"Magical": UI Undergraduate Emerges World's Best Veterinary Student, Speaks on Feat
- Saheed Ahmed, a graduating Veterinary Medicine student from the University of Ibadan, was named the best global veterinary student by the World Veterinary Association
- In an exclusive interview with Legit.ng, Ahmed shared how his journey, marked by resilience, leadership roles, and mentorship support, led to the recognition, which includes a €5,000 award
- Inspired by family and driven by a passion for public health and advocacy, Ahmed aims to make a global impact in One Health and antimicrobial resistance, while mentoring future professionals
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Ibadan, Oyo state - Recently, a graduating student of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Ibadan, Saheed Ahmed, was announced as the best global Veterinary student by the World Veterinary Association (WVA), Washington, DC.
In this exclusive interview with Legit.ng correspondent in Ibadan, Ridwan Kolawole, the world’s best vet student shares his academic experiences, professional exploits and campus political participation.
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Source: UGC
How I emerged best Vet student - Saheed Ahmed
Saheed Ahmed’s announcement came following a rigorous exercise by the veterinary global body. According to the winner, the award was highly competitive.
His words:
“The award was through an application process, but it had to be backed by two recommendations from someone familiar with your work. The process involved a detailed review of academic records, leadership experience, community impact, research contributions, advocacy work, and more.”
“In a broader scope, it involved proof of enrolment in the University, an official document issued by the university, stating that you are enrolled in the university. Motivation Letter. Curriculum Vitae, two (2) Recommendation Letters, and published scientific articles. The core part is a lot of essays with a track and verifiable record of each, which involves you to describe extracurricular activities related to veterinary medicine that you have participated in: general community, research, and leadership positions.”
“The World Veterinary Association is a federation representing more than eighty veterinary medical associations around the world. Its objective is to promote animal health and welfare and the realisation that animals and human lives are interconnected. It works on behalf of its member organisations with the World Health Organisation, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal Health and others to further the interests of animals, humans and the environment in which we all live”
The award means a lot to me - Saheed Ahmed
The WVA winner told Legit.ng that the award was very important to him as it revealed great efforts he had put into what he did, even without taking account of them.
“The application was a moment of reflection. It helped me realise just how much had been done over the years, even when I wasn't keeping score. So in a way, the process itself was rewarding, regardless of the outcome," he said.
"Winning it just made it more magical. Beyond the cash reward and associated benefits, this award offers something far more meaningful: recognition. It shines a spotlight not only on my personal journey but also on my institution [University of Ibadan], which will be featured in all promotional campaigns related to the award. It’s a proud achievement that reflects the quality of training and support the University of Ibadan provides, and it opens more doors for future students and scholars from my school.”
In terms of benefits, Ahmed disclosed that the award comes with benefits which include a financial award of 5,000€, a round-trip to Washington, free accommodation in Washington, for the duration of the WVAC 2025 and a complimentary ticket to the WVAC 2025.
My antecedents have become manifest - Ahmed
Ahmed said the award is a manifestation of years of hard work, service, and staying committed to making a difference. He has been a campus politician, having led the veterinary student association as its president and becoming its national president in Nigeria.
“I’ve held various leadership positions, starting from class representative to faculty president, then serving in the student union, becoming the National President of the International Veterinary Students' Association Nigeria, and even representing Sub-Saharan Africa," he told Legit.ng.
“Along the way, I’ve led national health campaigns, attended conferences, collaborated with professionals across other health fields, and I also led various project teams and secured scholarships and grants that recognised my passion for public health, veterinary education, animal welfare and advocacy. It’s been a journey of growth and impact, and this award feels like a powerful acknowledgement of that.”
My source of inspiration to pursue veterinary medicine is a combination of self-determination and encouragement from others
Ahmed, whose career as a vet started during his Diploma programme, also attributed his success to a cousin of his who enhanced his interest in vet medicine.
His words:
“My journey into veterinary medicine started after earning my diploma from the College of Animal Health in Ibadan, where I graduated as the top student in my class. At that point, I was asking myself, “What next?” Choosing veterinary medicine felt like the natural step forward.
“I had always been inspired by my cousin, a veterinarian who graduated from ABU Zaria. He once told me that with this path, I could become as great as I ever dreamed, though he wasn’t entirely sure I could handle the rigour of the training. That challenge actually fueled me even more. I wanted to prove that not only could I make it through, but that I could thrive and make a real impact.”
The Journey has been challenging, but the victory of perseverance is sweet. Ahmed is not just a budding scholar, he combines various extracurricular activities with his academic pursuit, which makes the journey daunting. However, he said resilience was key.
He said:
"One of the greatest challenges I faced in my veterinary career was balancing the intense academic demands with my various leadership and advocacy commitments. Veterinary medicine is rigorous on its own, but combining that with national and international responsibilities truly tested my limits. Still, it taught me resilience, time management, and the power of staying purpose-driven."
Family, mentors, friends constitute my support - Ahmed
The WVA global winner explained that he enjoyed the support of his family, mentors (lecturers) and friends, all who made things work for him.
"Throughout this journey, my support system has been invaluable; my family, friends, mentors, and peers who believed in my dreams and stood by me through every hurdle," he said.
"Their encouragement, prayers, and unwavering belief in my potential kept me grounded. I also leaned heavily on my faith and internal drive to keep moving forward.
“To my mentors, I am deeply grateful. Your guidance, encouragement, and consistent belief in me have been instrumental in shaping my path. You saw potential in me even when I doubted myself, and this award is a testament to your impact on my journey.”
I look forward to a global impact
Speaking further, Ahmed stated that he was determined to make an impact in global health
He concluded:
“Looking ahead, my aspiration is to expand my work in Global health, One Health, and antimicrobial resistance, with a strong focus on underserved communities.
"I also plan to pursue advanced research and contribute to policies that address the interconnected health challenges of humans, animals, and the environment. Beyond that, I’m passionate about building a mentorship platform to empower young professionals across Africa and globally.
Source: Getty Images
Twin students at UI emerge best graduating students
In another report, twin brothers, Busoye Opegbemi Mathias and Busoye Tolulope Mathew, recently emerged as the best graduating students in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Ibadan.
They both studied electrical and electronic engineering under the school's Faculty of Technology and graduated with the same CGPA.
One of them, Mathias, shared the interesting story on X, noting that they both made the same cumulative grade point average of 3.94.
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Source: Legit.ng
Nurudeen Lawal (Head of Politics and Current Affairs Desk) Nurudeen Lawal is an AFP-certified journalist with a wealth of experience spanning over 8 years. He received his B/Arts degree in Literature-in-English from OAU. Lawal is the Head of the Politics/CA Desk at Legit.ng, where he applies his expertise to provide incisive coverage of events. He was named the Political Desk Head of the Year (Nigeria Media Nite-Out Award 2023). He is also a certified fact-checker (Dubawa fellowship, 2020). Contact him at lawal.nurudeen@corp.legit.ng or +2347057737768.
Ridwan Kolawole (Oyo State Correspondent) Oyo state's regional correspondent Ridwan Kolawole has over a decade of journalism practice, covering politics, crimes/conflict, education, and social issues. He is a recipient of the Practical Action and UKaid travel grant for a tour of El Salvador on evidence-based crime prevention and control (2016). He is a serial winner of the Next Generation Social Science in Africa programme Fellowship of the Social Science Research Council (SSRC, New York—2019, 2020 and 2022). For passion and knowledge mobilisation, Ridwan practices journalism and teaches it.
