Toluwani Omotesho recently graduated from the University of Lagos. She was among the 281 First-Class graduates of the University at the 51st Convocation Ceremonies for the 2018/2019 Academic Session held between 5th and 8th July 2021.
The young woman who combined beauty with brain shared her experiences at the University with EDUTORIAL and what’s the next step after school.
“I come from a family of 6. My dad is an Air Force soldier, so I grew up in the barracks where I attended Air Force Primary and Secondary schools.
“I studied Applied Botany (Ethnobotany) at the University of Lagos. Although, it wasn’t my first choice and neither was I compelled to study it. I actually applied for Medicine through the Foundation programme, but I did not score the required points to qualify. So, I was given Botany, and I chose to continue with it. I eventually graduated with a 4.56 CGPA to clinch first class.
“Why did I choose Unilag? Well, I’ve always wanted to study at the University of Lagos. Partly because it is in Lagos where I grew up, so I would not have to travel, and also, people talked about the quality of academic work and how challenging it was to get admitted or have a First Class there too. So I took up the challenge (smile).
“I enjoyed school days no doubt, although it could be unnecessarily stressful I enjoyed it all the same. At a point, I started teaching in a tutorial center to lessen the financial burden on my parents. Doing that was quite an experience for me. It made me appreciate the value of hard work, money, and how hard it can be to make money (laughed).
“As I mentioned earlier, I enjoyed my school days. One of such was the faculty elections. They were very exciting. It was amusing to watch how the inter-departmental politics played out.
“Aside from that, the major thing that contributed to my success was my friends. They were really smart, so they provided healthy competition and made me work hard. The lecturers in my department were also easy to work with, as long as you did what you were supposed to do. I enjoyed all my courses and it was interesting to discover Botany.
“I also read a lot. My teacher, Tega, taught me how to read. He played a huge part in my getting a First Class. I read because I wanted to understand. I watched YouTube videos so I could visualise everything I learned. And I never did overnights. I stopped doing that after the Foundation programme.
“A lot of people played a major part in my success. I appreciate my lecturers in the Department of Botany. They were great honestly; my Course Advisor, Dr. Adeonipekun, Seminar Supervisor, Dr. Kurunmi, and project supervisors, Dr. Adeogun and Prof. Adekunle as well as Dr. Kadiri. They may not know this, but their influence on me has gone beyond just academia.
“Any word to motivate students in school right now? Well, I would say, just read and enjoy school (shrug and laugh).
“The next thing for me is Masters in Biotechnology. Biotech is the future.
“I will also continue with my writing. I currently write for two blogs, Lagmall and Rovess. I can write on almost, and any topic. I deeply enjoy writing.”
Congrats Tolu,…more wins.