Best graduating student of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye,
Ogun State, Damilola Ayorinde, recently had a chat with gooo/education/my-sister-stopped-school-for-me-to-graduate/”>Punch Newspaper and she told quite an interesting and inspiring story!
With a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 4.80, Damilola ( Plant Science graduate) towered above
her colleagues in all faculties and departments in the institution. But the life story of the valedictorian is a different handle of narrative. Poverty, she claims, dealt a deadly blow on her.
Telling
the story of her four-year sojourn in the university, she says her
parents were so poor that she could not buy a single textbook throughout
her higher education adventure.
She explains that to make up for
this she got familiar with the Internet where she read relevant topics
and printed out materials with money she could get from good-spirited
people.
She adds, “It was by the grace of God that I was able to
complete my study. My parents are so poor that I could not afford the
luxury of buying a single textbook throughout my four-year study.
The
valedictorian, whose father, Samuel Ayorinde, is a property agent, and
mother, Elizabeth, a petty trader, received no fewer than eight awards. Sharing
the secret of her success, the light-complexioned Damilola adds that
she also relied on notes she could copy during lectures, as none of her
well-to-do colleagues were willing to release their textbooks to her.
She
explains, “None of my colleagues was ready to lend or give me their
textbooks to read because they said I had none to give them in return,
as in exchanging books. So, I had to carry my cross by going to the
library, Internet and reading my notes.” The intellectual damsel, who claims she had no time for boyfriend relationship, notes that she also likes reading alone.
She
says, “I normally lock up myself in the room while reading. Though I
have some distant relations staying with me, since they are younger, I
made sure they never disturbed me.
“Again, I prefer to read early
in the morning when the weather is still cool. I assimilate better
under such a condition. I had no time for a boyfriend. I focused on my
studies, knowing the kind of background I come from. I never gave room
for any distraction.”
But she also faced psychological torture, especially as her young sister had to sacrifice her education for her sake. Damilola,
the first child among her three siblings, says her immediate younger
sister, Tosin, had to discontinue her education in the same institution
at 100 level for her to proceed with her study. She adds, “I’ve
had to eat dry garri and groundnut when there was nothing to eat. Many
times I trekked to school. Till now, my parent’s house is still not
completed. My convocation suit is the first I bought in life. But in
all, I have reasons to thank God.
“Our parents are so poor that
two of us could not afford university education at the same time. In
fact, my younger sister had to drop at 100 level in 2012 for me to
continue with my own study.”
Talking about other
things that prepared her for the excellent performance, she reveals that
she is from an extended family, where the girl-child is not known to
aspire to greater heights. However, she chose to be different.
Damilola’s father attests to this. He explains that his daughter has always been an achiever from her formative years.
“She
was the head girl when she was in primary school, Mastok Nursery and
Primary School, Orile Agege, Lagos; and the library prefect when she was
at Iganmode Grammar School, Sango-Ota, Ogun State.
“She has always
been a bookworm. Even when she was much younger, when others were
watching television programmes, she would be busy with books. I am not
surprised at this feat.”
Damilola, who wants to impact on youths, advises other undergraduates to focus seriously on their studies. She
notes, “I look forward to becoming a graduate assistant until I secure
admission to further my education. My vision in life is to occupy an
enviable position in life where I will impact on as many lives as
possible.