The 10th convocation of Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State and the inauguration of the institution’s Medical School came to a glorious end on Sunday with a 25-year-old lady and a 20 year-old man setting academic records in the institution, SEGUN OLUGBILE reports

They are two of a kind. They are young and imbued with the spirit of excellence. One is 25 years while the other is just 20 years old. The two, Opeyemi Sodipe and Oladeinbo Gilbert set new records during the 10th convocation of the Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State on Sunday. While Sodipe became the first graduate of Babcock to bag a PhD at 25, Oladeinbo emerged the all-time best graduating student of the institution after scoring a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 4.92 out of a possible 5.0. Sodipe bagged a PhD in Business Information while Oladeinbo got a degree in Law.

Their stories, as they narrated them to our correspondent after they received their awards, were as moving as they were motivational. Sodipe who was accompanied to the convocation ground by her parents had a bad academic start. She was a dullard until an incident changed this when she was in JSS3 at King’s International School, Moniya, Ibadan, Oyo State.

“I cannot describe myself as an average student when I was in primary and junior secondary school. I was a dullard. But this changed when our literature teacher in JSS 3 gave us a test and I failed woefully. The infuriated teacher while distributing our scripts just threw my own at my face and abused me. She called me olodo (an academic non-performer) and I was greatly embarrassed in front of my classmates. I wept till I reached home,” she stated.

On getting home, she told her mother about the ‘perceived insult,’ unleashed on her by her teacher. But thinking that her mother would sympathise with her, she scolded her too.

“She later encouraged me to buckle up. She said my teacher’s action should be seen as a wake-up call. I took the advice and prayed to God to give me wisdom that night and everything changed when I got to SS1. I always emerged as one of the best in my class till I left the school in 2002,” she said.

Since then, the Ake, Abeokuta, Ogun State-born lady, has not looked back. She gained admission to BU in September 2002 and graduated in 2006 as the best graduating student in her class.

“None of us made first class in my class that year but I made a strong second class upper with a CGPA of 4.4 to bag a degree in Information Science,” she added.

From there, Sodipe proceeded to the University of Ibadan for her Master’s degree in Information Science. At UI, she did well as she emerged the second best graduating student with a score of 69 in 2010. The best graduating student in her class then made 69.9.

“I enrolled for the Master’s degree at UI after the completion of the mandatory National Youth Service Corps scheme at the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State,’’ she added.

Asked what her future ambition was, the third in a family of four said, she would love to become a professor. “I love teaching just like my mother. Even some of my classmates during my undergraduate days recognised this talent in me as they always referred to me as a professor,” she said.

Luckily for her, the university has a scheme where first class graduates of the institution are encouraged to take up teaching. Sodipe has been offered a job as an assistant lecturer in the university.

Her proud father, Mr. David Sodipe, and mother, Deborah, who accompanied her to the convocation, said that God’s grace, discipline and sacrifice on their part were responsible for their daughter’s feat.

“I, as the father, got admission to the university at age 24. I’m happy that my own daughter has obtained a PhD at 25. She has shown that quality since she was in secondary school. But whatsoever she has achieved is due to God’s grace,” he said.

Sodipe, an accountant with the Dangote, however, said he had no regret because his daughter was not taking after his professional path.

He said, “I’m an accountant and she has chosen to be a teacher like her mother though at the high level. I’m happy for her. I don’t believe that parents should force children to do courses that they don’t love. I give my children the freedom to make their choice.”

Speaking on her contributions to the educational development of her daughter, her mother said as a primary school teacher, she was always encouraged all her four children to read, adding that she always praying for their success.

“I know that she is going to end up as a teacher because she has all the qualities of a good teacher. May be she takes those qualities from me but I’m happy for her. She has made us proud,” Sodipe, who is now the Headmistress of St. John Anglican Primary School, Molete, Ibadan, said.

Narrating his own story, the all-time best graduating student said the path to his academic success was full of thorns.

“It was not easy. You know that nothing good comes easy. But I’m grateful to God and my mum for the support. However, let me say that I did not plan to emerge as the best graduating student let alone shattering the record,” Oladeinbo who had his secondary school education at Citizens Comprehensive School, Lagos, said.

He added that though he was not competing with anybody in his class, some of his course-mates including Orebiyi Tomisin and Fisayo Adesanmi gave him the needed academic push.

Oladeinbo aspires to become a legislator that will make law for the betterment of the people.

“By the grace of God, I want to become the nation’s Senate President or Speaker, House of Representative later in life. But as a lawyer, I’ll like to become an uncorruptible judge in the next 10 years,” he said.

But the convocation was not just about these two brainy people, the university also celebrated 60 other students who obtained first class degrees in various disciplines among the 1,370 that graduated on Sunday,

Giving a breakdown of the graduates, the President/Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Kayode Makinde, said that 1,107 had second class upper degrees while the remaining 202 made second class lower degrees in various disciplines. None of the graduating students made third class or ordinary passes.

At the postgraduate level, Makinde said that 98 graduates were conferred with various degrees. This, he said, included 11 who were conferred with postgraduate diplomas and 68 Master’s degrees in various disciplines.

He added that 17 of the graduates including Sodipe were awarded PhD degrees in various disciplines.

However, the university also used the occasion of the 10th convocation to inaugurate its School of Medicine named after the renowned physician, Dr. Benjamin S. Carson Sr.

The medical school has 37 pioneer students including three foreign nationals.

Makinde, in an interview with journalists after the ceremony, said this was so because the academic programme of the institution was structured such that no student could be academically lazy.

He admonished the graduating students to live up to the expectation of the founding fathers of the university.

Makinde said, “Let me say that all of you have been endowed with first-class minds, having gone through a unique training experience which not only makes you employable regardless of your class of degree but very soon employers of labour and visionary leaders,” he said.

Dignitaries at the ceremony included the renowned surgeon, Dr. Ben Carson Sr; Chancellor, BU, Dr. Gilbert Wari; the Registrar, Mr. Hakeem Smith; Pro-Chancellor, NU, Dr. Oyeleke Owolabi, parents, relations and lecturers of the institution.

A 25 years old lady has bagged a Ph.D At Babcock University.
A good feat i must say but i would have been more impressed if it was a Federal University. Just saying.

http://www.punchng.com/education/25-year-old-bags-phd-in-babcock/

Lecturers in Government Universities are sadist

I have been on my Phd For over 20years now

good news at last

Too long. 'Ve got no time now.

There are dream and grade killer lecturers in the established university, this feat may not be possible.

federal or state university lecturers are worse, still they dnt know anything than to brag of emptiness in their skull

ziccoit: There are dream and grade killer lecturers in the established university, this feat may not be possible.

Congrats. She still has many years ahead of her. Many more things to achieve at a very young age. If she keeps working hard and getting the requisite international recognition in her field, she may become a full professor well before 40.

This is the type of news that we should hear.

Congrats again. We wish you an auspicious academic career.

T22.

zangiff: federal or state university lecturers are worse, still they dnt know anything than to brag of emptiness in their skull

haha. Some of them don't want you to come become their oga now. Abi you want to pror sand sand for dier garri ni?

PhD is a credential, the question is what are her potential? what was her project and on what basis was she given the phd.?

If she keeps working hard and getting the requisite international recognition in her field, she may become a full professor well before 40.[img]http://www.demama.info/g.gif[/img]

Ozegbe: PhD is a credential, the question is what are his potential? what was his project and on what base was he given the phd.?

Not HE bro, She is a Female.

life_style: Lecturers in Government Universities are sadist

if na govt university, they for hear am. By the time they get missing script three times, their body go change colour. Those lecturers are real enemies of progress.

Ozegbe: PhD is a credential, the question is what are his potential? what was his project and on what base was he given the phd.?

In an ideal academic environment, one does not get a PhD if one does not have the potential to do what the PhD stands for, which is research.

So, the potential required of the lady is the ability to do research which she hopefully has proven to have and at a very young age too.

Nonetheless, you may want to explain the potential you were referring to.

T22

But wait o. No TC?, they want to tell me that all of them are good. Na lie i no believe am. Anyway sha, na private school. No parents will allow him pikin to get TC instead they go do NPF style. Besides, the school need good record for better adverts.

Good feat...but is this obtainable in a federal university in Nigeria? Just thinking....

Aqva:

A 25 years old lady has bagged a Ph.D At Babcock University.
A good feat i must say but i would have been more impressed if it was a Federal University. Just saying.

http://www.punchng.com/education/25-year-old-bags-phd-in-babcock/

lmaooo i know someone who went to babcock uni for masters and came out with top class honors, but when they got to the states to study for phd, they failed and then just to humor him, my dad made him take america ged exam and the guy failed, so umm i dont trust this degree, not that she cannot get it, but i dont think she can stand foot to foot with other students internationally. But congrats non the less.

Ph.D in private university is very easy. Nothing special.

mimifonwon:



lmaooo i know someone who went to babcock uni for masters and came out with top class honors, but when they got to the states to study for phd, they failed and then just to humor him, my dad made him take america ged exam and the guy failed, so umm i dont trust this degree, not that she cannot get it, but i dont think she can stand foot to foot with other students internationally. But congrats non the less.

How many naija PhD from Federal and State Universities can stand foot to foot with their mates internationally?

Have you all tried to bother whether her work was published in a top international journal that many PhD holders can only dream about? Have you all bothered to know whether she had a co-supervisor from another country, say US or UK, who made sure she did a world class thesis?

Anyway sha, any naija PhD holder that thinks this girl does not merit her PhD should come out and state why.

T22

miteolu: Ph.D in private university is very easy. Nothing special.

I am responding to this post because I assume you can substantiate your claims.

Might you be willing to let us know how you came about your conclusion? Have you ever done a PhD at a private university and got it in less than 3 years? Do you think that long years translate to quality PhD?

Have you people even tried to inquire about her academic performance at UI? Abi she did Master's at UI.

Let us criticize with facts.

T22.

I also know an Ilorin graduate who will be finishing her PhD at age 26-27 here. Does that make her qualification inferior because she did not spend 10 years doing it?

I really wish this lady would start publishing in top journals like 'The Journal of Business, The Journal of Finance etc'. At least, this alone will make her rank ahead of even her lecturers.

Being a PhD holder without publications in top journals is highly questionable. That is why many naija PhD holders from state and federal universities are not even better. How many of our PhD holders in Economics from federal and state universities can boast of just one publication in Econometrica or Journal of Economics?

T22

cryptic: Good feat...but is this obtainable in a federal university in Nigeria? Just thinking....

Ofcourse it is obtainable in Nigeria. A 26year old lady bagged a Phd in my department last convocation in UNILAG.

braine:
Ofcourse it is obtainable in Nigeria. A 26year old lady bagged a Phd in my department last convocation in UNILAG.

They may say it is fraud again.

Which department is that, please?

T22

Nyc... Buh as we all know its coming a private uni.. I hope she does well in lyf... It aint abt d age o....

life_style: Lecturers in Government Universities are sadist

I have been on my Phd For over 20years now

oh-oh! With d story as reference......... u should have chosed Babcock Uni. Lol. I feel ur pain though.

tanimola22: I also know an Ilorin graduate who will be finishing her PhD at age 26-27 here. Does that make her qualification inferior because she did not spend 10 years doing it?

I really wish this lady would start publishing in top journals like 'The Journal of Business, The Journal of Finance etc'. At least, this alone will make her rank ahead of even her lecturers.

Being a PhD holder without publications in top journals is highly questionable. That is why many naija PhD holders from state and federal universities are not even better. How many of our PhD holders in Economics from federal and state universities can boast of just one publication in Econometrica or Journal of Economics?

T22

Bros, I like your passion for education. Keep up the good work and we will keep following your trail. I would send you a PM later in the day.
Regards,

Abeg o,when did the two of them start attending school?in the womb?

Btw how many years course is law again?

Nice one. Enviable too. I just hope parents don't start pressuring their children to better it.

Juzhilz:

oh-oh! With d story as reference......... u should have chosed Babcock Uni. Lol. I feel ur pain though.

Young man, Babcock was not in existence when I started my Phd but however, I may consider a transfer If there is no result in 2years time

Literature class in jss 3. I never hear am before abi she don forget

All dis private university seef,one day they wil give unborn baby master degree o.

tanimola22:

How many naija PhD from Federal and State Universities can stand foot to foot with their mates internationally?

Have you all tried to bother whether her work was published in a top international journal that many PhD holders can only dream about? Have you all bothered to know whether she had a co-supervisor from another country, say US or UK, who made sure she did a world class thesis?

Anyway sha, any naija PhD holder that thinks this girl does not merit her PhD should come out and state why.

T22

Of course i search for her name through internet sites to see if she has published anything or co-wrote something, but it i saw nothing. but like i said, not that she doesnt deserve it, but i wonder if she can be able to compete internationally.

you cant archieve such feet without dedication and focus.
"there is no shortcut to distinction"

congrat sweety