… plans to develop new cancer drug
by Rasheed Abubakar
A 23-year-old Nigerian lady, Samiat Abimbola Owo-Alade has emerged the Best Graduating Pharmacy student at the Rajiv Ghandi University of Health Sciences, Karnataka, in far away India.
Samiat, an indigene of Ikorodu, Lagos State couldn’t hide her excitement after receiving her final semester result for 2016/17 academic session early this week. She broke the good news to her friends on social media, with the caption, “I made it! I made Islam proud! I made Nigeria proud. Alhamdulillah, rejoice with me as I emerge the best graduating student in my department.”
Miss Owo-Alade had the highest score of 75.5 % after spending more than 4years in Ghandi’s country, known to be one of the best countries in Pharmacy. In a chat with newsmen, Samiat thanked Almighty Allah for the feat, saying without Allah and her parents, the achievement wouldn’t have been possible. “My dad, Qasim Owo-Alade has always been there for me psychologically and financially. He kept on encouraging me. He wanted me to be a medical doctor or an engineer while I wanted to become an Astronaut, but to the glory of Allah, I am here today as pharmacist.”
The young Samiat who finished from the prestigious Nigeria’s Vanguards Academy, Odosengolu, Ijebu-Ode in Ogun state recounted how tough it was for her, seeking admission into the Nigerian University after her secondary school education in 2011. “I waited for two years despite making my WAEC, NECO and GCE results. I was so ashamed of myself after some of my mates had gained admission. Sometimes, I asked myself, “Why me?” I tried all I could just to pass the UTME. I attended coaching classes, even when I knew I shouldn’t have been there. At a point, I had to learn a trade. Wallahi, it was a trying period for me as a young girl, but yet I relied on Allah. Two years later, my prayer was answered. I gained admission to study in another prestigious school in India.”
Working strategies
Speaking on the strategies that worked for her, Samiat said as an alumnus of Vanguards Academy, she had known earlier in life that life has always been a challenge, saying, “the one who wears the shoes knows where it hurts. So, I decided to be the best in all situations life brings, including examinations.
Samiat spoke about how she coped with distractions. She noted that she uses glasses to see better and then allowed herself to be guided by the similitude of eye glasses. “Consequently, I implemented the rule of the glasses into my life. I decided to see only whatever I wanted to see or what matters. I simply focused on what’s important and ignored what’s not. it’s very important to identify the gold from the gold coated.
Challenges as a hijabi Muslim
It was challenging being a Muslim lady who uses in Hijab in a foreign country where idol worshiping is the order of the day, Samiat said. “I remember the day a man wanted me to bow before Lord Krishna as I waited for school bus. I thought it was a joke until he dragged me into the temple despite my resistance. To my surprise, nobody stopped this Krishna fanatic. They all looked on. I kept on saying, Lakum deenukum wa-l yadeen (to you be your religion, and to me my religion), yet he didn’t leave me until our school bus finally arrived. I managed to escaped. Throughout my stay in India, I was very careful the kind of friends I moved with, at the same time, I kept in touch with friends and family members back home in Nigeria. My mum would always advice me, remember the daughter of whom you’re. My mentors (Ustadh Zafaran Adeniyi and Ruqayyah Arogundade) were there for me, and my siblings (Abdul Hakeem and Taofeek), too. With time, it became a norm for me to leave lectures for solat without any hitch,” she noted.
Her future plans
Samiat revealed that she does not plan to go into the labour market but to establish a research institute where she would develop a new cancer drug, with no side effects. “I intend to have an industry, with a standard research and development centre that will involve animals and human volunteers. I realise that Nigerians lack continuous researches. Our government does not encourage researches. That’s why I plan to complement government’s effort by creating jobs rather than work under someone.”
The brilliant Miss Owo-Alade wants to do something new; and developing a new drug for cancer with no side effects will be the starting point.