Meet Shukroh Adeyemi, The Second Ever First Class Graduate From LASU’s English Department

Shukroh Adeyemi is a first-class graduate of the Department of English, Lagos State University (LASU), for the 2020/2021 academic session.

She is also the second first-class graduate of the department since its inception.

In this interview with Nigerian Tribune, she speaks about her academic journey and her dreams for the future.

Read excerpts below.

How did you feel when you saw your final result?

I felt like I was the only being God has done a huge favour. I was marvelled and emotional. I screamed! I didn’t know when tears streamed down my face. I had thought I won’t make it. I am so grateful and I will forever be grateful to Allah.

How was growing up for you? Were you always topping your class from childhood?

Yes, I have always topped my class since childhood. I was brought up in a family of six, and my father loves education. He worked so hard to send all of us to school. My dad would buy textbooks for a new term before the previous term ended. He would arrange them and make them accessible for us to study. He would pay for private teachers to teach us at home. He would still drive us to lessons during the holidays. My father also drove us to school every day before going to the school where he teaches. All these make me love schooling.

I loved reading and writing. As a child, what gave me joy was taking the first position in my class, just to make my dad happy. My mum would buy me edibles whenever I took the first position. Their attitude towards my education shaped the way I handled my academics. In essence, the way I was brought up instilled academic excellence and diligence in me from childhood.

When you were a child, were there times your parents coerced you into reading?

When I was very young, and even in secondary school, once my dad observes that my siblings and I have spent more than two hours watching the TV, he will tell us to go and read our books. Or once he sees that we are restless and idle, the next thing is to read. So, yes, at some points, I was coerced to read. But later I loved it and I appreciated them for coercing me. It is what has built me into what I am today.

You became the second first-class graduate of your department with a CGPA of 4.53. How were you able to do this?

When I was in 100 level, it has already become a norm that no one can graduate with a first class. So, I was resolute and determined to work hard to break the jinx. I never gave up. I was able to do it with determination, hard work, perseverance and consistency. It was not easy because I missed an exam and carried over the course. However, it was not an impossibility. I worked super hard and diligently to get it.

Were you at any point worried that you might not make a first-class after all your hard work?

Yes. I had hypertension in my 400 level. In my 400 level days, I was worrisome, anxious and fearful. I was scared that my CGPA may be just a stone’s throw to a first class. I was so sad. I had thought I will not make it. At a point, I already accepted what life has tossed to me – the possibility of graduating with a second-class upper grade. Finally, when I saw my final result, having made a first-class grade, I broke into tears.

Did you adopt a special reading method to achieve this feat?

Maybe. I studied hard. I really studied hard. I read and write a lot. I attended all my classes and listened attentively to my lecturers. Most times, I would have rehearsed how I will sit for the exam before I left home, so once I get to the exam hall I will start immediately and answer the questions well. In short, it is basically to study well, know what each lecturer wants and provide them with it sufficiently.

How did you come to the idea of studying English?

That is mysterious. I still cannot say where the revelation came from. I had planned to study law. But at the point of registering for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), I chose English. I just wanted to study the language. I don’t know how that came to me. I love English Language and I’m glad I studied it. It is one of the best things that occurred to me.

What were some of the challenges you faced as a student?

They were majorly transportation and financial challenges. They were on the verge of affecting me, but I resisted. I withstood and surmounted the challenges.

Brilliant people are often believed to have little social life. What is your take on this?

Yes, it is true. This is because a lot of brilliant people, especially brilliant students, don’t do any other thing after reading. However, I wanted to have a different story to tell from others. I wanted to correct the misconception that people have about brilliant students. I engaged in many extracurricular activities on campus. I volunteered and I worked.

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