A Nigerian lady who graduated with a first class in Engineering has revealed how she strived to be the best in her class after losing her parents in the first year.
Kinfeosioluwa Akin-Ibisagba emerged the Best Graduating Student of the Department of Civil Engineering, Covenant University in 2021 with a 4.92 CGPA.
She said her mother passed away first then her dad followed shortly and it pushed her into depression.
However, the graduate said she overcame the grief and made sacrifices in order to have a stellar academic performance.
According to Kinfeosioluwa, there was a need to prove to her sponsors that their investment in her was not a wasted one.
“I lost my mother and shortly after, my dad also followed. This was during the first semester of my first year at CU. Through the family drama, depression and silent tears at night, God promised to see me through. I had not even recovered from the loss of my mum when I lost my dad. It was tough for me because we were very close. I didn’t even know how my life would be after that. Even my other family members were worried that I wouldn’t be able to cope. But I had to be strong.
When one has a clear focus on a dream, one will make sure nothing comes between one and that dream. It was always my dream to get good grades and make my family proud. I knew that I couldn’t be like other students. I had to work extra hard. It isn’t every day you get to see someone who schools at Covenant University. So, I knew the sacrifices my sponsors made to get me into a private university and I had to pay them back with nothing less than good grades. I deprived myself of pleasure and a lot of other things other students would do to make sure I never derailed. Was it tough? Well, I would say it was. Was it worth it? Of course, it was, and I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything else.
My parents are dead. They are not here. But I know they are happy wherever they are, looking at how successful I have become in my education. I had other family members who were extremely happy for me when they saw the results. I saw pride in their eyes when they looked at me, and it made me shed tears of joy.
The lady also said she was unaware while in school that she was leading her set and her result came as a surprise.
Kinfeosioluwa added; “I was just studying and going to classes, doing every regular thing regular students do. But I was intentional about my grades and I never toyed with my studies at all, not even for one day. It was when we were about to have our Intensive Training in the penultimate year that I found out that I was indeed leading my class as my CPGA was the highest. It was actually a surprise, albeit a pleasant one. I never expected it, but I know I worked really hard to get it.”
