Babcock Teaching Hospital Rated Best In Nigeria - Dr. Suleiman
The Director of Marketing and Communications Babcock University, Ilishan Remo of Ogun State has described the teaching hospital of the University as one of the best in the country.
Speaking during an interview with the intelligent media, the guru stated that the first private university in Nigeria has continued to upgrade its infrastructures to global standard, providing world class university graduates for the industrial sector of the country. Excerpts.
Q: What has being the success story of Babcock University in the last thirty years?
A: Babcock university in the last thirty years has continued to achieve tremendous growth, we have achieved a number of landmarks success, by winning international awards across the globe, brand of the year award in education sector in West African.
We have also received an award given to us by the World Branding Forum based in the United Kingdom, we also recorded a number of other successes, by producing over all best student in the Nigerian Law School in 2019.
We were rated in Nigeria as the top ten best University in Law, however our students in other field have recorded landmark success more importantly in the area of Accounting, we have produced students who are Chartered Accountants, emerging best in the Institute of Chartered Accountants.
We have produced Students who are best overall student in the Institute both in the United Kingdom and Nigeria, our students participate in international field, Business administration and Business finance emerging third overall best student.
In the field of medicine, we had student emerging with the best result in the area of computing, we had recorded tremendous success having partnership with the University of Computing Sciences in oversee and this has enabled our students to have sophisticated experiences in the area of computer science.
In the area of Infrastructures, we have continued to upgrade our facilities compared to where we were thirty years ago, there has been improvement in the quality of infrastructures in Babcock University, we know talk about smart classrooms, we are a leading institution that provides accommodation for all our students.
Our lecturers have continued to improve on their performance and they are emerging as consultancy to Federal and State Government and these are people who are knowledgeable in specialized field.
In addition to that our medical facilities ranked among the best in African, the cardiac centre where we address issues that has to do with heart related challenges, is one of the best and they have been able to successfully carry out 950 heart surgeries to the glory of God.
Babcock University Teaching Hospital is well equipped, we have the Radiology Unit, we have the latest medical facility and we receive referrers from all the parts of the country, teaching hospital refer patients to us for immediate attention.
That tell you the quality of personnel and facilities we have on ground even in the area of nursing our students have continue to record success, the Nursing Council of Nigeria affirms this. Infact there is no year a student will emerge with a figure lower than 90 percent.
So these are some of the landmark achievements of the university in the period under review, our campus environment in Nigeria is considered as one of the best and we have continue to provide the template for those who care to operate a successful private university in Nigeria and it is a thing that gives us joy whenever the Federal Government gives operational approval for Private University to be established and this is because if we had not succeeded nobody will want to operate a private University in Nigeria.
The success story of Babcock University as the first private university in Nigeria gave the Federal Government the courage to approve additional universities and most of this Universities usually come to learn from us and this has been a cheering news for us.
Yes, we are not where we supposed to be but it is a destination to success, we are still moving and we will keep improving on our performances.
Q: Nigeria as a country is facing serious economic challenges how have you being able to cope?
A: We have continued to re-engineer business approaches, we look inward bring in new ideas to generate funds, we do a lot of research, set target and achieve it.
Yes, we have some food industries on campus, block making factory, shopping malls and all of these industries generate funds to the coffers of the University, we leveraged on available opportunities to generate funds.
Q: What are the future prospect of Babcock University?
A: We have just introduced new programs in the School of Engineering, we just established the School of Environmental Science and this is because we saw the need in the society.
We also run Cyber Security and this is a course that is one of the best in Western Countries, graduates in this Department don't need to search for jobs because they will be self-reliance and they can thrive on their own and also contribute to the development of the society.
We also introduce Information System and it is difference from information resources. This has to do with how to use information to drive wealth creation. We also introduced Peace and Conflict Resolution, we are looking ahead with hope that the future will be bright.
We are looking forward towards improving our standards of operations and standard of examinations by adding more infrastructures so as to accommodate more students.
We will deliver solid and sound education to students so that they will be properly equipped with knowledge and this will be made possible with training and retraining of our staff, make sure they attend conferences and seminars to upscale their knowledge which will make them to be more productive and effective on duty.
Q: Over the years educational system in Nigeria has continued to produce the best university graduates across the globe but this has not translated to economic prosperity in the country, what do you think is wrong with Nigeria as a Country?
A: Babcock as a university has continued to produce well baked graduates for the private sector of the country who are knowledgeable with modem trends, but I think what they need is Government support, the government need to create the enabling environment for them flourish.
People with bright minds cannot flourish in an environment where we do not do things on merits, the political and social environment must be conducive.
The only challenge we have in Nigeria is corruption, if we could address that, Nigerians will smile and that is why most of our best hands in Nigeria have continue to travel abroad where hard work is being appreciated.
We have continue to rotate the same set of politicians since independent and we expect the country to grow, this reality contributed toward the low level development we see in the country.
It is very sad to note todays Nigeria that with youths of 14, 17 years does not want to work rather they believe in Yahoo plus and what will be the fate of Nigeria when the old generations are gone.
These have retarded the progress of our country in no small measure, what we need is determined and proactive governance with the right people in the right place, with this we will be able to move forward and address some of the challenges contributing to the under development of the country.
Q: What has been the corporate social responsibilities of Babcock University to its immediate environment?
A: Babcock University plays a significant role in socio- economic growth of Ilisan by ensuring safety of lives and prosperity by constructing a divisional police station with an operational vehicle.
We also took a step further to enhance commercial activities in Ilishan we encourage all the commercial banks to Open branches on our campus and we provide adequate security for them.
We also take active part in annual Isanbi Day festival. The University is represented at the event by delegation from the Institution while we provide financial support.
Babcock university donated transformers to Ilisan to improve power supply and we also clear drainages to reduce flooding.
The Institution rehabilitated road networks in Ilisan most especially some portions that have become death trap, and always support the monarch during any community event and even taken a step further to procure a brand-new vehicle for him.
The School of Law occasionally visit the market in the community to enlighten the people on best approach to business even some public schools in Ilisan were visited and lectured free of charge on social wellness while scholarship are being given to indigenes of the community.
So, these are some of the Corporate Social Responsibility we have done and we intend to do more so that we will be on the same page with our host community.
We organized Town Hall meetings to deliberate with stakeholders and also exchanged ideas, opinion on the way forward and that is why there is high level of peace and unity in our environment otherwise you will see people carrying placard Babcock must go but there is nothing like that because there is a systematic robust relationship with our host community.
Q: It is very sad to note that despite hugh funds in the coffers of state and Federal Government ,we don't have functional hospitals in Nigeria rather they prefer to refer patients to Babcock Teaching Hospital to even make things worse one of our former president die in a foreign hospital, what are your recommendations to government as regards improved health system?
A: What we do is that to strengthens our partnership with the Government, so in areas they are weak we assist them with our own strength.
Yes, it is true government owned General Hospitals are in deplorable condition, it is actually an eye saw and something we can never be proud of that government owned hospital.
We have an intensive care centre that provide effective and efficient health care services although we have some challenges that has to do with inadequate manpower as a result of the fact that Doctors and nurses are migrating outside the country for greener pastures and that is why we need to encourage the government to do the needful and ensure they equip our health institutions with up to date medical equipment.
They need to pay Doctors and Nurses as at when due, encourage them, motivate them to serve in their fatherland and ensure that Nigerians have access to qualitative health care.
We as an private institution also depend on partnership outside the country, we have some organisations that fund our medical services to the members of the community.
Q: In Nigeria of today an adult of 20 years is ready to compete with Bill gates. What is your word of encouragement to Nigeria youths?
A: My message to Nigerian youth is that they should be hard working, hard work pays, idleness can bring evil deeds, idleness breed poverty and disgrace, God gave us our two hands so that we will be able to create wealth.
God gave us the mind and brain so that we will be able to think, God gave us intelligence so that we will be able to come up with ideas that will put food on our table.
Nigerian youths should have a rethink and change their ways from habits that will bring disgrace and ways from habits that will bring disgrace and shame to their family, we need to honour God by doing the right thing and being nice to our neighbor.
