Nigerian Nurses, under the aegis of the Yoruba United Nurses of North America (YUNONA) based in the United States of America have presented gifts and cash to the best graduating nursing students from Lagos State colleges of nursing across the state.
The gifts were presented when a team from YUNONA led by its President, Mrs Efunshola Oshodi accompanied by the Community Program Director, Mrs Tina Aje and the administrator, Mrs Adeola Olagbaju visited the colleges as part of its end of the year activities in Nigeria at the weekend.
According to the President, the visit was part of the association’s initiatives to give back to the society by rewarding the students for their excellent performances in their various fields.
Efunshola said over the years, the association has done several of such initiatives in America one of which is the ‘Operation Christmas Child,’ where they give support to children of incarcerated individuals.
She, however, said that being Nigerians, they decided to give back to upcoming nurses in Nigeria as a way of encouraging them.
“The Lagos State Director of Nursing in the Ministry of Health, Mrs Sola Aketi informed us that Lagos is blessed with numerous nursing departments across colleges and universities. She drew our attention to the importance of recognizing and encouraging our young ones because they are our future leaders so we decided to present tokens of our appreciation to our young professionals,” Efunshola said.
She further noted that the best graduating nurses were chosen as a way of rewarding them for their excellence, adding that giving back to society ‘has become a ritual for us.’
“We intentionally selected the best graduating students because excellence deserves recognition, encouragement and celebration. At a certain stage in our professional and personal journeys, some of us came together that it was time to give back to our community.
“Over the years, giving back has become a ritual for us and this year, we decided to bring the journey home.”
The Director of Nursing, Mrs Aketi commended the YUNONA’s team for their gesture noting that with the ‘JAPA’ syndrome especially in the medical profession, the visit would encourage young nurses to consider staying back home and offer their services to Nigerians.
The colleges visited were the Lagos State College of Nursing, Igando where they presented gifts to Roqeebat Awode who was the 2025 best student in midwifery and the overall best student in the college.
At the Nigeria Army College of Nursing, Yaba, the best graduating student Adisa Precious was also presented with gifts while Awodele Kikelomo the best graduating student at the Lagos State College of Medicine, LASUCOM, also received gifts.
Others are Adewale Grace from the Lagos State College of Nursing, LASCON, Awolowo road, Ikoyi, and Oluwapelumi Faith from the College of Nursing, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Idi Araba, who was the best student in HND1.
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