At thesis defense: Gospel singer, Indira Baboke, marvels jury.

The 23-year-old daughter of the Deputy Director of the Civil Cabinet at the Presidency of the Republic, Oswald Baboke, defended the thesis on Monday, June 16, 2025. 

Her thesis was titled: “Outcome and Quality of Life of Patients Operated on for Intracranial Vascular Malformations at the Yaounde General Hospital”. 

The panel of jury, made up of four distinguished varsity dons, hailed the quality of her work and scored her an excellent grade. 

The jury also praised the originality of her research topic, the scientific depth of her work, her eloquence and fingertip mastery of the work. 

The varsity dons described her presentation as both technically sound and relevant. The highest mark from the academic panel, which was bestowed on the candidate, was greeted with thunderous applause from the audience, also comprising high-profile personalities. 

Among the high-profile attendees were members of government, university professors, artists, and other public figures, among them football icon, Samuel Eto’o Fils and Ivorian gospel artiste, KS Bloom.

Friends of the candidate and her family members, as well as other medical students, graced the occasion.

Father celebrates dream realised through resilience

Speaking at a reception in honour of the celebrant, Indira’s father, Minister Oswald Baboke, in a moving speech, gave a reflection on his daughter’s journey.

“Allow me to add, perhaps some of you don’t know, that Miss Indira took the entrance exam to medical school twice. The first time, she failed. She cried...I think the whole house cried,” Oswald Baboke shared.

“But I was calm. Everyone said, ‘Baboke, your daughter failed the entrance examination into CUSS, how can you be so calm?’ And I told them I wanted her to earn real excellence. That can only come with effort and struggle. Today, she’s proven that,” he added.

Indira says faith, family at the centre of success

In a heartfelt message, posted on her social media handle, on June 17, Indira expressed deep gratitude to her family, friends, and fans.

“It’s done. One page has been turned, and another is opening, full of promise…I defended and all I can say is: Glory to God,” she wrote.

Alongside her message was an image of her and her parents, which she described as more than just a picture, but a symbol of a long journey, fought with “faith, perseverance, and love.”

“There were sleepless nights, soul-searching, silent prayers, silences full of doubts...but also providential encounters, sincere encouragement, laughter that revived me, and a family that never stopped believing,” she wrote.

Indira paid special tribute to her mother, whom she called her “first intercessor, a woman of faith and fire”, and to her father, whom she described as her “reference point, her model of calm strength and powerful discretion”. 

Speaking of the family photo, she said her father’s gaze in the image was “a silent poem, which tells her, ‘I am proud of you’”.

Celebrates new achievement

The newly crowned Dr Baboke Eden Indira, in her message, made it clear that the academic title, while meaningful, was only one part of the transformation she underwent.

“This thesis is yours too,” she wrote to her supporters. “To all those who believed, prayed, supported, motivated me, thank you. To those who doubted, thank you too. You awakened a new determination in me”.

She went on to state that: “I became a doctor. But beyond the title, I understood that true success is never giving up, even when no one is looking”.

Indira encouraged others going through difficult times to hold on. “Hang in there. Cry, pray, rest if you must, but don’t give up. The sun always rises,” she advised.

Indira also saluted her fellow classmates from the medical school’s 2025 batch. “It was an honour being part of this team of brilliant, resilient students. To my family, my friends, my teachers: this diploma bears your stamp. And to God alone be all the glory”.

Indira’s success story has been hailed across the social media and within academic and religious circles, as an inspiration to young Cameroonians, especially girls proving that with determination, one can excel in both the arts and sciences. 

According to many, despite touring stages, recording albums, and ministering through songs, she quietly pursued her academic ambitions.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3477 of Wednesday June 18, 2025