43-year-old first class graduate speaks on dream to study law
Abraham Olasupo Oladebeye a graduate with a CGPA of 4.94 in Industrial Chemistry, said that if he had the opportunity to study Law, he will still do it, because it is a dream he has been nursing for a long time.
Oladebeye who is from Ibadan, emerged the best graduating student of Achievers University, Owo, Ondo state, for the 2016/2017 academic session.
In an interview with Nigerian Tribune, Oladebeye speaks how he achieved the feat despite receiving a mix of both discouragement and encouragement from friends and family.
Read excerpts from the interview below:
To what do you attribute this feat?
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It is the grace of God; a combination of hard work and prayer. At the beginning of each semester, I normally set a goal for myself, penned down a targeted GPA and presented it to God. Then I would start working towards it. With prayers and hardwork, I usually achieve my targets.
You’re 43 and you already had an HND. What prompted you to go back to school?
I applied to this school for my BSc Industrial Chemistry because I wanted an addition to my HND background in order to enhance my marketability. I had a mix of both discouragement and encouragement from friends and family. The discouragement outweighed the encouragements, but I did not give in. One of my friends asked me what else did I want? I told him I wanted to add value to my qualifications. I decided to further because of this discrimination of a thing and I want to prepare myself for the future. I want to appreciate my daddy too (though Iate). When I told him, he was initially shocked; but he encouraged me. How I wish he was alive today to see his boy being honoured.
What were the challenges you faced?
First, the finance. It was not easy because I was on self-sponsorship and I was married with three children. I had to call my wife and children that this was a sacrifice they had to make for me and they agreed. I want to thank and appreciate my wife for her support and understanding all through my stay in school. She contributed a lot to ensure I achieve this feat.
Again, because of my age, I had to read again and again, but because of the determination, I had to cope. I was able to achieve this feat because the pro-chancellor, Dr Bode Ayorinde, who conceived the vision that birthed this citadel of higher learning; the management and the Senate all laid a solid foundation for us here.
Was Industrial Chemistry your dream course?
Yes. Although initially I wanted to study Medicine. When Medicine did not click, I found myself in the Science Laboratory Technology with Applied Chemistry during my days in the polytechnic. So, for the course to have relevance, I decided to study industrial Chemistry for my BSc.
What are your next plans?
My next step, by the grace of God, is to continue to study. You may be surprised but if I have the opportunity to study Law, I will still do it, because it is a dream I have been nursing for a long time.
It might be challenging, but if I want to study it with this determination in me, I can do it. Age has nothing to do with it. Anyway, I have a job I am doing right now because I am actually lecturing at the Auchi Polytechnic.
In a previous report by Legit.ng, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Sunday, April 22, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to safeguard the future of concerned Nigerians, and protect them from being tagged "youth sitting down and waiting freebies", Daily Trust reports.
The union expressed it's displeasure over 16 million unemployed Nigerian graduates and about 12 million children out of school.
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Dr Deji Omole, the chairman, ASUU, University of Ibadan, who stated this in Ibadan said that it had became imperative for the president to be reminded that the future of the children and of the masses must not be used to play politics.
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Source: Legit.ng
