The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) has called on newly qualified nurses across the country to uphold their patriotic duty by contributing their knowledge and compassion to the growth of Nigeria’s healthcare system, rather than seeking opportunities abroad.
The Registrar of the Council, Dr. Ndagi Alhassan, made the call during the induction and oath-taking ceremony for graduating professional nurses of Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State, held on the institution’s campus over the weekend.
Alhassan, while inducting the 69 nursing graduates of the institution, charged the new professionals to see themselves as ‘ambassadors of hope and healing’ whose calling goes beyond personal ambition to national service.
Alhassan , who was represented by a director in the Council , Dr Olukemi Awe, emphasised that the nation depends on their expertise and dedication to bridge the gap in healthcare delivery, particularly in rural communities where medical care remains scarce.
According to him, while global mobility is a right, patriotism demands that professionals first invest their knowledge and energy in developing their homeland before looking outward.
The Registrar, however, cautioned those who may still wish to work abroad to be mindful of their destinations, warning them to avoid migrating to war-prone countries such as Russia, Ukraine, and Israel, where safety and stability cannot be guaranteed.
‘Every nurse trained in Nigeria carries a piece of the nation’s future. When you serve here, you heal not just patients but the soul of a country in need of care.Your choice to enter this noble profession is not just a career path, but a calling.
‘I would like to inform you that your success at the Council Examination has qualified you for a one-year internship program, but you cannot proceed for this without being inducted.
‘You are here today to accompany and perform the induction ceremony, which will allow you to proceed for this one-year mandatory internship program, at the end of which you will obtain your registration number, you will obtain your license, you will obtain your certificates, and you will obtain your certificates from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria.
‘ By this, your degree will be recognized, and you will enforce your address as a professional nurse, a registered nurse, with the title registered nurse, after your name.
‘This is the beginning of your professional career as a nurse will be privileged for you to serve anywhere in the world, but please don’t leave the country (japa) . Let’s all take care of Nigeria. We still need you in Nigeria. Do not ‘japa’ for now.
‘But you see, if you still want to japa don’t go to Russia, don’t go to Ukraine, don’t go to Israel. Please, I’m just begging you. But we need you here. We want you to come and serve us here’
The Registrar also admonished the inductees to uphold the ethics of the nursing profession and continue to learn from senior colleagues in the clinics and hospitals where they would practice.
He said: ‘Do not allow what you have achieved today to be the end of the road for you. I encourage you to continue learning and explore all the available opportunities to advance further in nursing.’
He also commended Elizade University for maintaining high academic and professional standards in nursing education, describing the institution as a model in the training of competent, disciplined, and service-driven health professionals.
He reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to promoting professional excellence and working with governments at all levels to create conditions that will encourage healthcare workers to remain and serve within the country, saying the future of the nation’s health system rests on their shoulders.
In his remarks, the Acting Vice-Chancellor of Elizade University, Prof. Babatunde Adeyemo, congratulated the new nurses, noting that all the graduates successfully passed their professional examinations, a feat he attributed to the university’s unwavering commitment to providing quality education and rigorous training.
He urged the graduates to use the skills acquired during their studies to uphold the dignity of human life and render care selflessly wherever they find themselves.
Prof. Adeyemo said ‘Nursing is not just a profession; it is a calling. It is a vocation rooted in compassion, service, empathy, and an unwavering commitment to humanity.
‘The oath you will take today is not a mere formality, but a solemn pledge to uphold the dignity of human life, to render care selflessly, and to maintain the highest standards of professional ethics.’
Adeyemo commended the NMCN for its guidance and partnership, assuring that Elizade University will continue to produce competent and ethically sound graduates capable of competing globally while remaining committed to national development.