Oladunmoye Emmanuel Alaba, 22, of the Department of Accounting emerged the best graduating student of Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU), Ikeji -Arakeji, in the 2017/ 2018 academic session. He received a cash gift of 10,000 US Dollars during the convocation ceremony last week. He speaks with HAKEEM GBADAMOSI on his experience at JABU.
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What can you tell us about your background?
Well, I came from a simple background. My father is a manager and my mother is a teacher. It’s a family characterized with discipline and Godly character.
I am the fourth child of four children. I went to Del Nursery and Primary School at 11, Dendo Street, Mushin Lagos, although I didn’t complete my primary school education there due to relocation, and I ended at Abiola Aina Nursery and Primary School and I continued at Abiola Aina High School in Ogun State. I was the Senior Prefect of the set.
What motivated you towards achieving this feat.
I give glory to God because no man can do anything without Him; but there is a place for dedication and sacrifice, and with prayers, your dream will come to reality. A lot of things motivated me towards this feat. Although, my decision to be the best graduating student came after I met Adebisi Emmanuel in 2014 who happened to be the best graduating student of his set, but many other things motivated me. One of them is that I am a preacher of the gospel, and I believe that before the anointing attracts the people, my academic life can be a testament and an undeniable proof of what I preach. So, being a preacher of Christ was a major motivation for me. Other motivations include people around me who looked up to me and I couldn’t just disappoint them.
What are the challenges you encountered in achieving this feat and what kept you going during your stay in school?
The major challenge I encountered is not being carried away by the last success.Often times, the enemy of the next success is the last success we had. So, the challenge was how to keep reminding myself that there is more and that the last success has ended and I need to focus.
What kept me going first was the fact that I had the Holy Ghost on my inside (smiles).Nobody motivates me like He does. Also my parents, siblings,friends kept encouraging me even when I was losing energy. Also, I had mentors that challenged me to do better over and over and by the special grace of God, I never disappointed them
What are the things you denied yourself?
I denied myself good sleep, again and again. Sometimes I slept for four or five hours each day so as to hit my target spiritually and academically. I denied myself of unnecessary outings. Let me say this straight, I didn’t do the boyfriend-girlfriend relationship thing because I felt it would be distraction and reduce my zeal. I had female friends that we were really close but you know we all had the same goal and we were not distracted. But I didn’t deny myself of good food. I ate well whenever I wanted to, thanks to my Aunt (Mrs Agbeleye) for that, she is always ready to make food available always.
Your social life, what is it like? Balancing your social life and spiritual life?
I must confess it wasn’t so easy. I was the Brothers’ Coordinator of the whole chapel and I supervise the whole religious activities in school. Nevertheless, I didn’t have much issue balancing my social and spiritual life, because I know I have just one life which is God’s life and every other thing is a fragment of this life. So, all I needed to do was to engage the possibilities of this life with the help of God, then through the Holy Spirit, I know when to socialise. Speaking of my academics, there were times God woke me up not to pray but to read my books for tests that were not even announced and those that were announced. So, you see, my spiritual life complemented my academic life and vice versa.
What can you tell us about your background?
Well, I came from a simple background. My father is a manager and my mother is a teacher. It’s a family characterized with discipline and Godly character.
I am the fourth child of four children. I went to Del Nursery and Primary School at 11, Dendo Street, Mushin Lagos, although I didn’t complete my primary school education there due to relocation, and I ended at Abiola Aina Nursery and Primary School and I continued at Abiola Aina High School in Ogun State. I was the Senior Prefect of the set.
What motivated you towards achieving this feat.
I give glory to God because no man can do anything without Him; but there is a place for dedication and sacrifice, and with prayers, your dream will come to reality. A lot of things motivated me towards this feat. Although, my decision to be the best graduating student came after I met Adebisi Emmanuel in 2014 who happened to be the best graduating student of his set, but many other things motivated me. One of them is that I am a preacher of the gospel, and I believe that before the anointing attracts the people, my academic life can be a testament and an undeniable proof of what I preach. So, being a preacher of Christ was a major motivation for me. Other motivations include people around me who looked up to me and I couldn’t just disappoint them.
What are the challenges you encountered in achieving this feat and what kept you going during your stay in school?
The major challenge I encountered is not being carried away by the last success.Often times, the enemy of the next success is the last success we had. So, the challenge was how to keep reminding myself that there is more and that the last success has ended and I need to focus.
What kept me going first was the fact that I had the Holy Ghost on my inside (smiles).Nobody motivates me like He does. Also my parents, siblings,friends kept encouraging me even when I was losing energy. Also, I had mentors that challenged me to do better over and over and by the special grace of God, I never disappointed them
What are the things you denied yourself?
I denied myself good sleep, again and again. Sometimes I slept for four or five hours each day so as to hit my target spiritually and academically. I denied myself of unnecessary outings. Let me say this straight, I didn’t do the boyfriend-girlfriend relationship thing because I felt it would be distraction and reduce my zeal. I had female friends that we were really close but you know we all had the same goal and we were not distracted. But I didn’t deny myself of good food. I ate well whenever I wanted to, thanks to my Aunt (Mrs Agbeleye) for that, she is always ready to make food available always.
Your social life, what is it like? Balancing your social life and spiritual life?
I must confess it wasn’t so easy. I was the Brothers’ Coordinator of the whole chapel and I supervise the whole religious activities in school. Nevertheless, I didn’t have much issue balancing my social and spiritual life, because I know I have just one life which is God’s life and every other thing is a fragment of this life. So, all I needed to do was to engage the possibilities of this life with the help of God, then through the Holy Spirit, I know when to socialise. Speaking of my academics, there were times God woke me up not to pray but to read my books for tests that were not even announced and those that were announced. So, you see, my spiritual life complemented my academic life and vice versa.
What do you plan to do next?
Well, my next line of action, if I am to go by my plan, is to begin my Master’s degree immediately after my national youth service, but you know God can always interrupt our plans. Well, I am sure He has good intentions for me. As of now, I run a mentorship programme for upcoming leaders, especially on how to live a balanced life as students. I also organise sensitisation programmes for secondary schools, including girl-child campaign and carrier orientation.
You won a cash prize of 10,000 US dollars. What do you intend to do with the cash gift?
Well I am a chartered member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria(ICAN) so managing money is not a problem because management of resources is one of our major trainings. Of what I will use the money for, let it be known to me.
Well, my next line of action, if I am to go by my plan, is to begin my Master’s degree immediately after my national youth service, but you know God can always interrupt our plans. Well, I am sure He has good intentions for me. As of now, I run a mentorship programme for upcoming leaders, especially on how to live a balanced life as students. I also organise sensitisation programmes for secondary schools, including girl-child campaign and carrier orientation.
You won a cash prize of 10,000 US dollars. What do you intend to do with the cash gift?
Well I am a chartered member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria(ICAN) so managing money is not a problem because management of resources is one of our major trainings. Of what I will use the money for, let it be known to me.
and then