With 4.90 CGPA, twenty-year-old Edema
Clementina finished as the best graduating student at the Leads City
University’s 9th convocation ceremony. She shares her experience with
OLUFEMI ATOYEBI
How did you achieve the Cumulative Grade Point Average that made you the best graduating student in the school?
I recorded 4.90 CGPA by being focused
and diligent in my studies. Determination was also part of what helped
me to achieve this feat. I was determined to make a difference in my
department first and in the school generally. At first, my goal was to
come out with the best result in my department but as time went on, I
realised that I had the potential to become the best student in my set,
so I worked harder towards the attainment of that goal. My mother was a
very great motivation while I was in school. She was always the first
person to call me every morning right from my first year in school till I
graduated. So she deserves to be made proud because she was my greatest
motivation in school.
What were the challenges you encountered in the school?
Of course I had challenges while in school; every student does. But it was just the normal challenges faced by students ranging from peer pressure to attending lectures on time. I never had any challenge concerning studying though. Above all, the school gave students the opportunity to know what it’s like to study in a private university in Nigeria and still maintain your independence which is an uncommon attribute compared to some other private institutions in the country. My advice to students aspiring to come out with distinction is that they should try as much as possible to be diligent in their studies, be focused and set goals for themselves. This will serve as a yardstick for measuring how close they are to attaining these goals. I will urge them to be mindful of the type of friends they keep because friends have great influence on our lives. I was mindful of my friends. Of course, I had distractions but they were the normal distractions faced by every Nigerian student studying in the country. As far as I was able to overcome them, the distractions were not a big deal.
How would you respond to the
notion that students from private tertiary institutions are not as
thoroughly bred like their counterparts in the public tertiary
institutions?
I would like to say that is a farce
because it is not true reflection of what private varsities in Nigeria
can offer. If you critically examine this, you would find out that it is
the students from the private institutions who are bolder and smarter
when compared to those from the public institutions. About being
thoroughly bred, you cannot categorically say students from private
institutions are not as good as those from the public institutions.
Every institution has its laws, regulations and disciplinary measures.
In fact, I think private institutions instill more discipline in their
students because the environment is more controlled. But in all,
breeding begins from the individual and the home. However, no
institution is perfect, whether public or private. One of the areas I
feel schools should improve on is in recognising the potentials of its
students and helping them to develop them. This can be done by
concentrating mostly on the practical aspects of all the courses as this
will make the institution to be ahead of other tertiary institutions in
the country. Public tertiary schools should also try as much as
possible to reduce the number of times they go on strike. This is really
affecting the productivity and cognitive capabilities of the students,
it even affects them emotionally and psychologically because their mates
in the private institutions, most times, graduate months or years
before them. For instance, I’m graduating before some of my seniors who
were ahead of me in secondary school and who entered the university
before me, just because they went to public institutions. Some private
schools treat students like kids because of their overbearing influence
on the students’ personal lives. The students are adults, therefore they
should not be treated as if they are in some advanced secondary
schools, they are old enough to make certain decisions and take certain
actions concerning their wellbeing.
You studied Mass Communication and Media Technology. What did you have in mind when you made the choice?
I have always loved the
multi-dimensional design of communication. In the same vein, Mass
Communication and Media Technology has a very broad scope. It is not
only about broadcasting, entertainment and journalism as some people
believe, it also consists of advertising, public relations marketing
communications, film documentary and many other areas. The best part of
mass communication is that as a mass communication graduate, you can
work in any organisation or institution you find yourself in. So I plan
to focus on public relations and then move into advertising because they
are related in one way or the other. In that way, you are not stuck in a
discipline without an option of diversification. In the course of
studying at LCU, I have developed myself in the art of speaking up as a
public communicator; I learnt to be assertive and outspoken and to be
self-reliant based on the knowledge I gained from the school, which was
both theoretical and practical. Whatever situation I find myself in
life, whether positive or negative, I should be able to handle it as an
enterprise graduate of the school. In a broader way, I can say that I’m
prepared for the next challenge in life with God’s support.
What is your next plan?
For now, my next plan after serving my
country is to enroll for a Master’s degree programme. I plan to start
working after that and do my Ph.D programme.
Is it not boring to remain in academics without a break?
It is always good to remain focused and
to make sacrifices at the appropriate time. Reading broadens the mind
and purifies your knowledge. I don’t feel bored reading anytime. That is
not saying that I don’t create time to associate with friends and my
family. The one year National Youth Service Corps programme provides the
needed break you talked about.
Do you entertain any fear going into the employment market soon?
I am aware of the unemployment situation
in the country but I am confident that things will improve. However,
the course I studied is multi-dimensional in nature, which gives me the
opportunity to seek employment from various sources including being
self-employed. It’s all about how you apply what you gain from your
years of study. We have reached a stage where graduate innovation has
become the key word in solving unemployment problems in Nigeria. I read a
lot of journals and books on how to be self reliant and financially
independent. Most people who succeed in life employ their
entrepreneurial skill to reach their goals.
From what you have said, it seems you favour setting up a business, do you have anything in mind?
Like I said earlier, I keep my options
open and I want to take a step one after the other. I have an
independent mind but I will like to keep my plans to myself until the
appropriate time when I will share with the public.
Is there any link between academic success and personal philosophy?
They are not always linked. We have
great men who succeeded without formal education and we have some who
thrived because of what they learned in the four walls of classrooms.
Today’s world is challenging so studying hard provides the capacity to
be on the right path. There is no discipline that does not require
education today.
from: punchng
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