The best graduating student of Landmark University, Omu Aran, Kwara State, in the 2014/2015 academic session, Esan Ayodele, 21, finished with
How was your growing up?
I grew up with love from my parents, especially my mum. I lost my dad when I was 11 years old and it was really hard for us in the family at that time as mum had to shoulder all the responsibilities alone. I really appreciate her input in my life and that of my other siblings. She’s been invaluable to me and will forever be.
Since you lost your dad at a tender age, was there ever a time you had difficulty with paying your school fees?
No. I was in secondary school then and our school fees were not high, so she could afford them, and when I got to the higher institution, I enjoyed the David Oyedepo Foundation Scholarship right from my first year in Landmark University until I graduated. I was on a 75 per cent scholarship and it was computed based on my performance in O’ level and in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
Did you have such excellent performance in your previous schools?
By God’s grace I did, from junior secondary school, God has always distinguished me in any academic setting I find myself, and it has always been a product of His grace.
What about getting an admission, did you have any delay or difficulty?
I had at first; the universities I chose in my UTME were Federal University of Technology, Akure and University of Benin. I missed admission into FUTA by one mark in the post-UTME, the cut-off mark for my course then was 50 and I had 49. In UNIBEN, I scored 72 in the post UTME but I chose the school as my second choice, so I wasn’t given the admission. Then I wrote the post-UTME for Yaba College of Technology to study mechanical engineering. I made the merit list for the college and I was there until I got the admission to Landmark University.
What informed your choice of Electrical and Information Engineering?
My uncle, who is a control engineer, spoke to me about the profession and opened me up to amazing opportunities in Control Engineering, which is a specialisation in Electrical Engineering. Actually, my dream as a child was to be a lawyer but I started having flair for engineering when I was in junior secondary school. I was always intrigued seeing how a toy car could move from one place to another simply with a remote control. And then, when some of our gadgets got spoilt at home, I did open them to see what the interior looked like. That also influenced me because I realised that nothing just happens in engineering; there are causes that produce effects. The love and passion grew from there and, when my uncle spoke to me about the course, I didn’t have any issue accepting it, and my mum supported my choice.
Did you take any major decision when you got to school that helped you?
I made a decision to always give in my best in whatever I was doing. Since my dad passed away, I had always wanted to make my mum happy and put smiles on her face, so I decided to always make her proud in my academics the best way I could. So when I got to school, I knew my priorities and always strived to live by them. I laboured with the grace God made available to me and I didn’t take it for granted.
Did you also plan to be the best in your set, probably to make your mum happy?
Sincerely, I wasn’t even expecting it. All I can say is that it just happened and I give God all the glory. But about having a first class, I have never been bothered if I was going to come out with a first class because I knew it was going to happen as long as I operated within the confines of my ideals. I have lived in accordance with my values among which are the words of Henry David Thoreau: “If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavours to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. He will pass an invisible boundary, new universal and more liberal laws will begin to establish themselves around and within him, and he will live with the license of a higher order of being.” So, having a first class was not strange to me, because apart from having an intimate relationship with God and the Holy Spirit, I was always attentive in class. I stayed up late most nights to study and I submitted my assignments on time. Anyone can make a first class if the person is willing to pay the price. I started having first class right from my first year in school, and I noticed I started leading the class when I got to my second year.
Did you have people you looked up to?
I look at the lives of my mentors like Bishop David Oyedepo and Dr. Myles Munroe. Listening to them speak and getting to know their life stories, I knew they didn’t get to that level by luck or accident; it was a result of their commitment to their visions and excellence. I knew I had to be internally driven, thus, I was always motivated to aspire for excellence in whatever I did.
Do you still remember some of your GPAs and CGPAs?
In 100L, my GPA in second semester was 4.96 while my CGPA was also 4.96. In 200L, my GPA in second semester was 4.69 while my CGPA dropped to 4.81. In 300L, my GPA in second semester was 4.96 and my CGPA rose to 4.84. In 400L, my GPA in second semester was 4.88 while my CGPA rose by one point to 4.85. Then, in my final year, I had 5.00 GPA in second semester and my final CGPA was 4.84.
Was there any reward from your mum for your good performance?
Yes. My mum bought me a brand new laptop when I was in my second year; I believe it was because of my results in my first year. Reward or not, I never wanted to be average and I have always hated mediocrity. In a way, the reward helped me because it made life more comfortable for me, but the joy of being excellent and outstanding was rewarding as well, which made me to do more.
Was there anything you did differently from others that gave you that edge?
If there was something I did differently, I would say I used to pray for the success of my colleagues in the department during tests or exam, so it wasn’t always about myself, and I believe God took care of mine by Himself. Beyond that, I invested time in studying most nights and often missed lots of fun with colleagues because it was either I wanted to study or think. On the average, I was reading for about five hours daily, even though we could finish lectures around 9pm sometimes. I also used the library such that some of my friends jokingly told me that my next home after my hostel was the library. Those things really helped. And, in my little way, I followed the philanthropic footsteps of my father, Bishop David Oyedepo, by being a giver. All those put together helped me greatly.
What is your course all about?
That course in a school like Landmark University is like two in one. It is the combination of Electrical/Electronic Engineering and Information and Communication Technology. While the former deals with the study and practical application of electricity in science and technology, the latter deals with the use of computers for networking, programming or data analysis purposes. I love the course not only because of its practicality, it was also very tasking.
What are the job prospects in a country like Nigeria?
I believe Nigeria has limitless possibilities and opportunities. Like a friend of mine would always say, ‘Never let anyone deceive you that there is no job in Nigeria, you just have what they need and they would pay anything to have you.’ So, I believe there are jobs in Nigeria and if there are none, well we create one ourselves.
What kind of job would you like to create on your own?
I could create a consultancy firm for networking. I love networking computers and devices, so I could set up a firm that people can consult for that purpose.
From your knowledge of Electrical and Information Engineering, what do you have to say about the electricity situation in Nigeria?
It’s really disheartening that a nation like Nigeria with a population of about 174 million people could only boast of 5,500mw of electricity while a nation like South Africa with a population of about one-third that of Nigeria (about 54 million people) boasts of power capacity of about 34,000mw. The contrast between the two is way beyond comparison. Nigeria has to make new reforms and step up its power generation capacity.
Is there a way Nigeria can generate energy apart from the conventional sources? Where does IT come into play here?
Yes. Nigeria is yet to fully explore renewable energy sources including harnessing wind, solar, and geo-thermal energies. Only few private individuals or organisations utilise solar energy in Nigeria due to the expensive cost of purchasing solar panels. IT comes into play in the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition network for such plants, as an operator in another location several kilometres away from the plant can remotely monitor and control the activity of the generating devices and equipment in such plants. IT also plays an important role in sophisticated software packages for power data acquisition, analysis, monitoring and control. However, we need to increase our power generation.
What are your aspirations?
My plans and aspirations are to advance for my M.Sc. degree in Systems and Network administration in a reputable university abroad through scholarship. I also intend to obtain my PhD before I am 30.
Where would you like to work?
I have always wanted to work as a System and Network Administrator in Google’s data centre. I’m really fascinated by Google’s huge data resources and the hardware that houses these data. It’s still a dream I’m working towards and hope to achieve someday soon.
What is your advice to students?
I advise them to have a personal relationship with Jesus and take advantage of the grace made available to believers in Christ Jesus. Bible says in Proverbs 22:29 that ‘Seeest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.’ They should be good givers, follow their heart and passion, live responsibly and remember that someone’s life depends on their success, hence, they cannot afford to fail or disappoint destiny.
source: The punch
