The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria has advised nursing graduates of Elizade University, Ilara Mokin, Ondo State, not to leave the country but to contribute their own quota to the development of the healthcare system of the country.

The council, however, warned the graduates that if they wanted to leave the country, they should avoid going to war-torn countries like Russia, Ukraine, Israel, among others.

The Registrar of the NMCN, Dr Ndagi Alhassan, stated this during the induction and oath-taking ceremony of graduating professional nurses of the Elizade University, on the campus of the institution, during the weekend. No fewer than 69 nursing graduates of the institution were inducted by the council at the ceremony.

Alhassan, who was represented by a director in the Council, Dr Olukemi Awe said, ” 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 and 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 recognised, 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, and you will be privileged for 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 NMCN boss also admonished the inductees to uphold the ethics of the nursing profession and always learn from their senior colleagues at the clinics.

“Do not allow what you have achieved today to be the end of the road for you. I encourage you to continue learning, explore all the available opportunities to advance further in nursing,” he charged.

In his remarks, the Acting Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Babatunde Adeyemo, said the graduates of the institution passed all their professional examinations, attributing the development to the commitment of Elizade University to offering quality university education.

He urged the graduates to utilise the skills acquired during their training to uphold the dignity of human lives and render care selflessly.

“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, the don admonished.

PUNCH Online reports that Russia, Ukraine and Israel have been violence-ridden for years.

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine since February 2022 has produced years of intense fighting, repeated missile and drone strikes on cities and energy infrastructure, mass displacement, and widespread civilian harm.

The war between Israel and Hamas that erupted with the October 7, 2023, assault has similarly escalated into prolonged, high-intensity hostilities in Gaza and southern Israel, causing heavy civilian casualties, a humanitarian crisis and persistent security risks.

Both conflicts continue to generate dangerous conditions, making those theatres unsafe destinations for health workers and migrants. (Sunday PUNCH, excluding headline)