I Read In Hunger And In Tears —UDUS First Class Graduate

By Promise Eze

Somide Samuel O. from Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto graduated with a first class CGPA of 4.56 in chemistry this year. But his journey to success was not a smooth ride. Though the road to success was dented with challenges and many daunting experience he was able to pull through and finish with flying colours.

This reporter follows his heart touching story. Somide Samuel O. hails from Ogun state though born and bred in Abeokuta. He is the Last born of a family of four. However tragedy struck when he lost his Dad in 2009.

"I lost my Dad exactly 10 years ago. Growing up without him was indeed hard for us. My Mom who now became the bread winner struggled to send me to school by managing a petty trade that couldn't even yield a profit of One-thousand Naira per day," he says.

Somide never achieved any special feat during his junior secondary school days. In fact he remembers that he was only an average student —one "between the best and the worst." He took his studies seriously in senior secondary only after his elder brother forced him to read his books and denied him the privilege of participating in outdoor activities. It was then that he was able to clinch the position of a prefect.

"Due to my poor background I couldn't afford good uniforms," he recalls. "It was hard maintaining the one I had that even if it
tore I would wear it for almost a term. But I never for once felt intimidated."

Young Somide borrowed money from a professor in his church to sit for GCE in SS2. However having a D7 in English Language, he had to resit for WAEC the following year. His mother couldn't afford to register him for JAMB so he resorted to begging for funds.

"I had no choice but to go back to Prof. He gave me the money and I registered. I chose Usmanu Danfodiyo University as my first choice and opted for Medicine and Surgery," he tells.

Later on he left home to join his brother who resided in Sokoto. His elder brother, a soldier, was serving under the 26 battalion. It was he who had broach the idea of Somide schooling in UDUS.

With a Jamb score of 216 he was granted admission. But to his dismay it wasn't the course he had applied for. From the Medicine and Surgery he hoped to read, he was catapulted into the department of chemistry. But Somide says he had to accept it because that could be where his destiny lies.

"I never wanted to study chemistry. I wanted to be a doctor. However, chemistry was my best subject back then in Secondary school. I had to accept the course. Intuitively, I knew it was a destiny call."

His school fees were covered by his brother. Somide who couldn't secure a hostel space had to join the league of squatters. At first, he had a friend who decided share space with him but they fell out subsequently. "He sent me packing because I kept pestering him to read his books," Somide remembers.

His amiable personality attracted a lot of people who came to him for tutorials. After a short while he became the class representative of his department.

"I came into UDUS with just four T-shirts, two blue Jeans and one brown chinox. That's all I had to wear for three months. I read in hunger and in tears," he recollects the painful moments.

He was forced to join the 'cooler ministry' due to the hunger that besieged his stomach. He had no choice but to tutor ladies in exchange for food. Nobody knew how he fed except his best friend, Mubarak.

First year came rounding off abruptly and sadly for Somide who targeted first class in hundred level, his grade was a big disappointment: 4.48. A 4.48 is enough to make any first year student gyrate buy Somide wasn't satisfied. So in 200-level he embarked on trimming the number of friends he kept, avoiding some lackadaisical persons who came to him for private tutorials and gravitating towards serious minded individuals. It was then he met Usman and Faruq.

"Those two change my life for good. They were both zealous and focused, and we challenge each other academically, read together,visited the library often and watched educative videos on YouTube. So I was at my best. I read so hard and I made a GP of 4.8 in the first semester. But faruq had 5.0. That challenged me to study harder. In the second semester 200-Level I had a cumulative CGPA of 4.57. A first class," he remembers.

He was impeached from his position as class rep even before he resumed 300-level for reasons he couldn't figure out. But the incidence didn't distract him from being focused. At the end of 300-level his CGPA read 4.65.

Somide who was enamored with his achievements didn't envisage that trouble was lurking in 400-level. He was denied the chance in finishing an exam. He lost his ID card two days before a particular exam and despite getting a police report, a court affairs affidavit and a security clearance as stipulated by the constitution of the university his answer sheet was dragged from his hands inside the hall. This affected him psychologically but he was able to return to sanity.

Speaking on how he was able to remain focused until he graduated, he stated that he shunned romantic relationships and fixed his hope on God.

"I never had a girlfriend. You know this love of a thing made my best female friend in school ended up in second class upper all the way from first class. All my friends who made first class never had time for girls," he notes.

Unlike some students who would pore over their notebooks from dusk to dawn, Somide was never a fan of studying throughout the night.

"I tried it once and I ended up in the clinic," he says.

For those who are not finding life easy in campus young Somide ends his story with some words of encouragement.

"God knows what you are going through. You should never give up," he concludes.

Promise Eze is a campus journalist with Pen Press UDUS and a 200-level student of Education Economics. He can be reached through ezep645@gmail.com or 08103911686.

Source:https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2204635279645505&id=524521464323570

God bless your huzzle bro