‘I lost at the SUG; I won at the national level’

Culled from The Nation

Adekola Ajayi is a 400-Level student of Computer Science at the Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida University (IBBU), Lapai, Niger State. He represented the institution at the national competition for computer science students where he came third. He shares his experience with OLATUNBOSUN YINKA (200-Level Chemistry).

You represented IBBU at the last Computer Science Students’ competition and came third. What was it like getting to that stage?

No doubt, I felt and still feel great and quite honoured. It is a privilege for me to be a winner in the competition and I want to give all glory to God Almighty for making that possible.

Do you see this as a sort of compensation, coming after you lost your bid to become the assistant secretary-general of the Students’ Union?

You can say that again. I call it a blessing in disguise because this is just God’s way of paying me back for my hardwork. God saw that I was ready to serve the people then but I was denied that opportunity. But I am truly grateful that the same institution turned round to honour me for my feat at the competition.

We understand you arrived late for  the competition. How did it feel seeing opponents who having come early seemed more prepared than you?

I felt very inadequate. I was so afraid I wouldn’t measure up. This was not helped by the fact that we were supposed to be three representing IBBU, Lapai at the competition, but somehow and for reasons I cannot explain, I was the only one there. It was a classic case that would make our students say O’boy, fear catch me O.  Seeing other students from many universities, especially those ones who claim to be more prestigious than IBBU, was a bit unsettling. I just thank God at how everything turned out eventually. So now I can say: I went, I saw, and, most importantly, I conquered. All glory be to God.

Would you describe yourself now as a success?

Oh yes I would say that. This is because one’s success depends on the outcome of the positive things one is able to achieve after one has set goals for oneself. I set this goal for myself and achieved it; thus I am a success.

You are in final year now. As an outgoing student, what is your advice to fellow IBBULITES?

I urge everyone to be hardworking and diligent in all they do. With these, the sky would be their limit.