I don't have special reading pattern - Tsonfada, FUBK First Class Graduate

Mohammed Yakub Tsonfada (from Emi Bana Lafiagi), graduated with a first-class degree from Federal University Birnin Kebbi in the 2018/2019 academic session. He had 4.85 CGPA from the department of pure chemistry in the faculty of Science. In this interview with Musa Alhassan (from Emi Korangba Lafiagi), Tsonfada highlighted seriousness, keeping good companies, God's fear and Parents as Four key factors that contributed to his feat. Excerpts.

Good morning Sir. Can you please introduce yourself?

I'm Mohammed Yakub Tsonfada popularly called Yakubu from Emi Bana Lafiagi.

Can you please tell me about your educational background?

I started my elementary school at Sommasun LGEA primary school Lafiagi from 1997 to 2003, and then proceeded to Government Secondary School (GSS) Lafiagi from 2003 to 2009. After my secondary school, I was admitted into Kwara State College of Education Technical (COET), Lafiagi where I studied Chemistry Integrated Science Education within the period of 2012/2013 academic session to 2014/2015 academic session. Right now, I am a graduate of Federal University Birnin Kebbi (FUBK) Kebbi State, where I studied pure chemistry in the faculty of Science.

May I know the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) you graduated with?

My CGPA is 4.85

How do you feel graduating with first class?

I feel happy and special but from the bottom of my heart I don't consider it as a big deal, because I have had series of victories like this in the past, as I mentioned earlier, I was the acting SUG president of College of Education Technical Lafiagi, the position wasn't given to me because of election. I was given the position of SUG president simply because of my CGPA, I was having CGPA of 4.84 when I was in my NCE 2 second semester, because of that, the students' affairs division and some other committees looked in to my CGPA and selected me as a leading student of the year. So, I take this as nothing, though everybody needs to be happy as long as you have what you want. I'm happy, I felt special but I don't consider it as something special in my life. Because there is nothing one will have in this world which someone else has not gotten before.

What Factors do you think are responsible for you achieving this great victory?

There are lots of factors, actually, and it depends on the nature of human being. The number one factor is being serious. I don't believe we've best students these days, we only have serious students. Though, being knowledgeable is important but if you're not serious about it it'll be very difficult for you to have CGPA of that extent. Secondly, you have to know the type of friends to keep in school, you may be very intelligent, but if you have bad friends, you may be the dullest student in the school. Thirdly, you need to be conscious of the almighty Allah, because you can't do anything without the consent of Allah, you must to be prayerful. Lastly, our parents, they're very important in our lives. We must respect them, whenever they pray for you, there is no doubt about it; you are going to achieve it. There are lots of things, but these are the four I considered very important.

Have you been leading your classes in your previous schools?

Yes, because when I was in primary school, I happened to be the Head Boy, and in my secondary school I happened to be the Science laboratory prefect 1 as well MSSN PRO. During my college days, I happened to be the assistant General Secretary in the first and later the President of National Association of Chemistry Students, at the same college of Education Technical Lafiagi. That was between 2014 and 2015, the same session, I happened to be the acting SUG president of the college, and in my university days, I happened to be the assistant Academic Director of Students Chemical Society of Nigeria, FUBK chapter before my graduation.

Is there any evidence of you serving as acting SUG President, any form of certification?

Yes, I was certified. I was given the certificate as acting SUG president.

Can you please tell me some of the experiences you had at Federal University Birnin Kebbi?

I always work hard to make sure I got something good for myself. So that I will be proud of myself whenever I am done with it, that's the best experience I think I ever had. The second one was making good friends, because in the university I had a lot of friends and I realized that 90% of them are good friends.

The bad experience I ever had during my university days was being neglected by people you think they'll help you. I am sorry; I can’t say much on that.

Do you have special reading pattern?

I don't have special reading pattern. What I do is, after a day lectures, I make sure that for three to four hours I go through the lectures we were taught for that day time before I go to bed. I also make sure I go through the lectures we did in past as early as possible in the morning.

If you have opportunity to ask federal University Birnin Kebbi for something, what will your request be?

At this moment, considering the nature of condition I'm currently, if the school can grant me opportunity to be part of them, I will appreciate it. I mean being part of them as a staff. I am appealing to the school to offer admission to more and more of my people from here, because I believe in them, they can do the best. I realized that the number of Nupe people schooling at Federal University Birnin Kebbi especially from this town is very limited.

Are you trying to say they don't give admission base on merit for who come from this side?

In the past, I mean the first and second year of the school, they admit a lot of people from this community; in fact, we that graduated from that school are more than ten from this community. But for the past two years, the number of people that gained admission in the school from this community in that school is reducing.

If you are to study the same course, what can you do differently?

Actually, everybody's affairs depend on what God has destined for you. As human being, we know what we can do and what we can't do. I cannot say if I'm given opportunity I will graduate with 5.00 CGPA, but I know my capability. I worked towards that in the past. Because the two of my last semesters, I mean both first and second semester of my 400L I got CGPA of 5.00.

Do you combine extra curriculum activities with your studies?

Yes, I usually do that. I join Unions, society and sometimes just games.

How were you able to combine extra curriculum activities with your studies?

It’s a matter of programming yourself, I mean good schedules.

Were you in a proposed relationship during your university days? And how were you able to cope with both?

I must thank God, and I must thank my love partner, she actually tried a lot because she shows high level of understanding. Most time, I do ignore her, ignore her calls and other things but she chose to understand that this man is very busy at this moment and allow him to do what he is supposed to do at the moment. I was in a relationship, and by special grace of God I was able to cope with everything.

What advice you'll like to give to students who are behind?

My advice to students who are still in school and those seeking for admission is to have the following four factors at the back of their minds. Firstly, they should be conscious of Allah, they should be serious, they should always remember their parents who sent them to school and lastly which is not the least, they should know the type of friends they keep in school. Once you've all these four factors, from my own point of view, I don't think you'll have problem in school.