Graduand, 25, develops software, emerges varsity best student

He failed the West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination at first attempt. Olufowobi Habeeb, 25, also attempted to gain admission into the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, through the pre-degree programme, it did not work out. But the young man perceived to be an average student has set an academic record by emerging the best graduating student of the Fountain University, Osogbo, Osun State, having obtained a Cummulative Grade Point Average of 4.84 out of a possible 5.0, SEGUN OLUGBILE reports.

The popular English aphorism says, If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Olufowobi Habeeb, Suleiman Jolaade, Senbadejo Yetunde and nine other students who graduated with first class degree at the maiden convocation of Fountain University, Osogbo, Osun State, on Saturday seemed to understand the meaning of this wise saying. They did not just plan to end their degree programmes on a successful note; they set the first class degree goal since they were in 100-Level. And all of them were the cynosure of all eyes that graced the first convocation of the faith-based institution on Saturday. They were honoured. They were offered automatic graduate assistant lecturer jobs upon the completion of their mandatory National Youth Service Corps scheme.

As the institution's Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Hussein Oloyede, called them out for their awards, shouts of joy and thunderous applause from parents, friends and guests including governors of Osun, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola; Oyo, Senator Abiola Ajimobi; and Niger, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, rent the air.

However, Olufowobi, who emerged the best graduating student having obtained a Cumulative Grade point Average of 4.84 out of a possible 5.0, received the loudest ovation. He won seven of the 23 awards on offer at the convocation. Olufowobi was accompanied to the ceremony by his illiterate parents. Her mother could not hold back her tears when her child was called to the podium for the seventh time to receive his awards. After getting the awards, the 25-year-old young man was welcomed back to his seat by his mother who embraced the graduate of Computer Science crying and praying. After the mother released him, Olufowobi in a chat with our correspondent said two things were responsible for his mum's outpouring of emotions. One, she never knew the family could muster enough resources to keep him in a fee-paying university. Two, she never knew that her son could emerge the best graduating student among the children of the rich. Olufowobi had failed the West African Senior Secondary Examination at first attempt so he was perceived by even his mother to be an average student.

"It was tough but thank God for the scholarship floated by the university for brilliant and poor students. It really helped me as I won the scholarship which enabled my parents to pay half tuition all through my stay here. The only time I paid full tuition was in 100-Level but because my CGPA was high, I won in 200-Level and worked hard to maintain the required CGPA in my last two years in the university," he said.

Apart from maintaining a consistent academic performance that won him the FUO scholarship, Olufowobi had also led three other students, Agbetu Olanrewaju, Bello Niyi and Lasisi Abiola, to develop a software called SCRAMAS for the use of the university. SCRAMAS, according to him, is an acronym for Students Computation Result Management Automated System, now being used by the university to enhance quicker, safer and more flexible computation of examination results of students. Agbetu, his friend, also graduated with a first class with a CGPA of 4.69; Bello made second class upper while Abiola made second class lower. Olufowobi, a native of Odogbolu, in Odogbolu Local Government Area of Ogun State said the software had been taken over by the university.

"SCRAMAS is now being used to enhance computation of results but we are working on a new one and by the time we finish it, we intend to make it available for other universities," the last child in a polygamous family of seven, said.

Speaking on his ambition, Olufowobi said he would go back for his postgraduate programme as soon as he completed the mandatory NYSC scheme.

"I love research and that is why I will like to take up a career in the university. Specifically, I will embark on research in computer technology but with special interest in software engineering. I believe that a lot of the nation's problems could be solved through technology," the child who did his secondary school education at Odogbolu Grammar School, said.

But Olufowobi's life on campus was not about books alone, he was the first Coordinator, Students' Representative Council of the university which started academic activities on January 14, 2008. This position set him against the university management as he once had to lead a protest against the initial unconducive environment the students were exposed to during their first year.

"When we resumed there were a lot of challenges. Our hostels were far away from the campus, physical facilities were inadequate while the access road to the university was in terrible state. As students we protested but our lecturers are mature, they called us to a meeting where everything was settled. But initially, some of them perceived us to be rascals," he said.

But Olufowobi who had earlier done a pre-degree programme at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, said that lecturers in private universities, particularly FUO were more committed to their duties. In public universities some lecturers skip classes and nobody will say anything, some can just come to the lecture room once and you won't see them again until after the semester, but here it is not so. They teach well, they motivate and encourage you to be the best that you can be," he said.

So was that why he made the first class? Olufowobi said, "The lecturers are part of the motivating factors but I've made up my mind the very first day I entered the university that I must make a first class. I set the goal and worked towards it by moving with the right students, avoiding distractions and reading daily."

Some of the 12 first class graduates including Suleiman Jolaade, Abidoye Kafayat and Agbetu, that our correspondent spoke with, had also planned to make a first class from their first year in the university.

Suleiman, 18, who graduated with a first class in Economics having obtained a CGPA of 4.7, said excellence in academic deserves planning, dedication, diligence and hard work.

"Without being boastful, making a first class comes with planning, dedication and hard work. You must avoid distractions, love your lecturers and the course, read extensively and pray for God's grace. But I must admit that it was not easy because as pioneer students, we faced a lot of challenges ranging from inadequate facilities to dearth of space. I thank God that it is ending this way.

Suleiman said she read Economics because she wanted to be part of the new generation of Nigerians that would eliminate all the socio-economic problems confronting the country. This, she said, she would do through the promotion of economic measures that would remove poverty, unemployment and tension.

Agbetu, 23, who also made first class in Computer Science, said that he would pick up a career in computer engineering and software development.

Oloyede had while presenting his convocation speech, said that 159 students were conferred with various degrees, adding that 12 of the graduands obtained first class; 46 made second class upper; 76 obtained second class lower degree; while the remaining 25 passed out in the third class division.

Giving a further breakdown of the result, Oloyede told the gathering that the female graduands outclassed their male counterparts as seven of the first class graduands were females while the remaining five were males.

The females, he said, won the best graduating students in accounting, economics, business administration and microbiology. They also won all the awards in the College of Management and Social Sciences. This, he noted, was in tandem with the new trend in universities across the country where female students were taking over the mantle of academic leadership from their male counterparts.

"The promotion of girl-child education started some years back could be one of the reasons for this," Oloyede said.

Also, the former Dean, Post-Graduate Studies at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Prof. Olabode Popoola, said that parents' changing attitude to the girl-child was one of the reasons for the trend. Parents are more concerned about the welfare of the girl-child. They believe that the girls are vulnerable, so they overprotect them and place restriction on them much more than the boys. This gives them the opportunity to engage in more positive venture than the boys," he noted.

The Pro-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Nurudeen Adedipe, told the gathering that all the programmes on offer at the university had been accredited by the National Universities Commission while greater achievements had been recorded in physical, academic and educational development of the institution. He added that the university had enjoyed peace as there was no incident that marred its academic calendar.

Highlight of the convocation was the conferment of honorary doctorate degrees on four eminent Nigerians. These are the university Chancellor, Dr. Sheikh Lemu, former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, former President, Nigerian Academy of Science, Prof. Lateef Salako and the founder of Murhi International Television, Alhaji Muri Gbade Busari.

- Segun Olugbile