Let’s Carry Everyone Along — A Renewed Commitment to Unity, Innovation, and Advocacy

‎‎Distinguished comrades,

‎Respected stakeholders in nursing education and healthcare,

‎Fellow NUNSAites across the length and breadth of our dear country,

‎Ladies and Gentlemen,

‎With a heart full of gratitude and a spirit anchored in service, I stand before you today—humbled, honored, and hopeful—as the newly elected National President of the Nigerian Universities Nursing Students Association (NUNSA).

‎This is not just a personal victory; it is a collective triumph—a resounding message that the time has come for purposeful leadership, inclusive progress, and a generation of student nurses rising to transform our profession from within.

‎The Journey So Far

‎From over 60 chapters across federal, state, and private universities, from the classrooms to the clinical wards, we have seen NUNSA grow—not just in numbers, but in purpose. We have fought together, learned together, and stood for the dignity of the nursing profession together. Our journey has not been easy, but our resilience remains unmatched.

‎Our administration will rest on these key firm pillars and more:

‎1. Technological Advancement in Nursing: We will not allow the future of nursing to leave us behind. Our goal is to champion digital literacy and tech innovation by facilitating training, hackathons, and digital health summits in collaboration with global partners like TechNurses Africa, Vextor Hub Limited, and others. Let the Nigerian nursing student become the envy of the continent when it comes to tech competency.

‎2. Entrepreneurship and Career Empowerment: A nurse is more than a caregiver—we are creators, innovators, and leaders. This administration will roll out mentorship programs, internship advocacy, and opportunities for entrepreneurial training, so that every NUNSAites leaves school not only with a license but with a future.

‎3. Leadership, Governance, and Policy Advocacy: We must move from being subjects of decisions to shapers of policies. NUNSA will engage the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), Federal Ministry of Health, and legislative stakeholders to ensure students are not sidelined in reforms that concern their careers. We will push for better clinical experiences, equitable internship placements, and a professional climate that respects student voices.

‎4. Partnerships and Continuity: We will not start from scratch; we will build on the legacies of past administrations and ensure institutional memory is preserved. Our external relations team will strengthen our partnerships with NDLEA, NYSC, Pink Africa Foundation, Vextor Hub Limited, and other civil society and international organizations. Together, we’ll reach tertiary institutions, motor parks, and market streets with public health advocacy.

‎Let’s Carry Everyone Along

‎Our theme is not just a slogan; it’s a guiding principle. This administration will not be elitist, selective, or removed. Whether you’re in a university in Lagos or a school in Taraba, your voice matters. Every chapter president, every committee head, every volunteer, every ordinary NUNSAite—this leadership is yours.

‎We will foster transparency, decentralize opportunities, and hold regular national briefings so no one is left in the dark. We believe that when one chapter succeeds, we all succeed.

‎To the Stakeholders

‎To the Nursing Council, our lecturers, regulatory bodies, healthcare partners, and media allies—thank you for standing with us. We call on you to do more. Invest in these students. Hear our concerns. Walk with us, not above us. We are the future of nursing, and that future begins now.

‎My Final Words

‎This presidency is not for applause; it is for action. We will sweat, we will serve, and we will succeed together. Let us move from complaints to commitment, from competition to collaboration, and from potential to performance.

‎Together, let’s build a NUNSA that is not only united—but unforgettable.

‎Thank you. God bless NUNSA.

‎God bless every nursing student across Nigeria. And may our noble profession continue to rise.

‎Nr. Gemaliura Emmanuel Obadiah 
The 29th National President of the Nigerian Universities Nursing Students Association (NUNSA)