SPOTLIGHT: Meet Akinwumi Adesina’s niece who is best graduating student of OAU’s medical school

For Adesina Joy Oyinlola, a niece to Akinwumi Adesina, president of the African Development Bank (AfDB), nothing is impossible with determination and a clear-cut vision.

With 10 distinctions and other prizes, Joy recently emerged as the overall best graduating student in medicine at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU).

She had distinctions in surgery, community health, obstetrics and gynecology; paediatrics and child health; dermatology, mental health, pharmacology, anatomy, biochemistry, and physiology.

Joy also bagged nine other top awards which include the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) prize for which she emerged as the student with the overall best result in the M.B.Ch.B degree examination; and the Faculty prize given to the student with the overall best performance in faculty of clinical sciences.

Others are the Olaningbe Makanjuola Memorial prize, for which she emerged as the best student in medicine and medical specialties in part 111 MBCHB degree examination; and the Dr. Oluyemi O. Badero Foundation prize, which is given to the overall best student in the bachelor of medicine and surgery (MBChB) final examination in the faculty of clinical sciences.

Also included are the Major General Olufemi Olutoye prize, where she was the student with the overall best performance in the first professional examination; and the Adeline Olu Ajayi prize, which is given to the best graduating student in physiology in the second MBCHB examination.

Similarly, she won the Paediatrics Association of Nigeria (PAN) prize as the student with the best result in the final M.B.CH.B degree examination in paediatrics; and the Professor O. Taiwo Memorial prize, where she emerged as the student with the highest mark in clinical examination in the final MB.Ch.B examination in paediatrics.

Also, she clinched the Glaxo Allenbury prize given to the student with the best result in the final M.B.CH.B degree examination in paediatrics.

It is understood that the feat is the best in the history of the varsity’s college of medicine.

The institution’s induction and oath-taking ceremony for the newly-graduated medical students was held on October 15.

Several Nigerians have taken to social media to celebrate Joy for securing such achievement.

In a post via his Twitter page, Akinwumi expressed his excitement at Joy’s academic brilliance, saying he is proud of her.

“I am extremely proud of my niece, Dr. Joy Adesina, who graduated as the Best Student in Medicine from the Faculty of Medicine, Obafemi Awolowo University. She bagged 10 distinctions in all, as well as Nigerian Medical Association Prize & Faculty Prize,” he wrote.

I am extremely proud of my niece, Dr. Joy Adesina, who graduated as the Best Student in Medicine from the Faculty of Medicine, Obafemi Awolowo University. She bagged 10 distinctions in all, as well as Nigerian Medical Association Prize & Faculty Prize.👍🏼💕https://t.co/ipXWBQ17Jg pic.twitter.com/enunK4hdIm

— Akinwumi A. Adesina (@akin_adesina) October 16, 2021

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In the same vein, Victor Oladokun, an aide to the AfDB president on communication and stakeholder engagement, commended her in a LinkedIn post. 

“I am so proud of Dr #JoyAdesina who has emerged the top graduating student in Medicine at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria… Keep on shining Dr Joy. Congratulations to you and the Adesina family. #AkinwumiAdesina,” his post partly read.

On her part, Joy appreciated the AfDB president for being an inspiration to her over the years.

Thank you for always rooting for me, cheering me on and being an inspiration🙏🏼❤️@akin_adesina https://t.co/MtakDfB3Wv

— Adesina Joy Oyinlola (@joyful_joy1) October 16, 2021

“Thank you for always rooting for me, cheering me on and being an inspiration @akin_adesina,” she wrote.