I spent 3 days in kidnappers’ den —Awe, best graduating student, AAU

With a CGPA of 4.8, Frederick Oluwatimilehin Awe, last weekend, emerged the best graduating student at the 7th Convocation Ceremony of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State. But he had crossed many rivers before that achievement. After listening to his moving valedictory speech in which he recounted the story of his life’s journey, the Imo State governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, who was an honorary doctoral award recipient at the event, announced a N500,000 award to Frederick, “for your lunch” he said. Oluwatimilehin spoke to Saturday Tribune.

What can you tell us about your background?

I was born to the family of Mr and Mrs Awe in Ijoko, Ogun State. My dad, before he got married to my mum, had a family already and wasn’t ready to take up responsibilities. My mum suffered a lot while we stayed with my dad and had to flee to my second aunt, Mrs Ojo-Talabi, in Ondo Town when she couldn’t bear the burden any more. A family meeting was called at my mum’s home town, Igasi-Akoko, in Ondo State, where a decision was made by my uncle, Pastor Segun Ipinlaye and his siblings that we should all remain in Ondo Town to start primary education, since my aunt had a primary school.

My first aunt helped to get an apartment to settle in. My mother who had already learnt tailoring in Lagos started petty trades (selling and hawking groundnut, sugar, sobo, kunu, toothpastes, pullets and so on) to cater for our feeding and other necessary things. I finished my primary education in 2004, after which I proceeded to Triumph International College on a scholarship-like education programme given to me by the proprietor of the school, the late Dr Adewumi Adebile.

In 2008, when I was in SSS 2, my second aunt, who had before then relocated from Ondo to Akungba, took me from Ondo Town to Akungba due to my truancy. I was taken to my uncle in Adogo, Kogi State, during the long vacation for holidays and was left there to continue my secondary education. Due to the strike they had in Kogi State, I had to go back to Akungba-Akoko where I continued my secondary school education in Oroke High School, Akungba-Akoko. I eventually sat for my West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASCE) and the National Examination Council examination (NECO) in 2010 at the Government Science Secondary School, Adogo, which was sponsored by my uncle. I took my first Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in 2011, in which I had 268. I chose Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife but was denied admission. The following year, I took another UTME, passed and gained admission on merit to Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko to study Physics and Electronics.

As a child, I had free primary and secondary education. Though I didn’t have the support of a caring father, I had a very supportive extended family from my mother’s side.

Tell us about your kidnap experience.

It happened after my 400 Level first semester examination, during the ASUU strike in September 2016. I was travelling from Ondo to Ore. I was abducted by some ritualists along the way. I spent three days in their den with no food and water, during which the hair on my chest was removed. At the point when the hair on my head was to be removed, they screamed out saying fire was burning them. Then, they announced that I was to be returned to where I was picked. Other passengers were not that lucky. I was dropped off at Okeigbo, beside a bridge. It took me almost three hours to regain consciousness and to trace back my way through calling my people with a Good Samaritan’s phone.

It was the most terrible, devastating and frightening time in my life that I’ll live to remember. If not for the praying fathers and mothers, I wouldn’t have made it through. Believe me, after that incident, I was always scared of travelling.

In what way would you say these experiences have influenced your vision and progress?

These experiences strengthened my belief in God and have helped me to keep pushing myself for the best, with the belief that I have something to live for.

Both in secondary school and eventually in charting a career path in the university, did you receive any form of counseling from anyone?

My family has always been my height of inspiration. They wouldn’t choose for me but encourage and advise me on the best path to tread. So, I’m always free to discuss whatever career I wish to pursue. My primary school class teacher, Uncle Lucas, seeing my ability in Mathematics and other science subjects, counselled me to pursue a career in physical sciences. Among others is Mr Akinrotimi Emmanuel, who made me more grounded in Further Mathematics and Physics.

 Was Physics Electronics your original choice or something you had to settle for when you couldn’t get what you wanted?

I had always wanted to study any engineering course, especially Chemical Engineering. Due to the denial of admission at the Obafemi Awolowo University, I had to settle for Physics and Electronics, which is the only course that really relates to Engineering at the Adekunle Ajasin University.

Did you set your eyes on the best graduating student prize from the start or it was something that just happened?

I never had plans of becoming the best graduating student of my department, not to talk of the overall best graduating student of the university. In fact, I played through my first month in school. I was later challenged by my brother’s jotting note which was filled cover-to-cover with notes he had read. Then I buckled up and decided to do the best I could. At the 100 Level, I was opportune to attend my departmental orientation programme where awards were given to excellent students from other levels. It was at that point that I decided that I would do all I could to receive an award in the next orientation programme; and then it started.

 When Governor Rochas Okorocha announced that cash prize, what ran through your mind?

I was so totally overwhelmed that nothing at that point ran through my mind.

 What are you thinking of achieving next?

It is not over until it’s over. Stopping at this point would mean achieving nothing. I’ll press on in my academic career by going for my Master’s Degree, then my doctorate.

Life must have taught you a lot of valuable lessons. What advice do you have for other youngsters who may probably be passing through similar experiences as you’ve had?

Life is not always fair; but no matter how hard it gets, one should always be positive, hardworking and believe in God. The bible says ‘As a man thinketh in his heart, so he is’. So, my advice is: always think yourself as the best, and the best you will be.