Doctor
By Tony Folarin Obajemu
A Nigerian man identified as S.O Samson but fondly referred to as Gbogidi by his admirers has finally graduated as veterinary doctor 33 years after embarking on his university education of pursuing a degree in veterinary medicine.
Dr. Samson’s pursuit of a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree reportedly started in 1992 when he gained admission into Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.
However, his dreams were repeatedly vitiated by many factors which repeatedly led to multiple withdrawals from the programme—first in 1992, then again in 2002, and later in 2011 at the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID).
In spite of series of setbacks, Samson held on to his dream and refused to give up, according to one Muhammad Hashim Suleiman, a Facebook user who shared Samson’s story on his Facebook page.
Suleiman said that Samson was faced with numerous challenges as family support dwindled, while having his own family to care for. Along the way, he lost his father in 2000, his mother in 2018, and even a beloved daughter. Yet, through it all, Samson held on to his dream.
In 2013, he was said to have summoned the courage to try again, gaining admission to ABU Zaria once more. This time, with the support of faculty members—many of whom had become associate professors while he was still struggling—Samson pushed through. Despite financial struggles and personal losses, he crawled, crept, and soldiered on.
Finally, on February 15, 2025, Dr. Samson was officially inducted into the veterinary profession as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) with the U16VM set.”
During the ceremony, five students from his class were said to have bagged First-Class Honors and were awarded cash prizes.
Dr. Samson was singled out for his incredible resilience by the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA) President, Dr. Moses Arokoyo, who rewarded him with N1,000,000. Another dignitary on the high table added N100,000, bringing his total reward to N1.1 million.
Overwhelmed with emotions, Dr. Samson was said to have broke down in tears—the journey had been tough, but it was all worth it.
Born in 1972, Dr. Samson lost his father in 2000, got married in 2008, and had four children, though he tragically lost one.
His mother reportedly died in 2018.
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