The first time someone asked me what I was studying at the university and I replied, " Biochemistry ," the response came almost immediately.
" Oh... so you wanted to study Medicine?"
I laughed, but deep down, I knew that wasn't just one person's opinion. It was what many Nigerians genuinely believed.
Over the years, I have had similar conversations more times than I can count. Sometimes the question changes.
"So what can a biochemist even do?"
Other times, people simply nod, smile politely and move on because they are not quite sure what the course is about.
It is strange when you think about it. A course that plays a major role in medicine, drug development, disease diagnosis and scientific research is still one of the least understood degrees in Nigeria.
Somehow, we have managed to make one of the most important sciences look like an afterthought.
The Wrong Reputation
Let's be honest.
Biochemistry has suffered from an image problem for years.
In many Nigerian homes, it is seen as the course students settle for after they could not gain admission into Medicine. That perception has followed thousands of students into lecture halls, family gatherings and even job interviews.
I have heard parents introduce their children by saying, "She is studying Biochemistry... but she wants to do Medicine later."
Imagine spending four or five years studying a discipline, only for people to keep treating it like a waiting room for something else.
That mindset does not just diminish the course. It diminishes the people who have chosen to build careers in it.
Yet Everyone Depends on It
Here is the irony.
The same people who ask what biochemists do trust medicines every day.
They visit hospitals.
They undergo laboratory tests.
They receive vaccines.
They buy drugs from pharmacies.
What many do not realise is that biochemistry sits quietly behind all of these.
There is a reason every medical student studies biochemistry.
The same applies to Pharmacy, Nursing, Medical Laboratory Science, Dentistry, Physiotherapy and Veterinary Medicine.
Universities do not include biochemistry in these programmes to make students write another difficult examination.
They include it because you cannot understand the human body without understanding the chemistry that keeps it alive.
A doctor treating diabetes is applying principles that biochemistry helps explain.
A pharmacist dispensing medication understands how drugs work because of concepts rooted in biochemistry.
A medical laboratory scientist interpreting blood results relies on biochemical knowledge every single day.
So when people ask whether biochemistry is important, the better question is this:
Could modern healthcare exist without it?
My Respect for the Course Changed Along the Way
Like many students, I entered university thinking biochemistry was mostly about chemicals, laboratory coats and endless practical sessions.
It didn't take long to realise I was wrong.
As lectures became more advanced, I began to see that every topic was connected to real life.
Enzymes were no longer just diagrams in a textbook. They explained why our bodies digest food.
Hormones were not just names to memorise. They explained why diseases like diabetes happen.
DNA stopped being a chapter to pass in an examination. It became the blueprint that explains why each of us is different.
That was when I understood that biochemistry is not just another science course.
It is the language of life.
The People We Rarely Celebrate
One thing I have noticed is that Nigerians are quick to celebrate the people they see.
We applaud the surgeon after a successful operation.
We thank the doctor after recovering from an illness.
We praise the pharmacist who recommends the right medication.
And rightly so.
But behind many of those success stories are researchers most people will never know.
Scientists who spent years studying proteins, enzymes and genes.
Researchers who worked on vaccines before they reached hospitals.
Biochemists who investigated diseases long before treatments became available.
Their names rarely appear in newspaper headlines, but their work changes lives every day.
We Need to Stop Measuring Courses by Popularity
Some of the smartest people I met at the university studied courses that society barely talks about.
They were curious.
They asked difficult questions.
They spent hours in laboratories trying to understand problems most people never think about.
Yet many of them graduated into a society that judged their degrees before judging their abilities.
Some eventually found opportunities in pharmaceutical companies.
Some moved into research.
Some built careers in public health, biotechnology, food science, quality control and molecular diagnostics.
Others took unexpected paths into policy, business, writing and entrepreneurship, carrying with them the analytical thinking that biochemistry teaches.
A university degree should never be reduced to a stereotype.
Nigeria Cannot Afford to Ignore Science
Every year, we talk about improving healthcare.
We talk about producing more medicines locally.
We talk about reducing our dependence on imported drugs.
We talk about strengthening research.
Those conversations sound good.
But they require people with scientific expertise.
Countries that lead in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and medical research did not get there by accident. They invested in science long before the results became visible.
Nigeria cannot hope to solve tomorrow's health challenges while treating scientific disciplines as though they are less important than professional titles.
Maybe It Is Time We Changed the Conversation
Perhaps the next time someone says they are studying biochemistry, the response should not be, "What job will you do?"
Maybe the better question is, "What problem are you hoping to solve?"
Because that is what biochemistry has always been about.
Understanding life well enough to improve it.
Not every contribution to society wears a white coat in a hospital.
Some happen quietly inside research laboratories.
Some happen in pharmaceutical companies.
Some happen in classrooms where future scientists are trained.
Others happen in places most of us will never see.
But they all matter.
And perhaps that is the untold story of biochemistry.
It is one of the few disciplines that touches almost every aspect of human health, yet remains one of the least appreciated.
It does not ask for applause.
But after everything it has contributed to medicine, science and humanity, it certainly deserves respect.
One of the best articles I’ve read not just because I see things from the lenses of a fellow biochemist but the authenticity of the message. One question that will always follow if not the whole passage is “what problem(s) are my(you) hoping to solve?” This question cuts through all sectors of study
Thank you so much. This is exactly the bigger conversation I hoped the article would start. I love how you put it: “What problem am I hoping to solve?”That question goes beyond Biochemistry. It applies to every field of study and reminds us that the value of a course isn't only in the title attached to it, but in what we choose to do with the knowledge we gain. Maybe if more students started asking that question, we would stop seeing some courses as “lesser” and start seeing them as opportunities to solve problems in different ways. Thank you for adding this perspective. 🧬❤️
“This article really touched me. There were times I genuinely started asking myself why I chose to study Biochemistry. I became so frustrated and even found myself thinking about doing another course after completing this one. But reading this made me realize that maybe the problem wasn’t the course itself, but the way Biochemistry is perceived and understood. This really spoke to me as a Biochemistry student.” ❤️🧬
This honestly means a lot to me. ❤️🧬 And I think many Biochemistry students have had that same moment of questioning their choice, especially when the people around us constantly make us feel like we chose the "lesser" course. Sometimes, the problem isn't the course. It's the perception surrounding it. I'm really glad this article reminded you of the value of what you're studying. Don't let people's misunderstanding of Biochemistry make you underestimate yourself or what you can become with it. Thank you for sharing this. ❤️