It was jubilation and celebration galore in the academic world on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, when Professor David Osarumwense Osifo, was academically honoured at the University of Benin, Benin City in Edo State, Nigeria.
The Uhunmwode born professor for the third consecutive years won the Ashanti Graham Health and Education Initiative Foundation award as the Best Lecturer and Mentor of Clinical Medicine Students.
Also honoured by the foundation was a young and upwardly mobile medical student of the university, Dr. Stacy Aigbokaevbo, who received a brand new laptop and cash sum of 400 British pounds.
The co-founder of Ashanti Graham Health and Education Initiative Foundation, a non-governmental organization, Dr. Loretta Oduware Ogboro-Okor, remarked that the annual presentation which started in 2012 is aimed at celebrating excellence..
Dr Ogboro-Okor, a surgeon and alumnus of UNIBEN explained that the foundation doeo not only give scholarships to brilliant students in the South South region of Nigeria but also donates equipment to schools in the area.
“In 2012, we started the Ashanti Graham Health and Education Initiative Foundation to not only give scholarships but to also donate equipment in the South South. We have started to give awards to the Best Graduating Student in surgery”, she said.
She showered encomiums on Chief. Aloysius Iheze of the Iheze Foundation, High Chief Musa Amedu, Canada based Dr. Eghosa Aghedo and other donors, who have, over the years, kept the faith with the foundation, describing them as “fantastic people.”
As a father figure, Prof. Osifo, who received a brand new laptop, disclosed that he doesn’t only teach his students academics, but goes the full distance by taking special interest in their welfare and wellbeing.
The surgeon of high repute who have won several national and international awards, stated that he treats his students as if they were his own biological children at home and was not surprised by the outpouring of love by them when he was called to the podium to receive his award.
The elated Prof. Osifo, said: “I am very grateful for this award. Actually I put in my best in everything that I do. I do not only teach my students, academics, I also take an interest in their welfare and wellbeing. I take them as my children and that’s why you see all of them jubilating and celebrating. All glory to God for the opportunity to impact on these children.”
About Author
