Mirian Gom 
IBADAN, Nigeria – Misinformation and delayed diagnosis are contributing to Nigeria’s high cancer mortality rate, a consultant oncologist, Dr Lateef Salako, has warned.
Salako, who works at the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, raised the concern on Sunday while delivering a lecture at the 2025/2026 Recognition Day, Walimah and graduation ceremony of MIMBAR Schools in Ibadan.
The oncologist said false claims about cancer treatment were causing some patients to delay seeking appropriate medical care, reducing their chances of successful treatment.
According to Salako, some cancers can be treated successfully when detected at stages I and II, but treatment becomes more difficult when the disease advances to stages III and IV.
“If treatment is delayed, the disease continues to progress and this often happens because they have been misinformed,” he said.
Salako said some patients were discouraged from undergoing chemotherapy, surgery and other medically recommended treatments after receiving misleading advice from unqualified sources.
The cancer awareness lecture was part of a wider programme marking the graduation and recognition of students of MIMBAR Schools.
“What makes us unique is our ability to seamlessly combine academic excellence with Islamic values to nurture the total child,” he said
The chairman of the occasion, Akinkunmi Ajisafe, urged parents to pay equal attention to their children’s moral development and academic performance.
He attributed some of the social challenges in Nigeria to inadequate moral upbringing, stressing that academic achievement alone was insufficient to build a better society.
“Academics is good but must be combined with moral upbringing for us to have a better society,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the graduating students, Ameerah Erale, who emerged as the best graduating student, attributed her success to faith, consistent reading and the support of her parents and teachers.
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Oluwatobi Adu 
Oluwafunbi Bello 
Edino Chubiyo Cornelius