From Selling Fish to First-Class: EKSU Best-Graduating Student Receives 1.25 Million Naira 

On Wednesday, 19 April, Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti, marked its 27th convocation for the award of sub-degrees, first degrees, and presentation of prizes and distinctions at the university’s main auditorium. 

With excitement on every face, the 2020/2021 graduating set lit the ambience of the auditorium with their academic gowns.

Olabode Williams Jolomi, a first-class Forest Resources and Wildlife Management graduate, is one of the 5,963 fresh graduates. During the ceremony, the university awarded 74 diploma certificates, 5,602 bachelor’s degrees, 80 MBBS, and 207 postgraduate degrees. In contrast, only 79 out of the first degrees bagged first class. 

Although Mr Jolomi’s course should have lasted five years, he spent seven years in undergraduate studies due to the incessant strikes and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite his challenges and financial constraints, Mr Jolomi attained a 4.94 GPA and was the best graduating student. 

“I started selling fish from 200 level to 400 level because of financial challenges and to help my parents support my academics,” he said.

At some point, he organised tutorials for his coursemates and other students in his department, but he stopped because of the undisclosed problems he encountered.

He then joined students’ politics on campus to fulfil his political ambition. He contested for president at the Nigerian Association of Agricultural Students (NASS) but failed and could not emerge. Still determined, he narrated:

“I later contested for the post of President at the International Forestry Students’ Association (IFSA) and won. I was the first executive president of the association to win an award for my department.”

According to him, an application was opened to hold an event to promote awareness of forestry in Africa. It was sponsored by IFSA and the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO), a joint task force on forestry education.

“In the application, we submitted a proposal to hold the event in EKSU and, among other Universities that were selected, IFSA-EKSU under my administration was one of them, and a prize of 230,000 was sent to the association’s account after the event.”

The 26-year-old was encouraged by his mentor, whose undergraduate stories inspired him to chase his first-class dream unwavering. 

During the ceremony, Dr Ayo Abina, an alumnus of the university, gave him a monetary gift of N250,000 for being the best-graduating student. Dr Israel Ovirih, another alumnus, lauded his efforts and contribution to the university community by awarding him one million naira. 

“I have a mentor that always wants me to graduate with first class because he couldn’t achieve it. At the same time, I worked harder to earn this because I was supposed to be admitted into Medicine and Surgery but was given Forestry, and that was why I made up my mind to get better from forestry.”

This was his biggest motivation, and he described himself as result-oriented. Speaking with him about his next move and his advice for young learners like him, he said:

“I have plans to further my education with a master’s degree abroad, God willing, and my advice is that young learners should be focused and determined and set goals for themselves. And at the same time, they shouldn’t let their background or who they are, affect their pursuit.”