By Ishola Balogun
Association of Private Veterinary Practitioners in Nigeria (APVN), The Veterinary doctor would have  dropped out of school at his early age, but he was never deterred by those circumstances that threatened his ambition, instead that modified his behaviour and become sympathetic to the lots of indigent children.

His leadership qualities are good enough to model, bagging a  “Role model award of the veterinary profession in Nigeria” by the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nigeria recently,
He is our role model this week

How did you start out in life?

Gani Enahoro

I set up a private veterinary clinic as soon as I ended the NYSC at Ilorin in 1986, essentially from the savings I made from NYSC allowance of N200/month and much more from the proceeds on poultry consultancy, piggery and cattle farms that were introduced to me at that time by so many acquaintances. By that opportunity, I learnt to be independent professionally early in life and very rapidly too. The early exposure to decision making tremendously helped me to make up my mind to go into private practice soon after my national service.

What lessons did you learn while growing up?

Growing up was good until the day I was driven out of exam hall in my secondary school class 2 for non-payment of school fees: I attended the famous Victory College, Ikare between 1973 and 1978. One day during the class 2 first term exams I was chased out of the exam hall for not paying school fees and I wept and begged while the invigilator derided me and my parents. I felt It would have been better if I hadn’t started answering the questions which were so easy for me.

Because it was then difficult for my father, the idea was mooted by his friends and close relations that I should step down, stop schooling and wait until my senior brothers passed out in turns before I continued. This was vehemently resisted by my mother; instead she sold her personal belongings including jewelleries and took up the payments of my school needs and fees for a while. It was quite challenging. She went into confectionaries, baking meat pies, buns and puff-puff, and I assisted her in hawking to meet our needs. This experience has remained with me ever since and in return I have done my best to assist several indigent students through school in the last fifteen years. Those who did not experience this pain would not know the benefits of free education as a government policy. Many drop-outs from school could be traced to this reason, rather than what they have in their brains.

Do you think poverty is a barrier to achieving one’s goals in life?

In general terms, poverty smells all around this country. Whereas poverty of ideas haunt majority of our leaders, those who have good and original ideas don’t ever have the opportunities to lead. Even when they are made advisers, the ego of man denies them from being listened to, they are merely so-called.

In my practice, there are still so many surgical machines and diagnostic equipments that we require but cannot acquire, whereas manufacturer’s agents’ would have ordinarily given to us in trust for a long term planned repayment without a kobo deposit if it were abroad. Whenever I attend international conferences and buy things from the exhibition stands, and I pay cash as we know how to do, I am always standing out of place. The culture of cash payments we are used to is always strange to the exhibitors/ sellers who would have offered me a form to fill detailing options of how many years I would wish to spread out my repayments on convenient monthly instalmental payments. But when you tell them you are Nigerian and live in NIGERIA, they keep their forms.

What informed the choice of your career?

The look of helplessness in the eyes of sick animals always attracted my attention when I was a kid, I was always sorry for them because the animals do not talk. I was always the first to observe that our pet was ill. Passion was my reason for choosing veterinary medicine as a course and I was opportune to have met a role model early in life – he was the area vet officer working in a veterinary clinic at Ikare in 1976 or 1977- Dr Shaba. He used to attend to our family companion animals each time I accompanied my mother to his clinic, he would ask questions, then examine the animal painstakingly before making his diagnosis and prescriptions. He would treat the pets and they would get well. That fascinated me a lot. I also admired medical doctors with their very conservative, respectful dispositions. So, when it was time for me to choose a course, I was torn in between becoming a medical doctor or a veterinary doctor. I opted for the latter.

What are your regrets and what would you rather not do

I do not have regrets known to me so far and I do not intend to have. I do not hastily take decisions and that has proven to be the source of strength in my private and work life. I am happily married with children; I am enjoying the complexities the veterinary profession has provided me on a daily basis.

When I was invited to work as a lecturer in a university in USA as far back as 1986, I declined and opted to remain in private veterinary practice in Nigeria. That was considered by most of my friends as stupid then, but they know better now. I am very proud to be born a Nigerian. I love God and I know Him.

What have you done to affect the lives of others?

I have financed the education of most of my siblings and many other related and non-related indigent students introduced to me. I have played a very active role in the International association of Lions clubs as a club president and zone chairman and effectively initiated selfless services in the communities around me.

By my attitude to work, a significant number of veterinarians today have confessed that I was their role model. The recent award of “Role model of the veterinary profession in Nigeria” by the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nigeria in July 2011 is my humble testimony.