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Beyond Excellence: An Interview with Abdulqudus Oladoja

Meet Abdulqudus Oladoja, the Best Male Graduating Student of the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, who graduated with an impressive CGPA of 3.65/4.0. In this interview, Abdulqudus shares his inspiring story of perseverance, hard work, and determination, offering valuable insights and advice for students seeking to excel in their academic pursuits.

How excited were you when you were announced the Best Male Graduating Student?

Well, it felt differently sincerely, many times I've always thought being the best graduating student is just a normal thing but being called in front of hundreds of people, the vice chancellor, the dean, the head of departments felt really special. The excitement is one I can't describe.

You graduated with the CGPA of 3.65. What do you think contributed to your success?

Well, I would say that it is because I don't want to fail. Well, failure is relative, to some, having below 44 is failure, some having B or C is failure, to some having below 80 is failure. To me personally, for the majority of my courses, having anything less than an A is something I don't wish for even though circumstances happen. At times, the aim is 80+ at times, it's 90+. The most important thing is that I just want to pass my courses. That mindset is one thing that pushed me.

Were you a member of any association when you were on campus?

I joined only the EcoVanguard Club UI.

How were you able to combine extracurriculars and academics?

This is actually a challenging one for me because I know I'm quite lazy and I procrastinate a lot. Many times, the free time I have, I hardly maximize it. But one thing that usually helped me is the desire not to fail, not just academics but other things that I do. This desire is usually like a reset button for me. I know it's procrastination and laziness that I need to overcome, then I will later itemize what I need to do and arrange them in order of importance, most times my work activities would have taken much of the useful time. The remaining time is what I try to use to read. I don't think I had any social life on campus, because most times I have to cover up.

What was your reading schedule as an undergraduate like?

Reading schedule? I don't think I have one. What I do is just that I read from the beginning of the semester except during the final year though, also, I read when I have free time. At times, I might be occupied from Monday to Saturday, so on Sunday, I know I must cover everything during the week. At times, I do TDB though I'm not a fan of TDB just to cover up. Also, I hardly assimilate at once, I usually read the materials 2 or more times though.

What were your most memorable moments as an undergraduate?

The first one would be when I got my 100L transcript, I had 3.50 as my CGPA. earlier during the first semester, I had 3.32, I strived to reach first class, during the holidays I didn't go home, I stayed back to read. During the second semester exams, some things happened. I knew I didn't do well in some of the exams and the hope of attaining a first class was slipping away. By the time I saw the results and I had 3.50, I was extremely happy.

Did you encounter any challenges while on UI campus?

Yeah, I did. During 100L, I dedicated a lot of time to reading but at the end of the day, my exams were usually average. In my first semester, out of 8 courses, I had 2 A's and 6 B's. It was really disheartening as I was putting in my best but was never showing. Also, I was kind of introverted in 100L, I hardly go for tutorials, I hardly read with friends, I had limited people I interacted with, this was one of my challenges then. In 200L, COVID period, it was hard coping with the virtual classes and other activities. Assimilation was poor and understanding was below par. Alhamdulilah for MTSG.

And in 500L, reading was already off my mind and having 8 courses in my first semester aside from project was a lot. At a point in second semester, the device I was using for my project broke down and I took it around but I wasn't able to repair it. I ordered the device online and when it got spoiled, I had to get another one again online. It was a lot as I paid over 50 thousand for each of them. The time frame for it to be delivered was three weeks and the submission was near already. That period; was mentally draining for me.

What are your plans after graduation, do you have any plan to further education or enter the workforce?

For now, both are viable options. Let's see what the future holds.

What advice would you give a student who also wants to finish excellently?

I would say, Don't underestimate any form of failure, set high standards, seek help when you're in need, you can't do everything alone. Be passionate about your studies even if everyone feels otherwise.