The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria has granted final accreditation to Osun State University, Osogbo, allowing it to graduate medical students.
The accreditation news was received during a visit by the Registrar of the Council, Prof. Fatimah Kyari, and the accreditation team at the Government House in Osogbo. Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, welcomed the development, commending the university’s progress and promising further support to enhance its academic standards.
A statement from the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, obtained on Saturday in Osogbo, quoted Adeleke as expressing satisfaction with the achievement.
Prof. Kyari, represented by Deputy Registrar Dr. Nnaemeka Nwakanma, praised the governor for providing the necessary facilities that enabled the College of Medicine at UNIOSUN to secure final accreditation in just seven years.
Dr. Nwakanma noted that Adeleke’s efforts had positioned the university to achieve this milestone within three years. “This team has just approved and granted final full accreditation to the medical school. It didn’t come easy,” he said.
He added that since its establishment in 1963, the council has maintained strict standards to ensure the training of medical personnel who can compete internationally.
He also compared UNIOSUN’s admission quota with other universities: “Until three months ago, Obafemi Awolowo University admission quota was 100, which was what was approved for UNIOSUN in 2023. University of Lagos, established in the ’60s, has 150 admission quota for medical students till date. The 76-year-old University of Ibadan, ranked No. 4 in Commonwealth nations in the 70s, has a quota capacity of 180, even though it limited intake to 120.”
Dr. Nwakanma explained that admission quotas are based on available manpower, facilities, laboratories, and hospitals capable of training students effectively.
He added, “In recognition of Your Excellency’s investment in tertiary education, MDCN has not only granted final full accreditation for the College of Medicine in UNIOSUN but also placed the university on par with the University of Lagos and other major institutions with a quota of 150.”
Governor Adeleke expressed delight over the accreditation and assured that his administration would continue to support UNIOSUN. He also promised that the university’s admission capacity for medicine and related courses would double before the next accreditation cycle.
Noting the challenges posed by the brain drain or “Japa syndrome,” Adeleke emphasized the need to improve working conditions to retain skilled professionals. “When you go to the biggest hospitals in the UK, America, and Europe, Nigerians are the best hands you will find there, and it is because there is no conducive working environment for them in Nigeria. We must work together to reverse the trend,” he said.
UNIOSUN has steadily grown its medical training capacity, culminating in the creation of the Modupe and Folorunso Alakija Medical Research and Training Hospital in Osogbo. The hospital, donated by philanthropist Mrs. Folorunso Alakija, was formally handed over to the university’s management.
According to a statement from the university’s Public Relations Officer, Ademola Adesoji, the handover took place at Famfa Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, with the university delegation led by Pro-Chancellor Prof. Wale Oladipo and Vice-Chancellor Prof. Clement Adebooye.
Speaking at the ceremony, Managing Director of Famfa Oil, Mr. Dele Alakija, representing the donor family, expressed gratitude to God and appreciation to UNIOSUN for advancing medical education and healthcare in Nigeria.
