Sodiq Oyeleke
A Nigerian, Samiat Owo-Alade, has emerged the best-graduating pharmacy student at the Rajiv Ghandi University of Health Sciences, Karnataka, India.
Speaking with our correspondent, the 23-year-old Nigerian said she was excited to surmount numerous challenges she faced while in the school.
Owo-Alade emerged the best-graduating student in her faculty after having the highest score of 75.5 per cent in her result for 2016/17 academic session.
An indigene of Ikorodu, Lagos State, Owo-Alade said the disappointment she experienced while seeking admission into varsities in Nigeria after her secondary school education in 2011 pushed her into going abroad to study.
She said, “I waited for two years despite having my West African Examinations Council, National Examination Council and the General Certificate of Education results. I was so ashamed of myself after some of my mates had gained admission. Sometimes, I asked myself, ‘Why me?’ I tried all I could just to pass the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. I attended coaching classes, even when I knew I shouldn’t have been there.
“At a point, I had to learn a trade. It was a trying period for me as a young girl, yet I relied on God. Two years later, my prayer was answered. I gained admission to study in a university in India.
She explained that she initially did not plan to be a medical expert but fell for the profession along the line of her study.
“My dad has always been there for me psychologically and financially. He kept on encouraging me. He wanted me to be a medical doctor or an engineer while I wanted to become an astronaut. But to the glory of God, I am here today as pharmacist,” she added.
Owo-Alade noted that she planned to establish a research institute where she would develop new cancer drugs with no side effects.
“I intend to have an industry, with a standard research and development centre that will involve animals and human volunteers. I realise that Nigerians lack continuous research. Our government does not encourage research.
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