Success Ogbonna of the Department of Biochemistry was the overall best-graduating student of Adeleke University, Ede, for the 2023-2024 session. She graduated with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.98 on a scale of 5. In this interview by AWAU ADEGOKE, she speaks about her academic journey and other issues.
Tell us about your background and your schooling.
I am 23 years old and from Arochukwu in Abia State. I attended elementary and secondary school in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where I was born and brought up.
Three adjectives best define me — ardent, industrious, and goal-driven. I strongly desire to use my wealth of knowledge and experience to create ground-breaking solutions that will spur systemic advancements in the healthcare industry.
How would you describe the kind of secondary education you had, and how did it influence your admission into the university?
I attended Archdeacon Brown Education Centre (ABEC) for my secondary education. It provided a balanced education and taught me the necessary skills that would enable me to reach my full potential. Also, its high academic standards played a significant role in my admission into Adeleke University by instilling discipline and diligence to achieve good results.
What influenced you to study Biochemistry, and why did you choose Adeleke University for it?
For as long as I can remember, I have always aspired to provide solutions to health issues and ensure that people can live healthy lives. As a result, I chose to study Biochemistry to fully understand the complexities of life and the fundamental biological processes that underpin human health and disease. Acquiring this foundational knowledge would equip me to improve healthcare through biomedical research.
Pursuing Biochemistry at Adeleke University was because of its track record of experience in scientific research through Adeleke University’s Office of Research, Grants, and Linkages (ORGL).
In your LinkedIn post where you shared your journey of graduating with a first class, you stated that it took you three years to get admission into the university. You added, “I had watched life pass me by for three years as a spectator while my peers progressed. It almost threw me into a state of depression.” Within these three years, what were you doing, and what did you do to fight the depression?
During that period, rather than staying idle, I enrolled in a sixth-form college to adequately prepare me for my university programme by laying a solid foundation in basic and life science courses. I also took some free courses on Coursera to improve myself.
To make a First Class is not easy, not to mention to be the overall best student. What did you do differently to achieve this feat?
First of all, I put God first in everything, acknowledging that I could not achieve anything without His help. This made me remain humble through it all. I was disciplined and focus-minded. This meant that I gave no room for distractions. I only set my mind on things that aligned with my goals and surrounded myself with people who encouraged me to pursue those goals.
I was also diligent in all that I did. To achieve this, I committed most of my time to studying and improving myself. I frequently sorted my lecturers out to aid my understanding of the coursework. I even went further to make use of online educational platforms to help me simplify my coursework, I always learnt from my mistakes and did not hesitate to ask my colleagues for help.
I would recommend that students use the following strategies to attain academic excellence: Create a structured study schedule and stick to it consistently. Avoid procrastination and manage your time effectively between academic, extracurricular, and personal commitments. Actively engage in the learning process. Attend all classes, participate in discussions, and ask questions when you are unsure. Do not just memorise information, strive to truly understand the concepts and their applications. Ensure to complete all your assignments and coursework diligently.
If you are struggling with an assignment, do not hesitate to seek help from the lecturer. Use online learning platforms, educational videos, and other digital resources to supplement your understanding. Avoid getting burnout by taking breaks and engaging in activities you enjoy outside of academics. Importantly, take advantage of your spare time to upskill and learn in-demand skills that will enable you to stand out in the real world.
As the valedictorian, what was the major highlight of your speech on the convocation day?
It was a great honour to have been the named valedictorian. I was excited to speak to hundreds of my fellow graduates, charging them to take on the world. The major highlights of my speech were offering advice and inspiration for the graduates’ future endeavours, emphasising the importance of continued learning, personal growth, and making a positive impact on the world.
What awards were you given as the overall best student?
Overall Best Graduating Student with the highest CGPA (4.98), Best Graduating Student in the Olusegun Agagu Faculty of Science, Best Graduating Student in the Department of Biochemistry, Best Graduating Female Student of 2023/2024 Academic Session, Most Outstanding Student of the Year, and Alumni Award for Overall Best Graduating Student.
What was the title of your final-year project and what were the major findings from it?
For my final-year project, I worked on ‘The effect of lemon juice extract of Zingiber officinale on antioxidant status of Wistar rats with ammonia-induced acute pharyngitis’.
The study showed that the combined effect of lemon and ginger has the potential to improve the antioxidant defence system. My research contributed to the growing scientific knowledge on the use of medicinal plants for treating various disease conditions characterised by oxidative stress, as was in this case.
How do you intend to use the biochemistry knowledge and skills you have gained to contribute to the betterment of society?
My main goal is to utilise my extensive knowledge and expertise to develop transformative solutions that will drive systemic improvements across the healthcare sector while making significant contributions to biomedical research. I will leverage my understanding of molecular biology, genetics, and drug design to discover and develop new therapeutic approaches to treat a wide range of diseases. These include developing treatments for cancer, infectious diseases, genetic disorders, metabolic disorders, neurological conditions, and other debilitating illnesses that have a significant impact on human health and well-being.
Did you hold any leadership positions at your university?
It was my responsibility as my class’s representative to act in the best interests of all of my colleagues. I led fairly, putting up for vote on all decisions. As an empathetic leader, I fostered a sense of community among us, whereby we provided mutual support to one another. I took responsibility for my actions, set a good example, and approached every circumstance with a critical mind. As a result, I used my experience as a class representative in my new role as president of the National Society of Biochemistry Students (NSBS) Adeleke University chapter.
How did you manage to juggle your personal life, extracurricular interests, and academic obligations?
I had to put in extra study time to balance the demanding curriculum with extracurricular interests. This required me to stay up late at night to do my academic work. I had always had to put in more work than the majority of my coworkers, and I understood it meant making more sacrifices.
Also, in your LinkedIn post, you said that the challenges you faced in your academic journey taught you some lessons. What were these lessons?
The challenges I faced during my academic journey taught me the following lessons:
Compromise: I learnt that it is okay to accept plans that are different from what I want. This allowed me to be flexible and dynamic, not rigid and stunted.
Resilience: I discovered that I could adapt and recover from major setbacks. I realised that I had it in me to start from scratch.
Sacrifice: I learnt to forego immediate temporary pleasures for long-lasting rewards in the future.
Perseverance: I learnt that success is the accumulation of small efforts repeated day in and day out despite the difficulties.
Excellence: As it is often said, “If you are going to do something, do it well.” And “doing it well” for an overachiever like me meant diligently working hard to be the best.
How do you get past those stressful times in school?
I found that talking to my loved ones about the challenges I was facing helped. They supported me when I needed it and allowed me to relax.
In the course of your studies, what were the things you think the school could improve on to make life and schooling comfortable for students and staff?
Adeleke University is equipped with ultra-modern facilities to make campus life convenient and allow for efficient learning. The institution has shown its commitment to reaching the best standards, and I hope more funding will be channelled towards research in the future.
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