The United States First Lady Michelle Obama joins other
dignitaries to celebrate Merrilyn Akpapuna, a Nigerian girl that emerged the
best graduating student at the Dillard University, New Orleans, CHARLES ABAH reports (for PUNCH).
Like a giant masquerade in the market place, all eyes were on
20-year-old Nigerian, Merrilyn Akpapuna, two Saturdays ago at the Dillard
University, New Orleans, United States.
The Psychology graduate not only obtained the highest academic
honour Summa Cum Laude (first
class), she also emerged the best graduating student in the ivory tower. As the
institution’s valedictorian, she was on the same podium with the wife of the
President, Michelle Obama, during its convocation.
Interestingly, three other Nigerians joined Akpapuna in the
league of the best graduating students at the university. The three
salutatorians are Victor Ogburie, Stephen Igwe, and Emole Anyadimgba. They also
made a first class in their chosen disciplines.
Besides, Akpapuna won two other awards for highest academic
achievements for the College of Arts and Sciences and College of General
Studies.
In an online interview with our correspondent, the youngster
says her success in the 155-year-old ivory tower was not without some
challenges.
She notes, “When I first got to Dillard, I had to learn the
differences in the spelling of certain words and adjust to a new metric system.
These constituted challenges but I was able to overcome them by putting in
extra time to study. I also faced some difficulties due to the difference in
the education system. In Nigeria, the teaching system follows the British
pattern, which is different from the system in the United States.
“However, despite these challenges, my cumulative grade point
average is 4.0/4.0. In other words, I made an A in every course I took during
my four years study in the university.”
But her stay in the US and particularly in the university was
not all about academic work. She participated not just in student politics but
also in other activities that affected humanity positively.
She adds, “My stay in the university was not all about studying.
I took time out for my social life and made a great effort to ensure that my
spiritual life did not suffer. I was also a student activist and a leader. I
was the President of the African World Network Organisation and Lead Fellow of
the Melton Foundation.
“At Dillard also, some of my awards and recognitions include the
Daniel C. Thompson/Samuel Dubois Cook Honours Programme, Phi Eta Sigma Freshman
Honour Society, Dean’s List of Scholars, 1st Place for exceptional work in
Algebra Relay, National Institute of Science, Beta Kappa Chi Honour Society,
Alpha Kappa Mu national Honour Society, and Psi Chi National Honour Society.”
Again, for the youngster, her Dillard accomplishment is not just
by a mere stroke of fortune. Excellence seems to be her middle name. Indeed,
following her success at the Management Education Training, Ikeja where she
took tutorials on Scholastic Aptitude Test, she received full scholarship to
study in the university.
Before then, the third daughter of a dental surgeon, Emmanuel
Akpapuna, had excelled in the West African Secondary School Certificate
Examination, coming tops of her class at the Reagan Memorial Baptist Girls
Secondary School, Yaba, Lagos.
The Delta State-born psychologist enthuses, “Upon graduating
from secondary school, I took SAT classes in Management Education Training in
Ikeja. I decided to come to the United States after I had received full
scholarship offer for my tuition, room and board. In fact, I had scholarship
all my four years in college.”
But being a female student, did she experience any case of
sexual harassment from her lecturers and fellow students? Akpapuna, who says
she wants to proceed immediately to the Western Michigan University for her
graduate programme, says there was nothing of sort.
“Men did not disturb me on campus and no lecturer ever asked me
for sexual favours. Again, let me tell you, the factors that brought about my
success would have remained the same even in Nigeria. So, I believe I would
have excelled in the same way if I had stayed in Nigeria,” she says.
Advising younger Nigerians who might want to follow her
footsteps, she says, “Be ambitious and go for what you want and do not let
anything stop you. Realise that there is time for everything. Set priorities
and live by them.”
Appraising the case of the Chibok pupils abducted by the Boko
Haram, Akpapuna describes the insurgents’ action as crazy.
“So, imagine 276 girls being abducted from a school in the city
you’re living. How crazy is that? How is it that even after all this time, the
government is still not able to make a concrete and accurate public declaration
of what is being done to find the girls? This is very sad. Nigeria is my home
but I would be just as enraged if this happened in any other part of the world.
“The terrorist organisation holding these girls has been
committing several horrifying acts, especially in the Northern part of Nigeria,
and nothing major has been done to stop them. These acts by the Boko Haram have
been done to ostensibly stop western education, which is said to oppose Islamic
tradition.
“We may not be able to physically save these girls but what we
can do is talk. Our voice is our power and if everyone is talking about this,
we increase the likelihood that something will be done about it,” she adds.
For 27-year-old Emole, who also obtained a first class with a
cumulative grade point average of 4.0, the Dillard authorities also provided
him full scholarship throughout his stay in the university.
According to the Computer Science graduate, he balanced his
schooling with extra-curricular activities and participation in collegiate
organisations such as the Rotaract Club and National Society of Black
Engineers.
He adds, “I served in various leadership roles in the
organisations, and through these student organisations, I learnt about
community service and have been afforded the opportunity to participate in many
community service projects. I also participated in some undergraduate research
projects, which I presented to the school during my undergraduate research
competition. I emerged the first place.”
On why he chose to study Computer Science in the US instead of
Nigeria, Emole says there is no way one can compare the academic environments
of the two countries.
He says, “Nigerian universities offer Computer Science but it
cannot be compared to what obtains in American universities, which is why I
decided to come to the United States. Again, I came to the US on the platform
of a scholarship that covered my tuition, room and board.”
The US First Lady, during the convocation, urged the 226
graduands of the university to contribute to producing future geniuses.
“Imagine the impact you will make. You have no excuses to stand
on the sidelines. Education is still the key to real and lasting freedom. It is
up to us to cultivate that hunger for education in those coming after us.
“We got here today because of so many people who toiled and
sweated and bled and died for us; people who never dreamt of getting a college
education for themselves but who worked and saved and sacrificed so that we
could be here today. We owe them. We owe them. And the only way to pay back
that debt is by making those same kinds of sacrifices and investments for the
next generation,” Obama, who received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from
the university, said.
culled from: THE PUNCH
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