By Olusegun Hakeem Adebumiti, Ondo.
Former Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko says the State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu must be appreciated for sustaining the University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED), after he had left office.
Governor Akeredolu took over from Mimiko in February, 2017.
Mimiko stated this on Friday at the first induction ceremony for medical graduates of UNIMED held in Ondo city at the Odosida campus of the institution.
According to Mimiko, there were pressure on Governor Akeredolu from some people who felt he should relocate the University from Ondo, when he assumed office in 2017, but he ignored them.
He added that the Governor’s efforts at giving the University the best, also manifested when he appointed Prof. Adesegun Fatusi, the current Vice Chancellor of the University, based on merit even with the protest from some people.
Mimiko said he is happy that what was conceived by him in 2014 has become a reality.
“It is on record that the Trauma Center, a key component of the Ondo Medical Village in Laje, was accredited for Post Graduate residency training in some fields even before the take-off of the University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED) Ondo” Mimiko disclosed, as he recalled some enviable strides of the first medical and health sciences university.”
He congratulated the new medical graduates on the feat, adding that they should ensure their services are affordable to humanity.
On the issue of brain drain among medical practitioners, Dr Mimiko noted that there may be some among the new medical graduates, who may want to acquire more knowledge abroad. According to him, it is not a bad idea, but that they should always remember to give back to the country where they were trained.
He said it is not out of place if Universities started taking some charges from institutions or countries where medical graduates would be heading while traveling out.
“You tell them, we can help you train medical practitioners at a very minimal amount but this is what is involved financially,” he said.
Mimiko also appreciated the Osemawe of Ondo, Oba Victor Koladejo, Jilo III for the persistent pressure he put on him towards the actualization of the institution.
This is the first time medical graduates would be produced in Ondo State since its creation in 1976.
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