There were times I read for a whole day —PTI’s best graduating student

28-year-old Mr Chukwu Benjamin Ogbonna from Amaokwe Ishiagu in Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State emerged as the overall best graduating student with 3.80 CGPA at the 2019 graduation ceremony of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun-Warri, Delta State. The Mechanical Engineering Technology graduate spoke to EBENEZER ADUROKIYA . Excerpt of the interview:\

 

Can you tell us a little about your background?

I’m from a family of five children, three females and two males, and I am the last born.

 

What propelled your choice of studying Mechanical Engineering Technology?

I just chose to study Mechanical Engineering Technology. It’s an area I have inclination for. I like anything relating to technology.

 

Many students wish to become the best but they lose focus on the way. How did you manage to keep your focus?

In order to achieve what you wish to achieve, you need to keep distractions away. Like someone said ‘distraction is an attraction’; so, what distracted you actually attracted your attention. For me, I don’t have time; all I do is go to church, come back and read my books and nothing else. I don’t watch football; I don’t play games; I don’t watch TV. There were times I read for a whole day. I think that is how I was able to achieve what I dreamt of.

 

Has PTI always been a place where you wanted to study?

A friend of mine told me about PTI, and I applied and I got admission. I came to PTI in 2013, after my national diploma. I graduated as the best in my department and the second best of the whole school in 2015. That time, I did Welding Engineering and Fabrication. So, when I came back for my higher national diploma, I had to go for Mechanic Engineering because it is still related to Welding Engineering. Normally, we used to say that Mechanical Engineering is the mother of Welding Engineering. In other words, in Mechanical Engineering, you find Welding Engineering.

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What were your targets when you arrived at PTI?

My target was to be the best I could be, and I had to do everything within my reach and power to be the best.

 

Were there challenges you faced during your course of study?

I came from a background where finance has been a big challenge. When I gained admission to a Federal Government College, I could not go because my parents did not have the money. There was a time I was sent out of class in 2005 because I could not pay N600 as PTA levy; but later a youth corps member offered to pay for me. Then, I was still the best student. When I finished secondary school, there was no money, so I started hustling and, by the grace of God, I was able to gather some money and I started school again in 2013 and graduated 2015. During my industrial training, I couldn’t get a place to do it.

They ridiculed me in Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) because I came to submit an IT letter late. I submitted at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NNDC), but they did not call me. I had to start from the streets again. I was on the street for some months until I gained admission for HND. With the little I got from the street and through arduous help of my parents and some good lecturers, I was able to continue my studies. Some lecturers gave me money and my Christian fellowship helped pay my school fees at some time; and by the grace of God, I have graduated.

 

How did you handle distractions from the opposite sex, being brilliant and handsome?

I don’t have a female friend; if we must talk as an opposite sex, we see in fellowship and after fellowship activities, I’m gone. Like I said, I hustle too much. There was a time I had to print and do photocopies for other students to make ends meet. So, I don’t even have time to get attracted to distractions.

 

What are your plans for the future?

I’m putting it as an appeal if the Federal Government can help; they should help. They should support me so that I can go for a higher educational training. They can still offer me scholarship abroad. Like I said before, the intellectual prowess is there. I came from a very poor family. I lost my dad a day to defend my project. He was ill for almost all the time I was in school. He was ill for six years. And you know what that means. I had to ride motorcycle (okada) just to raise money to go to school, and here I am I have graduated. What is next? I don’t know. Should I go back to the street? It’s left for the government if they are willing, and they should be willing to pick me up; to help, that’s why they are there. The Federal Government should help me. I need help.

 

How do you feel being the best student?

I feel good, you know. The joy of every farmer is after planting and working day and night to tend his seeds, he makes bountiful harvest. So, when you receive a great harvest for a good work, you must be happy. That’s how I’m feeling right now.

 

Nigerian Tribune