There was a standing ovation at UNIPORT, as the erudite Professor of Pharmacy delivered a compressive keynote address at the Induction and Oath taking that took place in the school.
The faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the University of Port Harcourt in Rivers State held her 11th Induction and oath Taking Ceremony for her graduating student into the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria on May 12, 2023, at the Ebitimi Banigo Hall, University of Port Harcourt, Abuja Park, the Ceremony which commenced 10:00 am was graced by different dignitaries.
The induction and oath-taking event was honorably opened by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Professor Owunari A. Georgewill, who was also the chief host of the occasion and gave his opening remarks. In his opening remarks, he congratulated and welcomed the graduands into the profession.
We saw different dignitaries, in which we saw the Vice Chancellor of Chrisland University, Abeokuta, Professor Chinedum Peace Babalola; she delivered a lecture on the keynote address topic, which says Seeing and achieving beyond the obvious.

She started her lecture by saluting the authorities and other dignitaries present. Then she faced the graduands and said it is time for them to enjoy the fruit of their efforts and labor as the school bids them farewell to the undergraduate level lecturers and practicals in Clinical Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pharmaceutics & Industrial Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical microbiology, Pharmacognosy, and Pharmacology.
In her words from her introduction, she started with a powerful quote from the late Nelson Mandela, which says, "To achieve greatness, one must have the vision to see beyond the obvious, the determination to work tirelessly, and the courage to take risks."
So as you transition from being an undergraduate to a graduate, always remember you will encounter a world constantly changing, evolving, and presenting new challenges. Always remember this quote as you go "A person who graduates today and stops learning tomorrow is uneducated the day after," Professor Chinedum said.
As a scholar in the Pharmaceutical field of study, Professor Babalola highlighted the challenges of the pharmacy profession, which are:
• Lack of enabling environment
• Poverty
• Low morale
• Injustice, the disparity
• Pressures from other professions and nonskilled person interferers
• Lack of internship and job placement
• Lack of job satisfaction
• Poor access to quality medicines
• Lack of political will
• Substandard medicines
• Low knowledge of the profession
• Lack of capital for a start-up
• Lack of sustainability in practice
She also added the good side of this profession, which she called the strengths of the profession, and they are:
• Intelligence
• Quality training
• Can practice globally
• No medicine, no healthcare
• Good personalities and leaders and role models
• Pharma – making a difference
• Making innovative contributions to healthcare
• Making a difference in people's health and life, solving problems, Saving lives
• Multitasking
• Practice in several sectors (not limited to the hospital).
Professor Chinedum went further to face the topic given to her as she asked what it meant to see beyond the obvious. And her response was, "It means to have a vision, a perspective, and an imagination that enables you to recognize
opportunities where others see obstacles. It's to look beyond the surface level and discern the underlying patterns, connections, and possibilities in any situation. It means to think critically, creatively, and independently and challenge the assumptions and biases that limit your thinking.
She said seeing beyond the obvious could also mean sensing a deeper meaning, recognizing emerging patterns, and intuiting the bigger picture. It can also be to push yourself beyond limits asking, venturing into deeper territory, and also it can mean disruption.
She also talked about why it is necessary to see beyond the obvious. Just like every other profession in the world, pharmacy also requires expertise and the capability to think critically, solve problems, and change landscapes in the healthcare sector. It goes beyond the conventional role of dispensing medication; you have to cater to patients and collaborate with other healthcare terms. Also, "As pharmacy professionals, we are responsible for striving for excellence in all we do and thus blazing the trail."
Finally, in her words, Professor Chinedum Peace Babalola talked about How to position yourself to see beyond the obvious, and they are to ask the right questions, identify a need, acquire skills, and join a community. After her speech, there was a standing ovation for the Vice Chancellor of Chrisland University, Abeokuta.