Naming Ceremony 5 May 2009 - photos

The bronze bust of Dr Jotello F. Soga was unveiled by his great granddaughter, Ms Carole Gallagher, assisted by Ms Thembi Soga, great granddaughter of Jotello's brother.

The unveiling took place in the Library.

The bust was created by Lusanne Peens. It is a copy of the one commissioned by the CEO of the Agricultural Research Council for the Jotello Soga Ethnoveterinary Garden at the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute. It was unveiled there during the Centenary Celebrations of Onderstepoort in October 2008.

After the unveiling: from l. to.r.

Carole Gallagher, Prof Wiseman Nkuhlu (Chancellor of the University of Pretoria), Mrs Nkuhlu, Robert Moropa (Director of UP Library Services) and Thembi Soga

Jotello F. Soga - where he studied

Jotello Festiri Soga studied veterinary medicine at the Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies (Dick Vet), Edinburgh. He qualified in 1886, and was awarded the gold medal for botany.

The college was reconstituted as an integral part of the University of Edinburgh in 1951 and became a full faculty in 1964. Reorganisation of the university in 2002 abolished faculties and the Dick Vet is now a part of the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. The Faculty's degree in Veterinary medicine is accredited in the UK, Canada, and the United States.

He is listed as one of the college's notable alumni, as shown in the Wikipedia entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_(Dick)_School_of_Veterinary_Studies

Notable alumni
Sir Frederick Fitzwygram, President of the RCVS (1875-77) and as such unified the veterinary profession.
William Robertson, Principal of London Vet College 1881-87
George Fleming, Founder of the Veterinary Journal in 1875, architect of the 1881 Vet Surgeons Act
James Law, The first professor of veterinary medicine in the United States (Cornell)
James McCall, Established the Glasgow Vet College in 1862
William Williams, the Welsh veterinary surgeon who founded of the New Veterinary College in Edinburgh in 1873 (which went on to become the Faculty of Veterinary Science of the University of Liverpool) and author of several standard works on veterinary science
John Luke Poett, the first veterinary surgeon in the Canadian North West Mounted Police.
Andrew Smith, founder of the Ontario Veterinary College, Canada, the oldest veterinary college in the Americas
Sir Thomas Dalling, Director of Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries
Sir John McFadyean, principal of the London Veterinary School and credited as the founder of modern veterinary science
Duncan McNab McEachran, Established the Montreal Vet College in 1875
JOtello Festiri Soga, First South African veterinary surgeon
Albert E. Mettam, First Principal of Royal Vet College, Dublin
Sir Stewart Stockman, Built first UK research laboratories (Weybridge) President of the RCVS (1923-24)
Sir John N. Ritchie, Chief Veterinary Officer, the highest veterinary post in the Government, Dean of Royal Vet College, London
John Boyd Dunlop, inventor of the first practical pneumatic tyre, and founder of Dunlop Rubber Company
Sir Alexander Robertson, CBE, MA, BSc (Aber), PhD (Edin), FRIC, FRSE
Robin Coombs, He devised 'The Coombs Test', a critical diagnostic test for use in haematology and blood transfusion.
Noah M. Wekesa, Minister for Science and Technology in the Kenyan Government
Hamish Moore, Through his recordings, teaching, and pipe-making he has done much to promote the bellows blown pipes of Scotland.

The Chancellor's welcoming message 5 May 2009

Message from the Chancellor of the University of Pretoria, Prof Wiseman Nkuhlu at the Naming Ceremony of the Jotello F. Soga Library

Honoured guests

The Faculty of Veterinary Science on the Onderstepoort Campus is the only one of its kind in the country and a national asset. It is also the 2nd oldest of the 46 Faculties of Veterinary Science in Africa and the first in sub-Saharan Africa. Established by Sir Arnold Theiler in 1920 it has a long history of excellence in teaching and learning and it is expected in future to play a leading role in veterinary education in the SADC region and further afield in Africa.

This faculty has the sole responsibility in South Africa of training veterinarians and veterinary nurses that are essential to the country in the context of defined national and international needs.

Veterinarians and veterinary services are indispensable to the health and wellbeing of animals and humans and play an important role in the economy of South Africa. Among other things, they contribute to production of sustainable sources of safe protein of animal origin and the prevention of transmission of diseases from animals to humans. The ability to diagnose and contain diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease and to establish the risk of the transfer of diseases from animals to humans such as the current outbreak of swine flu is critical to the certification of the disease status of animals and of the safety for export of various agricultural products of animal and plant origin, and human health respectively.

With the amalgamation of the 2 faculties of the University of Pretoria and MEDUNSA in 1999 a new national Faculty of Veterinary Science was formed, to continue building on its past achievements and develop veterinarians and veterinary nurses for the future.

Facilities at this faculty are comparable to the best in the world. Today we focus on one of these facilities, the Library. To sustain the high regard in which the faculty is held worldwide, an excellent library and information service is essential.

This Library provides a specialised information service to the faculty and extends this role to promote animal health information provision throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

This includes holding training workshops for veterinary librarians from other countries in Africa, launching community engagement projects such as Vet Books for Africa, and organising and hosting international conferences, for example the 1st Conference of Animal Health Information Workers in Africa in 1995, and the 5th International Conference of Animal Health Information Specialists in 2005 - another first for Africa.

By naming this important facility in honour of the first South African to qualify as a veterinary surgeon, we are honouring Dr Jotello Festiri Soga’s unique and important role as a veterinarian in South Africa in the late 19th century.

Dr Soga serves as an exceptional role model and pioneer for the black community, encouraging and inspiring a growing number of students applying to study in this field.

To be present here today will thus make us all part of an historic and unique event that will add further relevancy and significance to the already rich history of excellence and distinction that is associated with this faculty.

On behalf of the University of Pretoria I welcome you and hope that you will enjoy today’s proceedings with us.

Jotello Festiri Soga - his significance today

Jotello F. Soga was the FIRST South African to qualify as a veterinary surgeon (Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies, Edinburgh 1886).

“Dr Soga played an important role in combating rinderpest and lung-sickness in the country as the first qualified South African veterinarian. He also laid a foundation for veterinary education in South Africa. But he is better known in veterinary circles as a pioneer researcher in the study of toxic plants and their effect on animals – both for their poisonous and curative effects.” (Prof Gerry Swan, Dean, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria)

The South African Veterinary Association (SAVA) has established a tribute to Dr. Soga as mentioned on its website. The SAVA awards the annual Soga Medal in “recognition of exceptional community service” rendered by a veterinarian or a veterinary student.

“The fact that we award the Soga Medal is an indication that we respect and admire his contribution – not only his work as a veterinarian but his commitment to the community.This is what we want to instill in our profession. Veterinary medicine is not only a job but a commitment to the community – the entire South African community." (Dr Colin Cameron, CEO South African Veterinary Association)

Naming Ceremony 5 May 2009

The Veterinary Science Library of the University of Pretoria was named on 5 May 2009 by the Chancellor of the University in honour of the first South African to qualify as a veterinarian, Dr JOTELLO F. SOGA.
He studied at the Royal Dick College (which later became part of the University of Edinburgh), obtaining the veterinary degree in 1886. There was no veterinary training facility in South Africa until 1920 when Sir Arnold Theiler founded the Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria.

As the present Dean, Prof Gerry Swan pointed out: "Dr Soga played an important role in combating rinderpest and lung sickness as the first qualified South African veterinarian. Yet he is better known as a pioneer researcher in the study of toxic plants and their effect on animals."

Read more about Dr Jotello Soga on our website: http://www.library.up.ac.za/vet/soga.htm

Naming Ceremony 5 May 2009

The Veterinary Science Library of the University of Pretoria was named on 5 May 2009 by the Chancellor of the University in honour of the first South African to qualify as a veterinarian, Dr JOTELLO F. SOGA.

He studied at the Royal Dick College at the University of Edinburgh, obtaining the veterinary degree in 1886. There was no veterinary training facility in South Africa until 1920 when Sir Arnold Theiler founded the Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria.

As the present Dean, Prof Gerry Swan pointed out: "Dr Soga played an important role in combating rinderpest and lung sickness as the first qualified South African veterinarian. Yet he is better known as a pioneer researcher in the study of toxic plants and their effect on animals."

Read more about Dr Jotello Soga on our website: http://www.library.up.ac.za/vet/soga.htm