Final year was very tough but God saw me through —Bowen’s First Class Biochemistry graduate

Her granddad, O. A. Lawal, is an economist whose books on O’Level Economics and Government were immensely popular back in the days. Demilade Lawal is charting her own path too. For starters, she recently bagged a First Class honours degree in Biochemistry from Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State. Here, she shares her experience, and plans for the future.

You made First Class in Biochemistry. What factors would you say facilitated that?

I didn’t like the idea of going to a private tertiary institution, because there is this mentality that you don’t work for what you get, and that First Class in a private tertiary institution is equivalent to Second Class Upper Honours in a public tertiary institution. So, I made up my mind I wanted a First Class, and I worked towards it. I was very determined. I make bold to say my First Class is First Class in any institution. The two years of A Levels made me well grounded; it was a phase I don’t regret undergoing.

My CGPA didn’t rise at all in my final year; it dropped by 0.11 in first semester and by 0.03 in second semester; but thankfully, I had worked hard enough to cover up for such challenges. Saving the best for the last, God made it possible.

Your granddad is an economist; for many years, his name for many years was almost synonymous with O’Level Economics and Government through his immensely popular textbooks on those subjects. One would have expected you to be an economist too. It didn’t rub off?

Well, apparently, it didn’t rub off. I am not a lover of that subject. Moreover, he specialized in his area of interest, and passion led him to become a known author. I am treading my own path and, God willing, my grandchild will answer this question someday.

 Did anyone ever connect you with that name in school? How did it make you feel?

The only time I had such elating feeling of having a well-known grandfather was back in secondary school, and it always put me on the spot as my teachers were always interested in what my grade in Economics was. Lawal is too common a name for someone to start making such connections in the tertiary institution. Moreover, I wasn’t too close to my lecturers.

Tell us about your growing up. How did your upbringing affect your academic prowess? Were you forced to study as a child, for instance, or it just came naturally?

Growing up, as far as I can remember, was fun. I’m the second of four children. And yes, that was my dad’s job, forcing us to read.

Academic prowess? Well, I would say it fluctuated. I was brilliant in primary school, and junior secondary school days, but something went wrong along the line, maybe adolescence. So, I dropped. I have had my share of failures too. I sat the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) three times (don’t think I’m old; I’m just 20 years old), I didn’t get to use any of it. And I did my Cambridge examination twice. The first result was very terrible; the second was good enough to get me into the tertiary institution.

So, I would say it all just molded me. Reading is not something interesting to do, school books especially; but when you know what you want, you would do all you have to get it.

At what point in your life did you decide you would study Biochemistry?

Well, most likely my last year in secondary school. I wanted to go for Pharmacy but it did not work out. So, I opted for Biochemistry, and there is no regret because it has actually changed my world view. Now I know that Biochemistry is a key to many doors.

If you had attended a public university, what difference do you think it would have made on the final outcome?

I believe there would not have been any difference, if I was as determined as I was. I would expect the same result, with God on my side.

Who is the biggest influence on you, especially your academic progress?

I would say my parents; I wanted to make them proud. Then, my grandfather; he always warned me to not get carried away, and I wasn’t going to disappoint him. My siblings always teased me to be the only bookworm in the house. I guess it had an impact. And lastly, my five wonderful friends/ roommates kept me on my toes.

Were there some ‘dark clouds’ along the way, and what saw you through those periods?

Yes, there was; final year especially. God saw me through, and the great friends He gave me played their parts too. Final year was very tough.

What do you plan to achieve next?

Pursue my masters after my (national youth) service year. That’s the next on the long list.

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