Fapohunda OluwaSeun, who graduated as the best graduating student with a CGPA of 4.8 at the AAUA 5th Convocation, in this interview with DammyInforms Blog discusses how he was able to achieve the feat.

How do you feel about graduating as the best student?

It pays to serve Jesus! If felt elated graduating as the overall best student in my set from a prestigious citadel of higher learning,Adekunle Ajasin University.Moreover,i was ebullient for the fact that i graduated with the highest CGPA ever in the history of my prestigious department,Biochemistry!


What motivated you to achieve this feat?

It was the promise of my God and the condition He attached to it that motivated me in the first place to be studious.He said, He shall make me the head and not the tail;and above only and never beneath and "Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men".Secondly,coming from from a very humble background where payment of my school fees was only by the grace of God coupled with the help of The Redeemed Christian Church of God Ondo Province 5 and fatherly counsels from my level coordinator and course adviser,Dr J.A. Saliu a deeper life Pastor spurred me to work.I could remember in 2009 when i was to come for the post-UME then,the church had to sponsor me since i could not afford to get my transport fare! My Mum being an industrious caring 'momma' challenged me with her industrious life and motherly heart seeing she prefers going to bed without eating once the children gets something to feed on! I could not afford to let her tears when school fees was not forthcoming to be in vain.My Uncle Agbi Akinyele Michael was always there for me in terms of encouragement,mentoring,prayer and guidance.Besides,going to night class for sleepless night and seeing female colleagues reading all through the night without dozing for a second posed great challenge to me coupled with the motivation i got from from my General Overseer,Pastor E.A.Adeboye who was academically outstanding in his university days and my mentor who also was a first class graduate in his university days and a don,Pastor W.F.Kumuyi.Importantly too,the recompense attached to excellence in AAUA set me on my toes.
Did you work towards graduating as the best student or it was by Providence?

I actually worked hard,studied tirelessly and read with sleepless night incessantly only to graduate with a first class but graduating as the overall best student in my department and AAUA at large was by Providence. There was a time in 200 level second semester to be precise 2011, when examination had to be postponed for a month just because of me,when i was out of school as a result of illness and that i believe certainly could not be done for the child of the VC let alone me.Will i then ascribe the realisation of this "Golden Fleece" to my effort? I am clearly a product of God's grace and mercy!

Can you discuss how your reading method was like on campus?

I start reading and observing night classes from the beginning of each semester after carefully considering the course outline of the semester's course and formulating an elaborate,intricate and carefully planned time table which covers 168 hours in a week.I tried following the time table strictly as much as possible and avoided unnecessary disturbances and encumbrances.I did not have a fixed number of hours for reading daily,i read at every available instances and spent most of my leisure times in the school library.But,at least i read for about 5 hours daily and 12 hours at a stretch during the the week preceding examinations.

Aside academics, what else were you involved in on campus?

Beside my hearty service to God as a worker in the Bible study unit of Redeemed Christian Fellowship AAUA and as an executive in Academic unit in my final year coupled with being an executive in the Biochemistry departmental fellowship (Assistant General Coordinator 1), and being in prayer group with my brethren, Bro Agunbiade Aanu,Amubieya Tosin,Asotun Tolulope,Omoge Bright,Olokose Oluwanisola,Salami Bola,I was not involved in any other activities on campus. A Chemistry course CHM 213, Analytical Chemistry being a broad and voluminous course posed a great challange.But,i took it a day at a time.That is,i studied it virtually everyday and after each lectures. Now that you have graduated, what do you intend to go into? I intend going for my Masters' degree and then my PhD degree and if i get a good job offer,i will take it up!

What's your advice for students who intend to graduate with a first class?

My advice is that regardless of age,status,race,background,circumstances and level,"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you".Study as if everything depends on you and pray as if everything depends on God.

Source: http://dammyinforms..com/2015/01/how-i-graduated-as-best-student-aaua.html?m=1

May God help me in my diploma which am about to embark on O