On Monday, the 30th day of September, 2019, the University of Calabar College of Medical Sciences inducted 33 newly graduated medical doctors into the Medical Profession, and a prodigy, Mazpa Ejikem, a twenty-one (21) year old brilliant young man, was announced as Best Graduating Student of the medical college.
The native of Umulogho, Obowo in Imo State is said to be a transferred student into the University of Calabar. He was born and brought up in the town of Aba, where he also had his primary and secondary education.
He first got into the University of Calabar in 2015 to study Medicine and Surgery as a transferred student from Imo State University where he was said to be the first person in the history of the medical school to have two distinctions (Anatomy and Physiology) in the Part I (Second MBBS) professional examination.
He began his journey in the University of Calabar in 2015 when he was admitted as a transferred student into 400 level. In this class, he bagged a distinction in Laboratory medicine and was said to have broken the over thirty years jinx that had been existent in the history of the University.
In his 6th and final year, he also bagged a distinction in Family medicine, making a total of four distinctions in total.
On the day of his induction into the medical profession, while appearing in a brilliant suit, he received multiple awards. The walls of the University of Calabar International Conference Centre could not contain the cheers that followed as Mazpa Ejikem was called out to receive all his awards including the 1986 Alumni Award for the Best Student in Laboratory Medicine, Provost Prize for the Best Graduating Student, Isabella Foundation Prize for the Best student in Surgery, and the Bassey Kubiangha prize for the Overall Best Graduating Student.
Mazpa Ejikem, when asked about how he felt about his achievement, spoke: ‘I feel half-fulfilled and half-lucky. I feel like I have found rest after a long suffering. I feel a strong sense of relief. Really.’
It was also noted that Mazpa Ejikem had never been an exceptional student in his Primary and Secondary School days. He described himself as ‘just a little bit above average’.
Mazpa received enormous support from his family whom he later described as ‘the best people in the whole world’. Mazpa’s parents, Dr and Dr (Mrs) Mazi E.C. Ejikem are both medical doctors. His elder brother, Dr Ugwunna Ejikem is also a medical doctor who graduated at an earlier age of 20. He has two younger brothers, Pace Ejikem and Uchenna Ejikem who are in the medical school.
Like most scenarios in life, Mazpa had his regrets too. He spoke emotionally about his regrets, “My regrets? I had a ‘daughter’; an only daughter, Late Mrs. Dorathy Anoka who passed shortly after my final examinations. She would have loved, among many other things to be with me on the day of my swearing-in, to champion the ovation. I really feel sad that she wasn’t there. So, I regret not graduating earlier, and it hurts. I also regret not realizing, early in life, the importance of pushing myself to do better as much as I could.”
Mazpa Ejikem further mentioned that he was grateful to his teachers who devoted their time and energy to growing him and his colleagues against all odds, and especially those who became fathers and mothers to him. He made mention of Professor Obiora Onuba, Professor Eric Archibong, Professor Ima-Obong A. Ekanem, Professor Maurice Asuquo, Professor Victor Ansa, Professor Martin Nnoli, Dr Ofem Enang, Dr. Henry Okpara and many others.
On further inquiries, one of his teachers whom he also describes as a mentor, Professor Ima-obong A. Ekanem. MBBS(Ib); FMCPath; FWACP(Lab Medicine); FICS; JP., whose prize for the best student in Laboratory medicine, he also won in 2017 said, “Mazpa Ejikem is a bright, amiable and exceptionally intelligent yet humble and well cultured young male medical practitioner. He created an unparalleled record in the University of Calabar by being the FIRST Laboratory Medicine distinction candidate in 2017 at the Part II MBBCh examinations since the inception of the College of Medical Sciences. He is indeed a pride to us in the family of Laboratory physicians. And may God grant him more successes and an outstanding professional medical career as he serves humanity to the glory of God, and may God bless him abundantly.”
When asked for his advice to his colleagues and others who would see this, he said, ‘Find your own happiness. Gravitate towards it, and at all times, live your truth!’
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