PhD Graduate Now Full Professor at Top Nigerian University
Alumna Rev. Sr. Agatha Ogunkorode returns to Nigeria to teach nursing education.
Rev. Sr. Agatha Ogunkorode is a Master of Nursing and Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (MN’16, PhD’19) graduate from the University of Saskatchewan (USask) College of Nursing and now a lecturer at the Afe Babalola University of Ado-Ekiti Nigeria, an institution that has ranked best university in Nigeria for the third consecutive time.
Dr. Ogunkorode said she found great support at USask.
“I found the people very friendly. They were kind to me. I made a lot of friends. Anytime I needed help, people were ready to help.”
Arriving at USask in 2014, Dr. Ogunkorode first completed her Master of Nursing in 2016, then focused her PhD research on health-seeking behaviours of women living with advanced stages of breast cancer in southwestern Nigeria.
She was supervised by Drs. Lorraine Holtslander (PhD), Linda Ferguson (PhD), and June Anonson (PhD) (USask Nursing), Dr. Vivian Ramsden (PhD)(USask Medicine), and Dr. Lize Maree (PhD)(University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg), with whom she has also published papers about her work in many journals, including the International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences and Cancer Nursing.
Today, Professor Rev. Sr. Ogunkorode teaches 300 and 400 level medical and surgical nursing at the undergraduate levels, advanced pathophysiology and care of acute and chronically ill patients at the master’s level, and advanced research methodologies at both master’s and PhD levels. She has also just been assigned as the postgraduate coordinator in her Faculty of Nursing Sciences.
“I was able to bring the things I learned in Canada and introduce it into my work in Nigeria. The students enjoy it, and my colleagues respect me, and I make valuable contributions at meetings and conferences. I'm enjoying my work and I'm glad I came back to impact my society,” said Dr. Ogunkorode, noting that she especially enjoys passing along what she learned at USask about research methodologies.
Dr. Ogunkorode said she’s equally happy to be teaching as nursing because they are both giving back.
“I like to share the knowledge I have acquired with others, and then help them to go and share with others as well,” she said, adding that her work in palliative care means her counselling education is particularly useful.
“I do my work with dedication, I'm good to my patients, and my patients love me. I develop good relationships with my patients and my education in counselling has helped me on the journey with students and patients, particularly during the terminal stages.”
Dr. Ogunkorode said she will remember her time in Canada fondly and hopes to come back for a visit sometime.
“Canada is beautiful, serene. Canadians are friendly, and I like the variation in the weather. I like the snow.”