAA] Emmanuel Otolorin, and others urged the young doctors to stay behind in order to build and give back to  the country, saying there is hope at the end of the tunnel.
Governor Oyebanji whose child is one of the inductees, Toluwanimi Esther Oyebanji, pleaded to the inductees to stay back in order to add value to the country.
The governor, therefore, said they must stay behind and join hands with progressive forces to develop the country.
Oyebanji said: ‘’Yes, we are challenged but I believe strongly that the youths have the energy and the skills to develop  this country. I am just appealing to them that the country they want to go to was built by some people. So, they should reconsider this ‘japa’ syndrome and join hands with us so that we can build the country of our own dreams because the future belongs to them.
‘’When things get tough,  the tough get going. Yes, there is discouragement but those that are discerning should stay back and ensure we reverse the trend. It is doable. They should not lose hope in themselves and stay with God, be committed and avoid macro-wave solutions to problems. Life is a process. Once they are very confident about their future, they should know that home is home wherever they go and this country needs to be developed. They must stay behind and join hands with progressive forces to develop the country. There is light at the end of the tunnel’’.
On her part, the  MDCN Registrar , Kyari, who was represented by Dr. Okwuokenye Henry , the Deputy Registrar and Head of Medical Registration, argued that the Nigerian government has  heavily subsidised their  education and they ought to reciprocate the effort of the government in waiting to give back to the government.
 The MDCN Registrar said: ‘’The induction ceremony from this highly revered university of Ibadan. We have to let them know that the effort of the government has to be reciprocated. All over the world, we know what is involved to train one doctor. The Nigerian government has continued to heavily subsidise this education. The average of what they pay here is 50 dollars for one year. Elsewhere we know that thousands of dollars are paid every session to train a doctor. Therefore, it becomes reasonable why somebody will want to reciprocate the effort of the government in waiting to give back to the government. The government is doing all it can to solve the problems of the health sector that we have today. One of the measures is to increase the production of the health workforce.
 ‘’We are pleading to the graduands to understand the efforts the government has put on in their training and find a way to give back to the people. When we leave the country, we still have our family members here. We can’t go with all of them and they have to be taken care of. We must continue to think of how to move this country forward together’’.
She urged the inductees to upgrade their skills and uphold medical professional ethics.
Addressing the inductees, the President, Ibadan College of Medicine Alumni Association [ICOMAA] Emmanuel Otolorin, said: ‘’Rethink leaving the country. If your teachers had gone, who would have taught you? We have to build and maintain this great institution. If you are going out, you are building another country. This institution made you and we want you to maintain the quality here. Come back to give to the school’’.
The Vice Chancellor of UI, Prof. Kayode Adebowale, who said medicine is a divine calling, urged the inductees to continue upholding the best standard UI Medical School is known for.
In his  remarks, Prof. Samuel Omokhodion also urged them to acquire skills and come back to Nigeria.