The best graduating student of the Federal University of
Technology, Akure, Ondo State in the 2013/2014 academic
session, Okpara Michael, 27, graduated from the
Department of Biochemistry with a 4.84 CGPA. He tells
TUNDE AJAJA about his experience as an undergraduate
Did you ever plan to be the best student in your set?
I never had such plan. My simple desire was to graduate
with a first class; but I started seeing the signs that I could
do better than lead my class when my CGPA stood at 4.84
in my 400 Level.
What will you attribute your success to?
I always put God first in everything. However, the only one
way to attain academic excellence in a school like FUTA is
through hard work, so I developed a working timetable for
every semester, which helped me to be hardworking. I also
sacrificed some pleasures to concentrate more on my
academics. I realised that understanding what works for
students is essential in attaining excellence. I discovered
mine, applied it and it worked.
What was your performance in your previous schools?
I led my class throughout my elementary and secondary
school days. I drove myself to be so excellent because I
believe so much in attaining excellence in whatever I
engage myself in. I never wanted to be an average student.
I passed my O ’level exam at a sitting but it took me three
years to gain admission into the university. In fact, I was
one of the last in my set to gain admission.
Why did it take you so long to gain admission?
I wanted to study Medicine. So, in 2006, I chose Medicine
as my first and second choices and I scored 65 per cent in
the post-UTME but I was not admitted. In 2007, I chose
Medicine again, and scored 75 per cent in the post-UTME
but wasn’t admitted. Since I made Medicine my first and
second choices, there was nothing else or nowhere else to
go, so, once I was denied admission, that was the end for
that year. In 2008, I decided not to apply for UTME because
of the disappointments I had in the previous years, so I took
a break. Incidentally, I was on the hospital bed the day
UTME held that year. However, in 2009, I sat for UTME
again and I was offered admission in FUTA to study
Biochemistry. Even though I resumed late because I was
still pursuing Medicine in another school, God helped me to
catch up.
What do you feel when people say a course like
Biochemistry is feminine?
Some of my colleagues have made such comments before
and I made them to understand that Biochemistry is a
course for any gender. It’s about chemical reactions that
take place in living things as a whole, so it has nothing to
do with gender. Also, I don’t believe that some courses
should be attributed to a particular gender. In fact, in my
department, the ratio of male to female students was
approximately one to one. What matters should be
individual’s interest and efficiency in the course. Some
people still find it difficult to believe that a man can be a
nurse, which should not be.
Is the course truly abstract as some people see it?
It has to do with the chemical reactions that take place in
living things, not just human beings. For example, there are
complex reactions that occur in the body, such as the food
we eat and the air we breathe. These things take processes
before they manifest and are utilised in the body. So,
Biochemistry is a study of all those reactions and
processes in living things.
Since your course has a lot to do with practicals, did you
ever get tired of that?
I never found practicals or being in the laboratory boring. I
even prefer it to the theoretical class because the things we
do in the laboratory are easier to remember because of our
active participation in the process. During my project in
500 Level, some of the things I learnt in the lower levels
were more real to me when I did them myself. Practicals
help us to understand what we learn in the classroom. So, I
love practicals.
Were the six prizes you received on your convocation day
as best student the first you received throughout your stay
in school?
No. When I was in 200 Level, I received a scholarship
award by the Federal Scholarship Board in 2010. As you
can imagine, I was happy but my parents were happier. It
helped them to concentrate on taking care of my siblings’
bills.
How big was the scholarship?
I was receiving N150,000 per session from 200 Level till my
500L when I graduated. The money really helped me and it
sustained me till I graduated. Before then, I was squatting
and could hardly feed to my taste and satisfaction, but the
money made things easier for me. It opened my eyes to see
how much scholarship would have helped many people and
made life easier for them. It was a major shift for me, and it
has been my happiest moment ever.
Who introduced the scholarship programme to you?
I learnt about it online and since it covered all levels, I
applied, just as many others did. The requirement was a 4.0
CGPA, so I had no problem. I went for the exam and to the
glory of God, I was the only undergraduate among 10
students who won the scholarship that year in FUTA. The
other nine were postgraduate students.
What were the challenges you faced as a fresh student?
My first year was the toughest, as I had to ‘squat’ with
friends, so also was the start of the second year. I didn’t
have my own apartment until I got to 200 Level. Apart from
the fact that it was my first time of spending months away
from home, there were days that I could afford to eat just
once so as to manage my pocket money, which was not
even regular. I had to do serious calculations before I could
spend money and I was always drawing a scale of
preference to make sure my spending was in order.
Can you tell us about your background?
I was raised in a family where I learnt that regardless of
what we achieve, we could always be better. That
influenced my performance in school because I would
always strive to do better than my previous performance.
My parents were of much help too; very caring and honest.
My dad is a very hardworking man who values time and
frowns at laziness. So, I grew under him to imbibe those
qualities. We were not very rich but my parents did their
best.
What was your reading pattern in school?
I read for as long as my brain could assimilate, usually in
my room at midnight because that was the best time for me
to read or do my assignments. The average number of
hours I read was three hours and I set daily target for
myself. On the average, I slept for about seven hours daily.
Beyond academics, I was a bit social and at my leisure, I
used to listen to music and discuss football with my
friends.
Do you still remember some of your results?
I may not be able to remember all the GPAs and CGPAs, but
the lowest GPA I had throughout was 4.71, and that was my
100 Level second semester. My lowest grade was a ‘C’ in
100 Level second semester. I wouldn’t know if the
inconveniences, the squatting and inadequate pocket
money for basic needs, were partly responsible, because I
had better performance subsequently. In fact, the least
grade I had after that was 4.80 and I had 5.00 sometime.
What are your aspirations?
I hope to go for my Master’s Degree and PhD in
Biochemistry, preferably in Europe. Biochemistry has totally
replaced the love I used to have for Medicine. I love to
further my studies and be involved in some groundbreaking
research works in my field, and then impart the knowledge
in others.
Where would you like to work?
I’m hoping to work either in an educational institution or a
structured organisation where I can utilise my knowledge of
Biochemistry to impart and improve lives. If it’s an
institution, I like a federal institution like FUTA, but if it’s
an organisation, I would like to work with the United
Nations or its subsidiaries like the World Health
Organisation. That would be touching lives and be involved
in research works on a larger scale.
What is your advice to students who want to attain
excellence?
Students should realise that their 100 and 200 levels are
very crucial, because those are the formative years in the
higher institution. A good start is crucial for an overall good
performance. They should also put God first in everything
they do, attend lectures regularly, never miss practical
classes and be careful with the kind of company they keep.
Hard work is a vital ingredient for academic excellence.

http://www.punchng.com/entertainment/campus-champion/it-took-me-three-years-to-gain-admission-futa-best-graduating-student/

#claps for the dude.

i finished from engineering from that same school with a strrrrrrrrrooonnnngg! 3.48 unfortunately.

but mehhhn remain small make i for die. chai.

i for just study music sha

Hard work pays

Tiz not easy at all in Futa for lazy students... Congrat bro. #teamfuta

nyc one

congrats 2 u#team futa

kilokeys:
#claps for the dude.

i finished from engineering from that same school with a strrrrrrrrrooonnnngg! 3.48 unfortunately.

but mehhhn remain small make i for die. chai.

i for just study music sha

Lazy boy, why you no study hard like the guy.

amakufrancis:
Lazy boy, why you no study hard like the guy.

bro.. i have a very creative imagination.. i couldn't get myself to do "la cramme la pour"..

surprised i got that far in Engineering sef. i should have done the arts.
maybe u would have seen me on TV long ago.

i am back at the drawing board sha. comedy creative writing, music.. doing what i was born to do and be.. the Best

kilokeys:


bro.. i have a very creative imagination.. i couldn't get myself to do "la cramme la pour"..

surprised i got that far in Engineering sef. i should have done the arts.
maybe u would have seen me on TV long ago.

i am back at the drawing board sha. comedy creative writing, music.. doing what i was born to do and be.. the Best

Wish you the best my guy.

Divsy:
congrats 2 u#team futa

I'm also a Futarian... what course are you studying and what level are you?

factorial1:

I'm also a Futarian... what course are you studying and what level are you?

am a fresher

Divsy:
am a fresher

Alright... guess you're in school already?

factorial1:
Alright... guess you're in school already?

sumwhere around

Divsy:
sumwhere around

OK... do have a nice stay in FUTA.

factorial1:
OK... do have a nice stay in FUTA.

tnks

kudos bro....#proudlyfutarian