Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), has inducted 32 graduates of its Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science (BMLS) programme, with six earning first-class honours, as university officials and medical experts urged the new professionals to uphold ethical standards, embrace research and contribute to healthcare development.
The 11th induction and oath-taking ceremony, held at Owolabi Hall, ABUAD, on Thursday, featured the administration of the professional oath and code of conduct to the inductees. The event, attended by university officials, academics, parents and other dignitaries, had the theme: “The Heap in the Junkyard of Research and Development: The Pains and the Hope.”
The best graduating student, Onohwowho Oghenemine Naomi, led the outstanding graduates with a CGPA of 4.89, followed by Adeyemi Deborah Marvellous with 4.83 and Okechukwu Akochiwe Vera with 4.75. Other top-performing graduates included Bokantero Raphael Orighoye, with 4.70; Owanga Omiete, with 4.62; and Olubodun Miracle Aderinola, with 4.61. The university celebrated the graduates for their academic excellence and dedication throughout their training.
Addressing the inductees on behalf of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN), Dr Paulinus Nnamdi Offutalu, representing the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Donald Ibe Ofili, congratulated the graduates and urged them to uphold professional integrity, accuracy, confidentiality and accountability.
He described medical laboratory scientists as essential contributors to accurate diagnosis, effective treatment and disease surveillance, warning that professional misconduct could compromise patient safety and public confidence in healthcare services.
Offutalu also called on ABUAD to sustain collaboration with the council in strengthening professional training, practical competence and regulatory compliance. He urged the inductees to complete the required internship and practical training, obtain the appropriate practising licence and remain committed to continuous learning.
He further encouraged them to honour the sacrifices of their parents and guardians by demonstrating diligence, competence and ethical conduct, stressing that the welfare of patients must remain central to their professional responsibilities.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Smaranda Olarinde, described the ceremony as the beginning of a lifelong journey of professional service and ethical responsibility. She challenged the inductees to use research and innovation to improve healthcare delivery, noting that the ceremony’s theme highlighted both the difficulties confronting research and its potential to produce better diagnoses and treatment outcomes.
Guest lecturer Professor Charles Onyenekwe of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, also urged the graduates to embrace research, mentorship and innovation, calling for stronger investment in research and development to help Nigerian scientists transform ideas into practical solutions. He reminded them that induction marked the beginning, rather than the end, of their professional learning.
