Ododo Rewrites History: Medical School Returns To PAAU Anyigba After 10-Year Hiatus

Governor Usman Ododo’s administration has secured a major educational milestone as the National Universities Commission (NUC) approved the full re-accreditation of the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme at Prince Abubakar Audu University (PAAU), Anyigba, after a decade-long suspension.

This development marks a significant leap in Kogi State’s healthcare and academic landscape, according to iReporter Online.

The Kogi State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abdulazeez Adams, confirmed the approval in a press briefing, describing it as a landmark achievement in Governor Ododo’s bid to reposition the health sector.

He recounted that the MBBS programme, initially accredited in 2012 at the then Kogi State University, lost its status in 2015 after a resource verification exercise revealed the absence of crucial infrastructure and personnel.

Dr. Adams noted that the administration of former Governor Yahaya Bello had promptly intervened, approving scholarships and facilitating the transfer of affected third-year medical students to other institutions—over 90% of whom have since graduated.

Bello also initiated the construction of a world-class clinical complex at the university, which now serves as a cornerstone facility for medical education in the state.

Under Governor Ododo’s leadership, a new phase of intervention began in 2024.

The governor ordered a comprehensive review of the requirements for restoring the MBBS programme and gave immediate approval for essential infrastructure, including lecture theatres, laboratories, consultant offices, a medical library, and student hostels.

These efforts culminated in a successful NUC resource verification exercise, resulting in the long-awaited re-accreditation.

According to iReporter Online, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Marietu Tenuche, oversaw the implementation of basic sciences and allied health programmes in preparation for the MBBS revival. Dr. Adams revealed that the project sites were promptly handed over to contractors, with construction already at an advanced stage.

Beyond PAAU, the commissioner highlighted the Ododo administration’s broader investments in healthcare education, such as the College of Nursing in Obangede, the College of Health Sciences in Idah, and the College of Medical Sciences at CUSTECH, Osara.

These initiatives are part of a long-term plan to strengthen the state’s healthcare delivery system through homegrown medical expertise.

Speaking on the development, the Kogi State Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, lauded the governor’s ability to turn vision into results. “During his campaign, Governor Ododo pledged to bring back the MBBS programme at PAAU Anyigba.

Today, that promise has been fulfilled. He continues to make the complex appear effortless through a results-driven leadership style,” Fanwo stated, according to iReporter Online.

This re-accreditation is widely seen as a turning point for medical education in Kogi State, reinstating the state as a hub for producing competent healthcare professionals.

”IREPORTER REPORTS”