‘Livestock farmers are moving out of the country…This is a big challenge’

You have been at the forefront of veterinary medicine education and research in Nigeria, how would you assess veterinary services and profession in Nigeria today?Well, I think there has been some gradual improvement in terms of development of veterinary profession in Nigeria. From the number of veterinarians we produce, at the early stage from  independence […]

You have been at the forefront of veterinary medicine education and research in Nigeria, how would you assess veterinary services and profession in Nigeria today?
Well, I think there has been some gradual improvement in terms of development of veterinary profession in Nigeria. From the number of veterinarians we produce, at the early stage from  independence to date, the number kept on growing from time to time that are helping in the provision of  veterinary services; and the  increase in the number of veterinary schools that we have seen across the country.
Another area is that of livestock where we have seen a lot of increase in the number of livestock but with some level of movement of these livestock to other countries, because of so many things: lack of adequate feed, lack of adequate provision of services they needed and  more importantly the current cattle rustling that is taking place. This has made most of the livestock farmers to even move out of the country. Initially it was movement from the northern part of the country to the southern part of the country and the meddle belt, but because of the issue of security, some of them have left to some other countries. That is a big challenge!
In terms of area of diseases also, there have been improvements in the containment of some of these diseases especially the zoonotic ones that affect humans as a result of intervention from the government as well as the intervention of the professionals that are always there to provide services. So I can summarily say that there have been improvement services in the country but is mainly also affected by lack of adequate funding and recognition by stakeholders.
Are you not worried that many students in Nigeria shy away from studying veterinary medicine in our various institutions of learning?
I quite agree with you because as a Dean, I knew the struggle we faced. This has got to do with the way the programme is. Veterinary profession is actually not an easy course particularly when you have to deal with so many species and the recognition by the society. We are in a society whereby people don’t even care much about their animals; the welfare of animals is not given due consideration and people felt that you just slaughter your animals when it so sick, and that is not proper. That is what is making most of the students not really getting interested in the business. But I believe people that like challenges, people that are capable will always go for veterinary medicine because this is a course that is highly challenging. Unlike our human medics, who deal with only one specie, in veterinary medicine, you deal with almost all the species – some of them very dangerous. This makes you a better person, it makes you well-organised, it makes you a hardened person in terms of your ability to do things that are seen to be almost impossible.
The awareness has increased and people are now realising that veterinary medicine is an important profession and without veterinary medicine, without veterinarians, we cannot have a sound healthy society especially that you know that 75% of the diseases that are emerging or are re-emerging now, are zoonotic diseases, which unfortunately most of them are coming from animals.
Many livestock farmers in Nigeria hardly seek veterinary services for their animals. As a member of the Veterinary Council of Nigeria, what has the council done to educate farmers in this regard?
The council has done much particularly when it comes to regulation and control of veterinary services in the country. Of course that has to be done in conjunction with the Federal Department of Livestock. At the level of the council, we have committees that monitor the details of the activities of veterinarians in every nook and cranny of Nigeria, which means that only qualified veterinarians are allowed to provide services that are there.
We have a register whereby if the council feels that you are not doing well, they will delete your name and make it public that you are not allowed to practice. They also ensure that our veterinary schools are providing students with adequate knowledge, skills and all the requirements that are expected of a veterinarian when he graduates, which is also helping in providing quality veterinary services.
Again, the council deals with erring veterinarians that give wrong advice to farmers or do some actions that are unethical.
How do you monitor that?
We have a committee, we have veterinary zonal offices, and we also have directors of veterinary services in states where this monitoring is going on. As an individual farmer, you can also write a petition to the council when something wrong is done to you. Right now we have some complaints by some people who felt they were not well treated and the council is looking into it. This has encouraged a lot of people to now have confidence that when something goes wrong, they can be able to do that.
We also educate and inform farmers through conferences and invite them to exhibit their products as well as talk. We also regulate the production and administration of vaccines so that wrong or adulterated vaccines are not used in the country.
Some livestock farmers told me recently at Dei-Dei Livestock Market that they go to Niger Republic to buy vaccines, which they claimed are cheaper and more effective than the ones produced here. How will you response to this?
I don’t think that is true. Apart from being an academician, I am also a poultry farmer and I also have some livestock. But I believe what is happening is that people in Nigeria in most cases, prefer something that is external than internal.
The National Veterinary Research Institute, NVRI, Vom, is one of the regions’ centres recognised by the World Organisation for Animal Health or Office International des Epizooties (OIE), in the production of these vaccines. Every world body that has to do with health – be it of animal origin or human origin recognizes NVRI, Vom as one of the best centres in the world. So I cannot see the reason why somebody will not use our vaccines here but go outside to bring vaccines that have the risk of introducing new diseases or new strain of organisms that will create problems for the livestock and poultry industries.
I want to assure you that the vaccines produced at NVRI, Vom, near Jos, are of high standard. In fact people from Niger Republic come to Nigeria to buy the Vom vaccines so I don’t see any reason why somebody would have to go to Niger to import vaccines.