By Jumoke Owoola
An elated Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry , Prof. Morenike Toyin Ukpong, couldn't hide her joy as she joined other colleagues in the faculty to celebrate.
Reacting to the development, she said: “The major driver of this noble achievement is the high quality collaborative research outputs from the Faculty.”
According to the report, the 2022 GRAS ranking which was released recently, Nigeria featured as follows, Faculty of Dentistry , Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) emerged in the 201-300 groups. Veterinary Sciences of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta emerged 201- 300 groups; while in Psychology, University of Nigeria, Nzukka emerged in the 401-500 groups.
The Chairman of the Governing Board of the Higher Education Observatory for Africa (HEOFA), Prof. Peter Okebukola, congratulated the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, the Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, as well as authorities of the Faculty of Dentistry of the Obafemi Awolowo University, (OAU) and the entire university community in general.
Also, a member of the Board of Higher Education Observatory for Africa (HEOFA), Dr. Fred Mansah, who is a Ghanaian, stated that dividend of the NUC-led efforts is the top- ranking of Nigeria universities in the academic ranking of the world universities which was released on August 15, 2022, is worthy of mentioning.
However, at the Faculty of the Dentistry , OAU, the joy was obvious as the university community received the news with jubilations.
Basking in the euphoria that such recognition can bring, the Dean, Faculty of Dentistry , Prof. Morenike Toyin Ukpong said the news came as a surprise as well as a morale booster.
"It is encouraging to know that the little thing we do add up.
We will only choose to do more by understanding this. This global achievement is a result of unconscious process, if we do things a lot more consciously; we can go far."
Ukpong was not a lone voice on this notes as her colleagues joined her in celebrating the feat.
Prof. Owotade John Foluso, a past dean, revealed that the news was quite encouraging and the feat is a combination of academic excellence.
"There is no doubt that the news is encouraging. A combination of international visibility through academic output and the excellence that we have displayed in our teaching, research and community service," Owotade , a Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery stated.
Also, a highly excited Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and past Dean, Prof. Olawunmi Fatusi, hinged the feat on total dedication of both students and staff.
“We are very excited about OAU dental programme making the 201-300 ranking. It is a validation of our hardwork and commitment in the past and a call to improved development in the future. Despite being the smallest faculty in the university, we have always been positive about the impact we are able to make in our students’ lives and the university at large"
"Much more, we are excited about the products of this faculty and all that they have been able to achieve across the globe," Fatusi said.
"Stimulating information and restorer of hope," is the best way Dr Oyetola Elijah Olufemi, Head of Department (HOD), OAU Department of Oral Medicine and Oral Pathology described it.
“The news came as a stimulating information and I also see it as encouraging. It only restore our hope and reassure us again that when we put efforts on ground and when we have good leaders that are focused as we have our indefatigable dean, that good thing can still happen again.
“In a nutshell, the global ranking came as a reassurance that when we put efforts and you pray; of course, we still have hope in this country. So, the news is a strong encourager for me and the whole department sees it as good news.
“The faculty has been blessed with great and dedicated leaders who are desirous of leaving behind positive legacies. In this regard, we are talking of our present Dean, Prof. Morenike Ukpong, the past deans such as Prof. Olawunmi Fatusi, Prof. Owotade Foluso; not forgetting Prof. Bamire Adebayo Simeon who is the present Vice Chancellor of our institution (OAU)," an elated Olufemi said.
Prof Temitope Esan said that the faculty will not rest on its oars to make it the best dental school in Africa and the world at large.
"Our ranking is no doubt traced to the hardwork and dedication put in by the dean and the entire staff of the faculty. In addition, the innovations, number of grants, the various academic and professional development programmes, the publications in highly rated journals all contributed to our success stories," Esan, who is a Professor of Restorative Dentistry noted.
Like an Oliver Twist, Prof. Morenike Ukpong, the current Dean and a Professor of Paediatric Dentistry looks forward to many more landmark strides in placing the Dental school in a global map consistently.
“While this ranking is a commutation of many others, we as a faculty needs to seat, study, understand and do better. I look forward to the faculty being able to do many landmark things of international importance. As a collective, we are working to build a Dental Entrepreneurship Centre, it has been designed and sited. We will need about 180 million naira to build it. Once built, we will have the First Dental Entrepreneurship Centre in the country. So, I look forward to the faculty being the foremost Dental Research Grant recipient in Africa. We have all it takes to be in this best position. We just need to consciously drive the process," Ukpong noted.
Looking further to more bright future, Prof Fatusi who is the first female Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial surgery at the Obafemi Awolowo University , Ile Ife,
believed that proper and adequate funding in both financial, technological and management innovations will go a long way in assisting the faculty to perform better and do more.
"My vision for the OAU Faculty of Dentistry is to become a world class Dental school with a 1- 100 global rating within the next couple of years. I hope that the faculty will continue to keep a close link between research and education, employing leading dentists and scientists to teach the latest techniques, diagnostics and treatments," Fatusi said with pride.
Prof. Owotade looks forward to an availability of access to library resources and creating a safe environment with functional infrastructure that will enhance their work, as well as encouraging international scholars to visit and collaborate.
Prof. Temitope Ayodeji Esan believes that modern laboratory and digitalisation of its workflow will positively assist the Faculty in growing better and bigger in terms of achievement.
On a parting note, Ukpong revealed that there is an ongoing Biomaterial Science Research ongoing in the faculty, which can drive changes in Dental Biomaterial Research in the country.
"We are one of the few centres in the country building competency on research conduct and dissemination. We are looking forward to NUC approval of our Dental implantology Master programme.
"There are lots more building innovations. I think collectively we know that the faculty is strong and we can do a lot more together. Most importantly, we want to do a lot more," Ukpong stressed.
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