Written by Oluwatobi Mercy
DECEMBER 19, 2024 | 7 MINS READ
With his unwavering dedication and grace-filled journey, Ifeoluwa Emmanuel Odeyemi emerged as the Best Graduating Student in the Department of Political Science, Obafemi Awolowo University, with an impressive 4.34 CGPA. In this exclusive interview with the NAPSS press team, Ifeoluwa shares his academic experiences, personal struggles, and the lessons that led him to this remarkable achievement.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Well, I am Ifeoluwa Emmanuel Odeyemi. I am a proud Jesus boy, by whose providence I am a BSc Holder. As for productivity, I debate, I write, and I teach.
What inspired you to choose Political Science as your course and why Obafemi Awolowo University?
Well, it's always been OAU for me since I can remember. I was once here on an excursion while I was in primary school, and then I was back in Ile-Ife for a competition later when I was in SSS3. I just knew I wanted to be here. As for Political Science, I chose it because it was the closest to the Law degree I've always thought I'd have, which as at then was not accredited in OAU, twice when I tried.
Did you always envision becoming the Best Graduating Student in your department, or was it something that happened along the way?
Well, I actually did envision it. I've been privileged to be the best among peers for most of my life so the standard is there, but I wouldn't say I eventually did it by my strength anyways. I've met a lot of people in my class that in all sincerity, I know they are way more knowledgeable than I am, so eventually the achievement is just one that God wills. "Not by works, lest any man should boast."
When we started, I just wanted to be that cool guy whom nobody knew was stealing the grades. But since the very first course we had in the department where I scored the highest and Dr. Odeyemi asked me to come say hi and encourage me, I just felt, "well, let's do this."
All in all, there was no unhealthy competition with others though. At some point, I knew I had to grow so well that even if someone else emerged the best, I'd be happy. I believe that's exactly what all my friends did when they knew I finally finished ahead, and I dare say they had a huge part in it.
What study techniques or reading habits helped you achieve academic success? Were there any POL courses that you found particularly challenging?
I particularly till now don't like the essay and subjective structure our POL courses have. That process of writing so much your arm aches, I dislike it too. In fact, I always said I'd have rather gone to departments that are more objective in nature and require a lot of mental sharpness. That's why all the objective courses we had on campus, I did way better in them. Like people usually said since my secondary school days, Arts courses are easy to pass and very easy to fail. Every course in this department was a peculiar challenge.
Now, acing those challenges wasn't easy. I remember the first full semester of doing five departmental courses that I had, my performance went seriously down. I struggled with a lot of average and fairly good results. I had zero As that semester. It was then I realized that, "I am in this already. I have to adapt." I changed my style to reading widely, citing scholars to back up my writing, jotting down a lot of things for exams and trying to remember them by using keywords. If you see my note you won't understand unless I explain. That's on a lighter note. And then, I learnt the humility needed to get enriched by diverse perspectives. So, I did a lot of checking with my friends, exchanging ideas. After all, variety is the spice of life.
A good number of our lecturers who love excellence love it when a student goes beyond comfort. So, what gives me that confidence of doing well in an exam is how much extra knowledge I have gained that will help me buttress my points better when writing. That's why when I do all that and the results show that it still didn't fit, it was usually painful. But above all, God helped us. The reminder that comes from the Holy Spirit while writing is a very essential technique I recommend for everyone. When those times when your head is working faster than your hands come, you need help, and the only type of help that is godly for you to get in such times is the Spirit of the Lord Himself.
What do you think makes Political Science such a challenging course compared to other disciplines? And do you believe the grading system in Political Science is reflective of a student's understanding, or does it make it harder to achieve top grades?
The subjectivity. I say that always. That's why it's also difficult to say whether the grades are equivalent or not. It simply means you can't be too comfortable about what makes sense to a lecturer or what does not. You can manage to study their patterns, but trust me, you can only do your best. The best I can say is that there will surely be times you feel you got what you deserved, times when you believe you got what you didn't deserve, and then times when you believe you didn't get what you deserved.
Was there a specific lecturer, mentor, or coursemate who played a significant role in your journey?
There are a lot in my hall of fame though. Dr. Agbalajobi takes a special spot because indeed, she treated us like a parent would treat her children. It's always pleasing to see lecturers take so much pride in how well their students perform even when they maintain their standard. I had a lot of mentors. Literally every diligent senior colleague mentored me in one way or the other. They gave me notes, gave me items, sent materials, gave tips etc. I can't mention now so I don't commit the error of omitting some. It's the same way I had a lot of friends too. All the diligent students in my class were my friends when it came to academics. We learnt from, and complemented one another. Femi was my foremost reading partner though, for the most of our penultimate and final year. Shout out to him.
How did you manage stress, especially during exam periods or difficult times?
I keyed into the covenant of ease, really. Thanks to God, I didn't have to read repeatedly to understand so many times I just know when to take a break and when to go again. I spice the important things up with some pleasurable things too. Like, covering two books and watching a movie in between, to ease stress. I had serious times I struggled, sleepless nights too, but we know where we are going so that thought of the goal alone was a motivation.
Were you involved in extracurricular activities? If yes, how did you balance academics and other commitments?
I did a lot on campus. I sincerely can't say how I did it but I know for sure I didn't do it of my own strength. I emphasize this because it's the plain truth. I was active in the fellowship, active in politics and administration, active in debating, active in class, active as a teacher off campus and a tutor on campus, and many other commitments. I just took everything one at a time and trusted the Holy Spirit to help me navigate.
What values or principles do you believe contributed to your success?
I'd say priority. I believe so much in prioritization. That's why when people say they're busy, I say it's just what they prioritize. I always try to recognize the things that are of priority to me, and I know how to get myself to do them. I tell myself what needs to be done, must be done. That's why even though I love movies so much, I knew when to go for weeks without watching a single one because the time just wasn't there. I cut down a lot of activities and events on campus too because my work did not allow me the time for them. Everyone who knew me knew I'd always say one or two things about going to work, even when I was PRO. Yet, at work, they knew that anytime a debate came up, I had to go. So, knowing what's important and being able to communicate it is very important.
If you could go back in time, is there anything you would do differently in your academic journey?
Nothing much really. I believe everything went as God wanted it to.
Is there a quote, philosophy, or mantra that kept you going?
"Jesus Did It."
What’s one thing people wouldn’t guess about you?
Maybe the fact that I can also have a few times when I'm unserious and I feel lazy, and also the fact that I hate noodles, spaghetti and pasta with passion all at once.
What specific obstacles did you face in a department where achieving top grades is notoriously difficult?
Getting the content in your head to pass through your hands into your script, and it being in sync with what your lecturer expects, is not an easy task. That's why many times, we just pray for favour.
What was your most memorable experience during your time in the department of Political Science, OAU?
Very tough choice but I'd say the time we launched the Lumen Magazine. It was a huge success then and it brought a lot of fulfillment to me as a person and to my team. Generally all the times we spent during the Pragmatic administration were very memorable.
What advice would you give to current Political Science students aspiring to achieve academic excellence?
Just have God, and have him indeed.
Everything else you need, including the discipline needed to be diligent, will come after. You can't claim to have God in you and be complacent. The mere assurance that you're doing YOUR BEST, is all you need. No one maintains closeness to God and doesn't reap the proceeds thereof.
