22-year-old Islamiyyah Abdullateef is the best-graduating female student of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, for the 2021/2022 academic session. She graduated with a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 4.90 from the Department of Management and Accounting. She is also a Chartered Accountant, a programme she started and completed in the course of her university education. In this interview by YUSUF ABDULKADIR, she speaks about her academic journey and how she achieved the feat.
Tell us about your background.
I am the first child in a family of seven. I had my primary education at Imam Zubair Schools, Ibadan. I pursued my secondary education at Command Day Secondary School, Ibadan, before proceeding to the Obafemi Awolowo University.
Was Accounting your first choice of course?
Yes. I didn’t want to be something else aside from being an accountant. It was either accounting or nothing. Alhamdulillah, I got it during my first attempt.
When did you start leading your class at the university?
I started leading my class at the beginning — since the first semester of 100 level — and I consistently led the class throughout the eight semesters I spent there.
Emerging as the best-graduating female student among thousands of students is no small feat. How does this achievement make you feel?
Elated. I didn’t see it coming. Of course, at some point, I saw the best-graduating student in my class coming since I constantly led the class, but I didn’t see the best-graduating female student in the university coming. All of these, I didn’t even plan for. So, the feeling was beautiful and I loved it.
How many awards did you receive?
I bagged nine awards. They included the Faculty prize: For the overall best student in the B.Sc. Degree examination in the faculty of Administration; Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) prize: for the overall best-graduating student in B.Sc. Accounting degree examination; Zenith Bank Prize: For the overall best-graduating student in the Department of Management and Accounting; Society of Women Accountants of Nigeria (SWAN) Prize: For the best female final-year accounting student; Ebun Ireyomi Prize: For the overall best-graduating student in the B.Sc. degree examination in the Faculty of Administration; Ebun Ireyomi Prize: For the overall best-graduating student in the B.Sc. degree examination in the Faculty of Administration.
Others included Chief E. O. Oshindero Prize: For the candidate with the best average score in Taxation I and II (Acc 401 and Acc 402); Mr Olugbenu Adedotun Adebusiyi Prize: For the best-graduating student in B.Sc. Accounting Programme; Chief (Mrs) Ajibola Adedewe Memorial Prize: For the best female final-year graduating student in the university with the highest CGPA.
Were there things you had to sacrifice to stay on track?
Not really. However, I sacrificed sleep many times. I’m an individual who loves to sleep but I learnt to sacrifice where the need arose.
Do you have any peculiar reading style that worked for you?
Yes. I believe that everyone has a reading style that works for them, except they haven’t discovered it. For me, I can read during the day and at night. So, when the day was free, I took advantage of it. Otherwise, I read overnight. A particular reading style I also adopted was that I read every day. Once I learned something today, I read it today. That way, I’m able to retain the knowledge.
Would you say your choice of friends or the structure of your family influenced your grades in any way?
My family structure didn’t influence my grades. However, my choice of friends did. I understand that, in the end, who you walk with will influence the way you think and the way you behave. My clique was of six and five of us made first class. It was a friendship of unlimited support. We attended lectures and read together. We also put each other through when anyone was lost in any course or topic.
What are the names of your friends in your clique?
Kafilat Omowunmi Kuku, Kaosarat Bisola Adeboye, Naseemah Adeyinka Adewuyi, Aminat Damilola Folarin, and Mariam Titilope Esintola.
Were you involved in other school activities?
I was actively involved in extracurricular activities. I was a member of the Tax Club, OAU; I was the tax manager at the Students’ Professional Bureau of Accountancy, OAU, in my final year.
I attended several award-winning competitions. I took leadership positions in the Muslim body of my faculty. I also tutored in a professional centre (Resolution Professional Centre), and so on.
Was there anything you would have loved to do as a student that you could not do?
Yes. I would have loved to take on undergraduate internships, but I couldn’t.
Tell us an unforgettable experience you had while in school.
One unforgettable experience that I would share was a time when I was sick and very uncomfortable in an exam and I had no choice but to just write (I didn’t even know what I was writing). I later got a B in the course though.
What would you say about the role Obafemi Awolowo University played in your academic life?
I am grateful to Allah for making my dream of attending the Obafemi Awolowo University come true. I owe gratitude to the amazing lecturers who taught me in my department and even outside the department. The university has a way of keeping you on your toes, and I’m very glad that it did.
What was your social life like and how did it influenced your performance?
I didn’t live a boring life in school. After each exam, my friends and I organised a picnic to compensate ourselves for the long days. I also attended social functions, provided that they were modest. However, whatever has to be done has to be done. At no point did I jeopardize my primary assignment on campus. Therefore, my social life didn’t affect my performance negatively.
Did you at any point face any challenges during your stay on campus? How did you overcome them?
Challenges are normal in any journey and almost inevitable. The most challenging moment was when ICAN exams would clash with school exams and there was pressure to run them together. However, with time management and putting first things first, I was able to overcome the pressure and challenges.
What aspects of Accounting did you find most interesting?
Taxation was the most interesting part of Accounting to me while I was in school. Aside from Tax, I also found Financial Accounting very interesting.
What role did your religious faith play in your academic feat?
I hold my religion very dearly and do not compromise. Being a Muslimah, I prayed and fasted and I strongly believe that all these happened because Allah willed it.
Apart from good grades, what skills did you acquire?
I understood the need to be diverse while studying (school is different from real life). Aside from education, I acquired soft skills like public speaking skill, teamwork, and time management. I also learnt hard skills such as Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
Who are your role models?
I look up to a lot of people. Bushrat Adeniji, the third Accountant-General of Oyo State, and Taiwo Oyedele are some of them.
What is your plan now that you are a graduate?
Learning never ends. While seeking greener pastures and gathering relevant experiences to become an expert in my chosen field, I also plan to further my studies and obtain additional professional qualifications. So, help me, God.
What advice do you have for students who desire your kind of academic success?
They should study hard and never give up. They should know what works for them and follow it. They should be close to God and do the right things at the right time. They should choose good friends too.
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