Olalusi in 2004 had the best result in the West African School Certificate Examination result in 2004 and was the best Science Student in the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination in 2006. He also had the highest Obafemi Awolowo University Post UME score in 2006.
In this interview with Lekan Otufodunrin, Olalusi speaks on his accomplishments and quality of education in Russia.
Congratulations on emerging as the best graduating student in your faculty, how did you accomplish this feat?
First and foremost, I would like to thank God for these successes. Mostly, I do the much I can, which can be very little, but with God, little is much. Besides that, I would say I was spurred on by a genuine interest to become better than I was yesterday. More pragmatically, I took every class as it came and made sure I gave each of them equal attention; attended my lectures, referred to resource materials and with the much-needed grasp of the language, things turned around. And of course, that’s not undermining personal study hours, hard work, diligence and self-discipline.
In a foreign country, you are your own parent, cum your own ‘child’, what I mean is, besides being a student, you do everything for yourself, so effective time management is key to anything you do.
How will you describe the Russian education system compared with your experience in Nigeria?
Besides the fact one has to study in Russian language, the education system in Russia is intensive and more students friendly. Everything, lecture materials, school books, internet resources are at the tip of your fingers. The lectures hours, lecture halls and classes are very decent – what I mean is the student study environment here is more conducive. For instance, you do not need to run to a lecture at 5:00am (as we students had to sometimes do in OAU) to grab a seat. There are seats enough, and those at the rare end of the halls get the gist of the lecture just in the same way as those in the front. The Lecturers don’t scare you; rather they welcome you and are always willing to help and assist.
And besides lectures, we have practical classes, where we study in small groups (of 10 – 12 students each) and each group has its own instructor. For any student willing to put in the needed effort, the system of education here just comes to your aid. And with a sound knowledge of the language, you’re home and dry.
There are options to study in English, but having to study in Russian language is a great thing and it can be very helpful, so most times I advise my friends to do the same. You know the same thing in two different ways, two different languages; and you think uniquely in the two languages, simultaneously.
With your brilliant records from secondary school, why did you opt to study in Russia?
Well, back at home, there are opportunities, but the issue is how many of such are made known to everyone. I believe, besides me, there are tens of thousands of students with quite impressive high school records, but the question is how many of such students have access to scholarship offers, schooling abroad. Throughout my stay, I did not come across any offers to study in the US or the UK, and of course studying there (without some form of scholarship) can be definitely capital-intensive.
I came across a scholarship offer to Russia (IN THE DAILIES), grabbed the application form and went for the interview; and that was how it all began. As for offers to the UK and the United States, I doubt if such information would be published in the dailies, you might need to have THE so called NIGERIAN EDGE (like KNOW SOMEONE) to even get to know that. Sad though.
How would you rate medical training in Russia globally?
Medical training in Russia is at par with the rest of the world, Europe and the Americas. Besides up-to-date theoretical knowledge, Russia offers training practically. I have heard Russian doctors beat their American colleagues, when it comes to physically examining a patient. The system is awesome, it gives you everything you need; but again it boils down to individual commitments and goals.
How will you compare the medical training you got in Russia with that of medical schools In Nigeria?
The training I got here has been very multi-sided. By that I mean, there has been a decent balance between theoretical and practical knowledge. Besides that, the standard here is just what obtains in the developed world – Nothing beats that. Patient management, operational procedures, maneuvers and manipulations are carried out to world standard. Medical school here is very intensive; besides lectures, we have practical classes EVERY DAY, where you have to write and pass a test, answer oral questions, and take part in discussions and procedures, as the case may be. Haha, they even take our attendance like we are in high school, and classes missed have to re-taken.
If you have an offer to remain in Russia based on your performance will you consider it against returning home?
Hmm, tough question definitely. But really, I believe my home country needs me more than any other nation does. I would return home.
What should the government do to discourage brain drain in the medical sector in the country?
ONE thing, …just ONE thing: EQUIP our hospitals. Our clinics are 50 years behind the standards abroad; this makes my heart bleed. I almost was crying when a Nigerian medical student told me over the phone of how doctors had to use a TORCH LIGHT (a lamp) to finish an operation.
Accidents/trauma at home is like a death sentence, because the ERs (Emergency Rooms) are not EQIPPED enough to take care of these victims. I cry each time I ponder over this.
Our doctors sometimes can’t even help the patients. It can be frustrating and depressing to work in such conditions. It’s sad when you have all the knowledge, but there is nothing physically you can do. That defeats the nobility of medicine (to help the sick and take off pain/suffering) and renders it lame.
It’s sad.
You are a believer in building a positive image for Nigeria and being a worthy ambassador, how much of negative image do you and your Nigerian colleagues in Russia have to deal with?
Oh, negative image, I can write a thesis on this. Corruption, bombings, killings, scams are the bane. It’s even worse when you’re held down, delayed (and MADE TO MISS YOUR FLIGHT) at airports because you’re a Nigerian. I study in a very international environment, with students from Greece, Italy, Russia, Malaysia, Africa, India and lots of other Soviet countries; and it’s sad to know that they come to you with stories of killings and corruption in Nigeria that you do not even know.
The first thing I DID was to take it upon myself to help build a positive image for Nigeria, I placed that weight on my shoulders and I started taking steps at re-defining the image of the country I COME FROM. I saw that even more important than my academics – being a man of character and leaving a sound impression of myself, my family and my nation.
I was mindful of the things I say, do and kind of activities I was involved in. With God, I began setting a standard for them to see; and made sure I talked to my friends about Nigeria each time such issues came up. Soon enough I was made president of the AFRICAN STUDENTS ASSOCIATION in my school and served in a variety of other positions. I used that opportunity to re-present Nigeria and I must thank God for what He has done through that.
Has your excellent performance changed the negative impression?
Yes, it has. And in a long way. Now, the world is gradually coming to understand who we truly are, we just need to be more consistent and true (HONEST) to ourselves.
How affordable is University education in Russia
Compared to the United States and the rest of the world, it is pretty affordable. I MEAN YOU GET the same level of education (except in Russian language) as you get in these countries. Living in Moscow can be very expensive though.
The facilities are up to standard. Internet, water, power, transport, everything works! Everything works! And as a young student, all these lessen your problems in a huge way.
Apart from your recent accomplishments what are the other high points and low points of your studying in Russia?
HIGH POINTS:1) Leading other team of international students (Russia, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Morocco) and bagging the best captain of the year award AT THE University’s annual quiz competition on Internal Medicine.
2) Being a part of and Representing Nigeria on the University’s Hall of fame.
3) Bagging an award from the National Union of Ghanaian Students NUGS Russia and the Embassy of Ghana as International Student personality of the year 2012/13
3) Bagging awards and several honours during my Russian language study years (2006 – 2007) – took part in and won Russian language literature contests, quiz competitions in the basic sciences.
4) Leading the African Students in my University also was a great honour for me
Low points: It can be pretty unfair and sad when you get treated or judged based on the things a few Nigerians/Africans have done wrong.
You said in your valedictory speech that you hope to use your wealth of experience and knowledge to help and serve in Nigeria; do you have a particular focus in mind?
I hope to work with other foreign-medical graduates (the Russia-trained and others) and see to it that we bring our experiences abroad to bear on medical practice at home. This might involve inviting our colleagues abroad over to the country, having seminars and workshops, going for further studies, seeing to it (and with the help of the government) that our clinics are upgraded to international standards.
Personally, I am a lover of Cardiology and Cardiovascular medicine; but I have been having a growing interest in Infectious Diseases, especially Malaria. I had once talked to a friend about a possibility of having an institute of Malariology at home, a clinic ONLY for Malaria patients, with ongoing research works aimed at stopping the manace and at reducing the number of deaths and complications.
Can you elaborate on your call to your graduating colleagues that that they should not forget, as young medical professionals to be “true to our calling ; true to our patients, true to our colleagues and most importantly be true to ourselves?”
In one phrase, that means being honest and very diligent in practice.
The Nation
