I still love to study Law — 43yr-old First Class graduate of Industrial Chemistry

Abraham Olasupo Oladebeye graduated with a CGPA of 4.94 in Industrial Chemistry and emerged the best graduating student of Achievers University, Owo, Ondo State, for the 2016/2017 academic session. He speaks with HAKEEM GBADAMOSI on how he achieved the feat.

Tell us a little about your background.

I grew up in a ghetto in Ibadan and from a very poor background; but I thank my parents for their encouragement and support. They have always been a source of inspiration to me and I have always dreamt to be the best. I thank God for making everything possible today. I attended a primary school at Total Garden in Ibadan and my secondary school at the Army Barracks Secondary School, Iwo Road, Ibadan. I also attended the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti,  where I studied Science Laboratory Technology.

To what do you atttribute this feat?

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.

How did you cope, at your age?

I wrote UTME just once. My first registration got me a lot of embarrassment in every office I got to; they usually mistook me for a (member of) staff. I remember someone standing up from her seat to welcome me as a visitor in the Admission Office. I remember being registered erroneously as a (member of) staff at the University Health Centre. My first time in the hostel was something else entirely.

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.

How did you cope combining your domestic responsibilities with studies?

My wife, Mrs Aderonke Oladebeye, is a lecturer in the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi. She and the kids are a big factor behind my success. The truth is that I had to take loan from friends and from my family. It was not an easy ride, but thank God I was able to offset the loan I took last year. At this point, I would want to appeal to all the well to do people in our society to team up with government to promote quality education and make it accessible and affordable for every citizen.

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.

Any regrets?

I have no regrets because I have something I am targeting, and I am focused and the most important thing now is that I have achieved it.

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.