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‘I prayed for retentive memory and ability to recall all I read’ – TAIWO BANKOLE

For Taiwo Bankole, emerging the best graduating student of University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos was a dream come true. When she was started school, she set a goal of emerging the best student from her department. However, providence took her further to the position of best overall student of the school with a CGPA of 5.0. She studied Cell Biology and aiming at going for her masters in Genetics.

The 22 year old lady sure has a great future. We chatted her up in this interview about her success in school and how she got it all going for her.

 

Congratulations! How does it feel emerging the best graduating student in UNILAG?

I feel very happy and honoured. I give glory to God.

Did you envisage you would come out tops like you did?

No, but when I gained admission to school, I was determined to be the best in my class. I worked for it , prayed to God and that was it.

What were your parents reaction when they heard?

They were very happy and proud of me.

Was UNILAG your first choice?

UNILAG was my first and second choices.  I actually wanted to study Medicine but my cut off mark was low. I didn’t perform well when I wrote JAMB. I was sick, I scored 199. So, I went for direct entry.

What will you attribute your success to?

God. Everything is God and I kept reading my books. I remembered the words of my parents.  I set my goal and I focused on it. I had the goal to be the best student in my faculty or department.

Let us into your daily routine while in school?

It was simple to me. I went for classes, chatted with friends when I was free, attended fellowship (The Redeemed Christian Fellowship). I attended fellowship like five times a week. I was a worker in academic department. We ensured we looked out for students, got past questions for them, encouraged them to read and so on.

Were you a book worm in school?

I don’t know. I think I was just okay. I just made sure I studied what I love. I made sure I devoted six hours to books. It was usually more during examination.

Did you have a social life in school?

I had a social life. I attended school dinners. I am a friendly person. I made a lot of friends.

Does that mean you didn’t score a B throughout your stay in school?

I didn’t score a B. It was A throughout. I prayed for retentive memory, I studied my lecturers to know what they wanted. I read my books, researched, I prayed to God to help me assimilate whatever I read and to recall them as well.

Were you not distracted along the way?

There were a lot of distractions. I stayed on campus, a lot of parties here and there, it took God’s grace to overcome all the distractions.

But you had a boyfriend while in school?

I never had a boyfriend. I went to school to study. I believe at the right time, God would bring the right person my way.

Any scholarship yet?

No, none yet.

What next for you now, going back to school or starting work?

I would love to further my studies. I would like to study Genetics outside the country.

Tell us about your parents and siblings?

My father is a civil servant at Epe local government. He is from Ipaja. My mom is also a civil servant. She is from Edo state. She works in Alausa. I have an elder brother, he also finished from UNILAG. He studied Finance at the university. My younger ones are twins. They are in Federal Science and Technical College. One is a boy and the other a girl. The boy is in technical, while the girl is in science.

How did your twin sister feel when your final result came out?

She was happy and proud of me.

What about her?

She finished with a 2.1.

  • SHADE WESLEY-METIBOGUN
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‘I attribute my success to God’ – Oyindamola Omotuyi 

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