Veterinary Profession in Nigeria

The Veterinary profession was introduced with the advent of British colonial rule in Nigeria. By 1927, only eleven Veterinary Officers were in the country, all British, and deployed mainly in the Northern Provinces under Captain W.W. Henderson, the then Acting Chief Veterinary Officer. The Veterinary Officers were assisted by seven stockmen, two laboratory assistants, three "outdoor assistants" and one "yard foreman", all of whom were British. The only Nigerian in the service of mention was one Mr. S.A. Shonekan, a laboratory storekeeper.

By 1928, Veterinary Officers in-charge of immunization camps undertook the training of "Native Administration Veterinary Mallams" in inoculation of cattle and diagnosis of animal diseases. This training in the diagnosis of diseases, mainly on the job with minimal theory, was the primal forerunner of veterinary education in Nigeria.

By 1934 the number of veterinary surgeons rose to 17. Although an improvement in the profession, the number could not be considered adequate in view of the enormous responsibilities. In its efforts to train more Veterinary Assistants and involve more Nigerians in the Veterinary Profession, a Veterinary School was established in 1934 in Kano with an initial intake of 32 students. The advanced classes offered by the school was intended for the more intelligent ones who it was hoped will carry the routine work of cattle immunization with less supervision and to submit reports of outbreak of diseases to Veterinary Officers.

In 1938, it was viewed that there was need for a much more extensive course of training than was at the time being offered by the Kano school. This was aimed at bringing the Nigerian Veterinary Assistants to a higher level and to become more resourceful to the host communities. This gave birth to a 3-year course for Veterinary Assistants in the premises of Federal Laboratory for Veterinary Research, Vom in 1941 with an initial enrolment figure of 10 students. The first batch graduated in 1944 as Veterinary Assistants. By 1946 the school had become fully residential with full funding from the United Kingdom Funds, under approved Colonial Development and Welfare Act Schemes D76 and D76A.

By 1941 professional veterinary education had started with the enrolment of the first students at the Vom school, for the Assistant Veterinary Officers Course.

In 1943, it was considered desirable to put the Veterinary Education and the veterinary profession on a sound legal grounds and accord it statutory recognition. To this end, a Veterinary Ordinance was drafted which also incorporated a proposal for the establishment of a Veterinary Council of Nigeria.

In 1952, an Ordinance creating the Veterinary Council of Nigeria was passed by government. The Ordinance provided for the registration of Veterinary Surgeons and allowed Council to act as disciplinary board on professional conduct. The Council consisted of the Inspector-General of Animal Health Services, who was to be President, the Director of Veterinary Services, Northern Region; the Development Secretary, two nominees of the Governor, pending the election of two representatives by the registered Veterinary Surgeons.

The first meeting of Council was held in the Inspector General ofAnimal Health Services Office on Thursday 9th April, 1953 with Mr R. S. Marshall presiding. The following were in attendance:

. Mr. S.G. Wilson - Governor's Nominee
2. Mr. F. D. Jakeway - Governor's Nominee
3. Mr. J. K. A Wilde - Governor's Nominee
4. Dr. D.H. Hill - Representing the University of Ibadan

At its inaugural meeting and in pursuance of section 8 sub-section (1) of the Ordinance, the meeting after exhaustive deliberation appointed Mr. G.H.V. Blythe as the First Registrar of Council.

The 1952 Ordinance was amended in 1958/59 to enable the Council constitute a Board of Examiners, for the purposes of ascertaining the professional competence of persons not holding the qualifications prescribed under the 1952 ordinance, who have applied for registration with the Veterinary Council.

With the coming of Independence of Nigeria a Veterinary Surgeons Decree (Decree 37 of 1969) was promulgated to replace the 1952 ordinance. An amendment of this Decree (Decree 40 of 1987) provided for the following:

* An increase in the number of elected members from 4 to 8 while each
state of the Federation and the MFCT is represented by a Director or
the most senior Veterinary Surgeon in the Department;
* Democratisation of Council leadership
* Made the Registrar the Chief Executive Officer of the Council; and
* Made provision for the recognition of post-graduate degrees and
diplomas for the purposes of specialist professional designation and
consultant grade in all the subjects of the veterinary curriculum.

The Council at its 69th meeting held on April 13-14th, 1992 at Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Abuja, approved the establishment of the Postgraduate College of Veterinary Surgeons Nigeria (CVSN) in accordance with the provision of the Veterinary Surgeons Act which empowers it to do anything which in its opinion would promote high standard of professionalism in the country.

On Tuesday October 27th, 1998 the first set of Veterinary Surgeons were honoured as Foundation Fellows of the College at an Investiture Ceremony held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja. (Click Here for a listing of the foundation fellows)