My First Class Option Started From Secondary School – Oyebanji

Hardwork and determination, they say are key to any successful endeavour. However, the most important point is the wisdom, understanding and foresight to start a vision early.
Hardwork is the ability to never stop and never give up until you suceed. It involves physical, mental or emotional effort, high levels of focus and purpose.
Determination on the other hand is the positive and emotional feeling that involves  persevering towards a difficult goal in spite of obstacles. This occurs before goal attainment and serves to motivate behaviour that will help achieve  one’s goal.
The world’s most successful people  have unshakeable confidence in themselves and in their vision, no wonder, when these people set a goal, nothing gets in their way of achieving it.
There is a certain young man who at age 25 should become an inspirational story to the young and younger generation of they hope to succeed in life.
It was a chance meeting  with Ayobami Iyanuoluwa Oyebanji at the Department of Microbiology at the Rivers State University, Port Harcourt. In the office of the Head of Department, Associate Professor Nedie Patience Akani, another great inspirator of youths who revealed to me the capacity and potentials inherent in the outgoing National Youth Service Corps member who served diligently in the department.
Mr Oyebanji is an indigene of Osun State and a first class graduate in Microbiology from the Osun State University(2018/2019 session).Here is his story…
From secondary school, I had it in my mind that I will graduate  from the university with first class honours.
As I got admission into the university, I want into action to achieve my goal. From the beginning, I attended Tutorials by a top level student who taught   us Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and the rest. I did my assignments seriously  because this is what the lecturers do not joke with.
Also, attendance in class was mandatory  for me. I did not miss lectures for anything. I am not the type that read at night.  But,  I must read after the class, I go through all my notes and wake up about 4am every day to read up my notes before going to class. No distraction.
I usually had discussions with my tutorial teacher. I also started a Discussion group with five of my classmates that discusses the lectures immediately after each class.
At the end of year one, I got a CGPA of 4.03.Then,I knew that I can make it to first class level.
From year Two, I loved a triangular life. Fellowship, school and hostel. I did not attend parties but functions concerning academics. I made a move and talked to my department student who is from my hometown that made first class that year. He advised me to work hard by going through past exam questions in all my courses.
I then had a study plan which I used regularly., reading my books every day, all my assignments being done and submitted at the right time and attendance on class still mandatory for me.
Every semester, my CGPA started increasing. I normally check my results and document them on paper and the calculate my CGPA to be sure of my efforts. I look at my results and give thanks to God and make more effort. This involved making A(s) in all my courses. At the end of year two,I got a CGPA of 4.19.
At 300 level,I discovered that I needed to do more to get to first class. I did not relent,bye persevered with hardwork and by God’s grace. At the end of year three,I climbed to 4.37 CGPA.
In 300 and 400 levels,I had A(s) and a B in all my courses.At 400 level,I became  the Director of Tutorials. I applied for that office which was unopposed. My classmates asked me to go for it to help other students.That was a sacrifice I did for the National Association of Microbiogy Students(NAMS).
I then worked hard on my project which was on Water Quality Pharmarcolgy Microbiology.One thing I discovered was that I worked hard at my project which added to my  final CGPA of 4.51 and earned me first class honours.
For those in secondary school, my advice is,they should start thinking of what they want to do.They should search the courses online  to know what they want to study and get materials in that course. The 100 level in the university is the foundation of results.A(s) in all courses should be the order of the day.If the foundation is poor,there will be a problem.

Ibinabo Ogolo