Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State, has presented 71 graduating Physiotherapy students for induction by the Medical Rehabilitation Therapists Board of Nigeria (MRTB) for the 2026 academic session.
The induction ceremony was held recently at the university.
The Provost, College of Health Sciences, Bowen University, Professor Olufemi Awotunde, said the university’s Physiotherapy programme commenced in 2015, making it the first private institution in Nigeria to offer the course.
He added that the university had produced its seventh set of inducted physiotherapists, who would join other professionals in contributing to healthcare development in Nigeria.
Awotunde urged the new physiotherapists to ensure that every encounter with patients reflected the character of professionals with purpose.
The induction lecturer, Dr. Olufunke Taibat Akanle, spoke on the theme, “Graduation to Impact: A Physiotherapist with Purpose.”
Akanle said physiotherapists could either be career-driven or purpose-driven, urging the inductees to become purpose-driven professionals by identifying problems, providing solutions, creating value and creating opportunities for others.
She observed that primary physiotherapy healthcare remained inadequate in Nigeria, with fewer than 8,000 registered professionals serving a population of about 200 million people.
According to her, rehabilitation is a continuum, not a destination, and physiotherapists should continue to develop their skills in areas including robotics, artificial intelligence and remote monitoring.
She said: “Innovative solutions for better outcomes. Be the voice of rehabilitation. Be the change is looking for.”
Akanle also encouraged the inductees to explore areas of physiotherapy beyond clinical practice and build their professional portfolios.
She said: “Don’t just become a physiotherapist, but become one that people will need.”
She called on the government to create opportunities for healthcare professionals to serve and strengthen physiotherapy from primary to tertiary healthcare levels, while investing in healthcare infrastructure.
Representing the Registrar/CEO of the MRTB, Prof. Rufai Ahmad Yusuf, the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics of the board, Dr. Adeniran Akinyele, told the inductees that professional success depended on more than obtaining a certificate.
He said: “Certificate may open the door to the profession, but your character determines the professionalism you become.
“Whatever path you choose, should leave the profession stronger than you met it.”
He urged the new physiotherapists to build their careers around competence, compassion, integrity, courage and purpose.
The Vice-Chancellor of Bowen University, Professor Jonathan Babalola, assured the government and healthcare sector that the institution would continue to produce reliable physiotherapists capable of contributing to the development of the country’s health system.
Babalola said: “God has a purpose for directing each person to their profession, to see the work as a ministry that God has committed into their hands. Knowing that the work is dynamic, learning never ends. ‘Don’t stop learning; otherwise, you will become irrelevant. But be compassionate,” he concluded.
At the end of the induction and awards ceremony, Okoro Chinma Deborah emerged as the overall best graduating student, while Ayorinde Favour Boluwatife came second, and Ohahuru Chizhi Janice placed third.
