Recall that a total of 12,638 Students were awarded their degrees, diplomas and certificates in various programmes and departments at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, as part of activities marking the institution’s 49th convocation ceremonies.
Out of this large number, only four were exceptional. This is simply because they distinguished themselves in both character and learning during their stay on the campus.
However, the fourth in this category of excellent graduating students is Mrs. Ibrahim, who bagged her doctoral degree in a field regarded by many as tough and less rewarding.
For her academic prowess, Ibrahim has been declared by the university’s Senate, the highest decision-making organ of a university on matters of academics, as the institution’s best PhD graduate in the 2016/2017 academic session, leading the pack of a total of 5,821 postgraduate students, and particularly other 122 PhD graduates.
The 39-year-old Ibrahim specialises in Pharmacognosy, the study of medicinal drugs derived from plants or other natural sources, otherwise known as the study of “crude drugs.”
The scholar’s road to stardom, according to her, was propelled by the fact that her businessman father, Alhaji Bashiru Zubair had only acquired Primary School education, while her mother, a petty trader, Alhaja Kudirat Zubair, had dropped out of school in Primary Three.
Her parents, who hailed from Oke- Ola Oro in Kwara State, and had lived in Lagos since childhood, had vowed to break all barriers in ensuring that all their children acquire qualitative education as they may aspire. Ibrahim said: “My parents’ insufficient educational background had prompted them to give and support all the children to acquire the highest or sufficient degree(s).
I am their second child and to the glory of the Almighty, all my five other siblings are graduates of different universities within and outside the country.”
Narrating her academic journey, Mrs. Ibrahim said her choice of Pharmacy was greatly influenced right from when she was a student at the Federal Government College, Ilorin, Kwara State, where she was the Peace House Captain for the 1996 set. According to the lecturer and best PhD graduating student, much credit must go to the school’s Guidance and Couns e l l i n g teacher, identified simply as Mrs. Atolagbe.
The teacher, she pointed out, was the mother of her best schoolmate and friend, now an engineer, Mrs. Tayo Oni, nee Atolagbe. She explained: “As the school’s counselor at that time, my friend’s mother inspired and monitored us closely to know our choice of subjects and career interests. With this, she advised us to study Pharmacy, but along the line, my friend changed her mind by studying Engineering.
My second attempt at sitting for the University Matriculation Examination (UME) (now Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), availed me the opportunity to study Pharmacy at my choice of university, the University of Lagos, based on merit due to my performance at the qualifying examination.”
Today, having worked relentlessly and burning the mid-night candle, Mrs. Ibrahim’s Thesis entitled: “Phytochemical Investigation and Antiproliferative Activity of the Leaves of Markharmia Tomentosa (Benth.) K. Schum. Ex Engl, (Bignoniaceae),” was declared the best thesis by the university’s Senate.
Based on the assessment and declaration, apart from addressing key issues, its research on cancer care in Nigeria and Africa by extension, is unprecedented.
The new discovery, which according to Ibrahim, is still a workin- progress, is aimed at boosting traditional medicine practice in the country, and also a confirmation of the efficacy of authenticated home-made medicines that are derided by many.
She explained: “I worked on medicinal plants that are used by Traditional Medical Practitioners in Nigeria to treat cancer. I screened some of these medicinal plants and I was able to identify the most active one.
The uniqueness of the work apart from the anti-cancer investigation was my ability to establish that the plant is not toxic for consumption over a short and long period. Secondly, I was able to isolate some of the chemical constituents from the plant and identify which of the constituent was responsible for the anti-cancer activity of the plant.”
Expectedly, excellence doesn’t come without a price, and the case of Dr. Ibrahim is no difference. Her major sacrifice was to leave behind her two kids in the care of her chattered accountant husband for more than a year while visiting India and South Africa in search of laboratory equipment and facilities to conduct and analyse her tests.
“Initially, I travelled for three weeks to South Africa, a year to India and then a four-month trip to another Province in South Africa,” she noted. She said husband, Mr. Wasiu Ibrahim, who hails from Igbaja in Kwara State, works with a telecommunication firm as an accountant, and other family members, had coped with the children during the periods.
Mrs. Ibrahim, who is full of praises of her husband, said no other man could have done better. Ibrahim noted: “My husband gave me more than 100 per cent support I required. Without him by my side, I don’t think I could have acquired the degree, particularly this spectacular honour.
He encouraged me at critical moments. I thank him and my parents for this feat. I must also single out my supervisors, Prof. Olukemi Odukoya, and Dr. Abimbola Sowemimo, an Associate Professor, for standing by me all through.
I thank other lecturers as well, and organisations that offered me scholarship to pursue the research. Everyone is wonderful and I must say that I am lucky to have them all.” According to her, the project, which gulped millions of naira, was supported by scholarships from Organisation for Women in Science in the Developing World (OWSD) and another grant facilitated by my supervisor, through the African Laser Centre.
Having gone through this tortuous road and for emerging victorious at the end, Ibrahim will stand tall on Friday, May 11, at the J.F Ade Ajayi Auditorium of the university, with dignitaries across all walks of life watching in awe, the daughter of parents “without sufficient education,” who had defied limitations to break academic records.
On whether she had any premonition to win the laurel at the start of the research work, she said: “Initially, I was surprised as I never expected it.
But looking back at what I had done in the course of the research work, I then knew I really deserved the honour. I feel so excited and concluded within me that hard work surely pays. I thank God Almighty for this honour. I thank God for choosing me for the best thesis award, because I realize that many of my colleagues also worked really hard.
May God reward all our hard work.” On her next plan of action, the researcher said she hopes to continue with the anti-cancer research and hopefully to discover the miraculous compound(s) that will not be toxic to human cells, but toxic to cancerous cells.
She added that currently in Nigeria, and particularly in the university’s Department of Pharmacognosy, some proven and authenticated medicinal plants are being bagged in form of tea for human consumption.
“We have a model herbal clinic in the Department, where we dispense various teas for diabetes, stress, memory enhancers, and weight loss, among others. Further work needs to be done for us to get the anti-cancer teas,” she said.
However, Dr. Ibrahim, who is not happy that she had to travel that far to get the required research and laboratory equipment for her research, said all she went to do in India and South Africa, could be easily done in Nigeria if adequate funds were provided by concerned authorities to provide research equipment for universities and health facilities.
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