Michael Eromhonsele, 20, was the celebrity at the eighth convocation of Covenant University, Ota, where he led 1,495 other graduands with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.92 last Friday.
The Civil Engineering graduate said in an interview that trusting God and being focused helped him to be the best.
“First, I must acknowledge God’s favour and His support over me. Second, I did not entertain any form of distractions. I did not attend parties, and I did not have any girlfriend or what you may refer to as a lover. I concentrated on my studies all through,” he said.
However, the beginning was not that smooth for the boy as he said he struggled to make sense of the school’s rules and regulations.
“My first few days in the university campus were uneventful,” Eromhonsele recounted. I used to be a bit a confused because then I was not used to the prayer regime that had been part Covenant University. Along the line, I realised spirituality formed one of its core values, and that CU doesn’t not compromise on that; so I had to find my rhythm and as soon as I did that, there was no looking back for me.”
But those virtues, though demanding, are what helped the 20-year old make it to the top and won him endless applause at the convocation held at the university chapel for the first time.
Once he found his bearing, Eromhonsele said he ‘hugged’ his books between 10pm and 1.00am every night.
“Those are the hours I found most convenient to read. As soon as I closed my book, I went to bed. I woke up at 7am, and got ready for my classes. Our lectures start at 8am,” he said.
Apart from being the best overall student, Eromhonsele also won additional crown- he was the Best Student in the College of Science and Technology where he read Civil Engineering.
Eromhonsele plans to study Structural Engineering at postgraduate level so he can help to improve Nigeria’s construction industry.
“I have already secured admission to the University of Surrey in the United kingdom to read Structural Engineering for my masters. I chose this particular course because I feel the need to improve on the structural aspects of construction works.”
The second child of a civil engineer father and a mother who is into business, Eromhonsele, thanked his parents Mr Gabriel and Mrs Charity for their unflinching support which he believes culminated in his victory.
“My parents contributed in no small measure to my education and of course my victory today. Besides, they always counsel and remind me of my background and the son of whom I am, warning me not to go off track as a result of this,” he said.
Aside his parents, he equally acknowledged inputs from his teachers whom he said also helped shaped his career.
On what lessons he would be taking home from his alma mater, Eromhonsele said one thing he learned was that the kind of company one keeps definitely determines one’s future.
At the ceremony, the Minister of Power, Prof Chinedu Nebo, counseled graduating students to embrace transformational rather than transactional leadership.
Nebo in his address titled: “Transformational leadership and the Quest for Global Relevance”, noted that leadership in the 21st century is globally more challenging and calls for people who can influence others more creatively to attain organisational goals.
At the convocation tagged: ‘Release of Eagles 2013; held at the university’s chapel, CU produced 144 first class, 720 second class upper; 565 second class lower graduands, while 67 made third class.
At the post graduate level, the university graduated 111 masters, and 30 doctorate degree recipients.
Nebo who addressed a large crowd comprising principal officers of the university, guests, parents and students, described transformational leaders as role models who inspire their subordinates, change their organisational culture by implementing new ideas, and achieve higher ideals and moral values, among others.
He said: “This is a period when new leaders are needed who can adequately balance speed in a rapidly changing world, uncertainty and leadership to evolve the future.
“The world economy is now global. We now live in a global, highly competitive village driven by knowledge. The world has evolved into a global knowledge economy that has no patience for ignorance and indolence.”
The minister said just as President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformational agenda is on course, he expects that the graduands who leave their alma mater and join the transformational train to make Nigeria economy better.
Nebo told the graduands that as children whose parents have invested heavily in them, they cannot afford to fail.
Henceforth, Nebo charged them to be job creators rather than job seekers going by the status of the university that produced them.
He said: “Sub-Saharan Africa is featuring a robust growth and Nigeria is one of the growth leaders. Indeed, Sub-Sahara Africa is enjoying the longest period of sustained economic growth in her history. Around the globe, Africa is being looked upon as a ray of hope, the next big opportunity, the place to invest, and the bastion of growth. These opportunities promise to come if we are able to bring about transformational change in the way we do business, in our education system, in our focus on entrepreneurship and our quest to promote creativity and flexibility.”
The Minister praised the CU Founder and Chancellor, Dr David Oyedepo, describing him as a man with passion and big dream for university education, which he has demonstrated with CU which now ranks among the best institutions in the country.
Guests at the occasion include the first woman Vice-chancellor in the history of Nigeria, Prof Grace Alele Williams, Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbwesola represented by the Commissioner for Environment Prof Olubukola Oyawole and Minister of Education Prof Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufai’i who was represented by Prof H. Essien from the National Universities Commission (NUC), traditional rulers, among others.
