- Ifeanyi Agbaeze, 24-year-old nylon, plastic worker made First Class at Faculty of Law, UNIUYO
- He attributed his success to hard work, time management and grace of God
- Agbaeze advises youths to be focused, hardworking and dedicated
For Mr. Ifeanyi Humble Agbaeze of Bende local government area of Abia state, success in life is achieved by determination, focus and positive mindedness.
Graduating with first class from the prestigious University of Uyo, UNIUYO like any other university is not a coffee party. It demands a lot energy, intelligence and hard work.
However, in the case of Mr. Agbaeze, he did not only graduate with a first class in Law Faculty from the Ivory Tower.
He made history and broke a 38 year old record by becoming the first male student to have graduated from the Law department since the inception of the University.
Not only that, he is now the second ever student to have graduated from the Law Faculty since the University came into being 38 years ago.
WITHIN NIGERIA reporter had an exclusive interview with him and he revealed the secrets of his academic success.
Excerpts
Briefly tell us about yourself.
My name is Ifeanyi Humble Agbaeze, a native of Bende Local Government Area, Abia State. I grew up in the City of Aba where I had my primary and secondary level education and I relocated to Uyo for my undergraduate studies.
What prompted you to study Law?
For me, Law has always been an interesting course of study and profession. I have always believed in social justice and fighting for the powerless. What drew me to the course was my desire to see that justice is done when it ought to be done. Another factor is the diverse and versatile nature of the course. With a law degree, one can work anywhere. As a person who doesn’t like to be boxed into one category, I knew that law was the ideal course of study for me.
When exactly were you born?
I was born on May 4, 1999.
How were you able to make First Class in Law in UNIUYO?
Honestly speaking, it wasn’t an easy journey. A lot of thought, time, prayers, hard work, consistency and dedication went into achieving this important milestone.
I’ll summarize it into the following headings:
Goal setting: When I realized that I could make a First Class, I started setting out academic goals for every semester. I set them on a floor and ceiling basis, recognizing the lowest possible grades I was allowed to have and the highest possible grade I could make. That way, I had a clear vision of what I aimed to achieve every semester. This helped me to focus and work towards achieving them.
Time Management: As an undergraduate in the University, one of the biggest challenges that one is bound to face is the problem of proper time management. I overcame this by disciplining myself. This included taking a social media hiatus, reducing my screen time, cutting down on extra-curricular activities and mainly focusing on my academic work.
Praying: As a Christian Student, I did not underestimate the power of prayers. I prayed for guidance, understanding and clarity and God granted my prayers. This helped me to achieve this feat.
What motivated you to get to this height of achievement?
Several factors led to this moment. I’ll list them out in this order:
Realising that the labour market is saturated and highly competitive increased my desire to make an outstanding result which would reduce the burden on my part while job-hunting.
A First Class Degree opens many doors to opportunities, post-graduate scholarships, grants, empowerment schemes e.t.c In light of the economic situation of the country in recent years, I knew that I had to get a First Class so that I would be considered for these important opportunities.
Motivation from my friends, lecturers and family also contributed heavily to this moment. Their constant and unwavering inspiration, encouragement and support made me believe that it was possible and it could be done.
You didn’t only make first class in UNIUYO, rather you made history by becoming the first-ever male First Class graduate and second ever First Class Graduate of in the 38 years of existence of the Faculty of Law, University of Uyo. How does that make you feel?
Making and being a part of history is no mean feat. I feel elated, honoured, blessed and excited to be a part of the history of the Faculty of Law, and by extension, the University of Uyo.
It is a thing of great joy to have been able to achieve this important feat. All glory to God who made this possible.
What was your brightest moment during your undergraduate years?
Undoubtedly, my brightest moment in school was definitely the first semester of my fourth year.
In that semester, I made all A’s, putting me on a 5.0 GPA for the first time.
It was such a delight to achieve such a feat and it helped me to a great extent in achieving the first class degree which I graduated with.
What was your darkest moment?
From my early days in the Faculty of Law, University of Uyo, I had always wanted to serve the students of my association in the position of the Faculty President.
In the second semester of my fourth year, I contested for the position of LAWSAN President, UNIUYO Chapter.
I would say that my darkest moment in school was when the results of the election in which I contested were withheld and not announced.
Who sponsored your education?
I have had multiple sponsors during the course of my education, starting from the nursery level to the Tertiary level.
My father sponsored my education from the start till the early days of my tertiary Education. Thereafter, I sponsored myself. I must acknowledge that I was a beneficiary/recipient of the scholarship program of the Alex Otti Foundation, an initiative of His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti, the Governor of Abia State and this helped to alleviate financial burdens during my undergraduate days.
Is first class for everybody?
I think that anybody with the right mindset and drive can achieve a First Class Degree in any course of their choice. The most important part is believing that it is possible. A positive mindset can do wonders.
Many factors are usually at play and it takes years of doing the right things, being consistent, dedicated, committed, focused, working hard, being resilient, determined and praying to achieve this feat.
Another important thing that a person must do is to seek proper guidance and mentorship from experienced seniors, learn from their successes and shortcomings and apply all that they’ve learnt while towing the path of excellence.
Apart from financial challenges, what other challenges did you have in your undergraduate years?.
I can’t think of many. I’d say Pressure. The pressure to do well. The pressure to keep improving, meet the high expectations of others and be better. It wasn’t always an easy burden to bear. However, through God’s grace, I overcame this burden.
Were you a member of any social, religious, political and cultural organization?
I engaged in a lot of extra-curricula and belonged to several organizations as well, however, I know my priorities and my academics is top of the list. During my study years, I was the President of Abia State Law Students Association, an active member of my Student Chambers (Justice Nsima Akpabio Chambers), member of Law Students Association of Nigeria (LAWSAN) and the West African Law Students Association (WALSA), where I made several impacts and meaningful contributions. I also ran for President of LAWSAN, UNIUYO CHAPTER, and won, though the election was annulled for some reasons.
Did you have any side hustle during your school years?
Yes I did. I managed a plastics/nylon producing company. Although it’s a family business, it kept me busy and aided with my finances throughout my undergraduate years. I also wrote articles for several media platforms, including blogs and websites.
Briefly tell us, what does this First Class degree mean to you, your family and your friends?
To me, it is a validation of my years of hardwork, commitment and dedication. All the sleepless nights, long hours of studying and revisions paid off.
To my friends, it is a reminder that all their dreams are valid and can be achieved. Nothing is too big or out of reach.
To my family, it validated their support and love for me over the years. It is a thing of great joy for my mom, siblings and family.
As a youth with First Class degree under your belt, what next for you now?
It is important that I finish what I started. The next big thing on my agenda is to further and complete my legal journey at the Nigerian Law School.
Thereafter, to pursue post-graduate scholarships and opportunities to further my studies and specialize in an area of choice.
Many Nigerian youths have lost hope in Nigeria and genuine struggle for survival. What is your advice to the youths who have lost hope in Nigeria and future?
With the present economic state of the nation, it is difficult to have any hope for a positive future in Nigeria.
However, I encourage the youths to remain steadfast. Things are going to get better with time. Hopefully, it gets better during our lifetime.
As a youth leader by virtue of your status, what were they telling you as the reasons for their unruly behaviour in recent times?
Many people have tried to justify unruly behaviour by blaming the current economic state of the country, unemployment, underemployment, low paying jobs and many other factors.
There’s some truth to the fact that the economic state of the country is adversely affecting the citizenry and pushing many to consider committing misconducts and even crime.
Who is your alter ego?
I look up to a lot of people as my alter ego; including my late father Prince Ejiama Agbaeze who fought with me in every step of the way during my Jamb days. I still look up to him even though he’s no more.
Another person I really look up to is my Constitutional Law lecturer, Prof. Imo Udofa, who is a father and mentor to me. He guided and counseled me throughout my journey in the Faculty of Law University of Uyo.
Other persons I look up to generally are successful people in various fields and industries including; banking, law, tech., politics, music and football. They’re huge motivations. They motivate me from a distance.
What was your CGPA?
After much ups and downs, and something that seemed almost impossible, I graduated on a CGPA of 4.54 Glory be to God!
What is your hobby?
I do not have one particular hobby. There’s a good number of them including but not limited to:
– Hanging out and spending quality time with friends and family
– Watching TV Shows
– Reading books and journals
– Making Research and writing articles
– Listening to podcasts and music, etc.