By Cosmas Okereafor
Miss Splendour Okereke is the overall best graduating student in her department, ICT of Babcock University, Ogun State. She topped her class, scoring a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 5.0 in Computer Science, majoring in Technology.The 24th convocation ceremony of the institution under the President Vice Chancellor, Professor Afolarin Olutunde Ojewole took place in July 26th, 2026, at the main Auditorium of the university where the graduating students were admonished to be good ambassadors of their alma– mata. It brought to the fore, conferment of various degrees on students that excelled in various fields of academic endeavour and were found worthy in character and learning, which Splendour was one of them.Splendour told Upright Media that at first, she never dreamt of coming out with a first class but that, she was very serious with her studies right from the day she gained admission. She also revealed that,right from the out set that she preferred engineering course because of her love for mathematics, but had to settle with computer science because engineering department as at the time she was offered provisional admission was not fully acredited cpmpared to what the faculty is today.”I love mathematics, i wanted to study engineering but at the time i wanted to enroll, they hadn’t accredited engineering yet, they were not offering engineering courses, so, what was close to it was computer technology, where i could actually showcase my mathematics skill to some extent. So i just decided to pick it to go with the flow, and i actually enjoyed how everything turned out”.
Asked how she balanced study at Babcock? Splendour harped that, right from secondary school that she liked to work under pressure, and even read at the last moment and do everything almost at the last minute. In her words; “I read at the last moment, do everything at the last moment, so every sunday, i go to the library, and just read to some extent, and i dont read to like, oh, l want to pass the exam then, i was just reading to like, just know the course basically and it worked for me”.The young lad who confessed that she really does not have any role model that inspired her, stressed that, she knew what she wanted and really worked hard for it. Although, she adviced other young girls coming up in this field not to give up but to work hard.On her advice to the Nigerian government to ensure that more first class students are produced in computer science in the Nigerian universities, Splendour has this to say ; ” Government should encourage more and more practical works. We should not as a country focus only on the theoritical aspect like what we have in place today in the educational system. I realized something, most of my courses, like after reading, i find it difficult to understand but when you do practicals, you understand easily, so government should emphasize more on practical works. It would help students greatly to comprehend and come out with beautiful results”.
Splendour who spoke glowingly about her school, where the fountain of knowledge flowed praised the lecturers saying that, at Babcock, what you score is what you get, no witch-hunting of students of any kind.The 20 year old graduate of ICT admonished those insecondary school who are desirous to study ICT in the tartiary institutions to dream big and be focused saying that todays students should not allow anything, not even ones background to be a barrier with hope that, there is always light at the end of the tunnel. The imo state born brilliant mind stressed further that, while waiting for her call up by NYSC, which surely would come towards the end of this year, stressed that she is open for more learning to further sharpen her career part in life. She did not rule the idea of going for her masters degree, even Ph.d in the nearest future. Splendour was celebrated and given a rousing welcome by her family– Umuekechikwe, Uvuru in Ntu Community in Ngor Okpala, LGA, Imo state, resident in Lagos.
