THIS IS MY STORY IN FUNAAB

Singing… “This is my story, this is my song…”….This is a short account of the events that took place in my 5years stay in the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) as an undergraduate of (Soil Science and Land Management (SS&LM) department in College of Plant Science and Crop Production (COLPLANT).

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a step….

Having scaled through JAMB scarcely with a score that was upgraded from 106 to 204; I got admitted into FUNAAB without knowing almost anybody.

My matriculation day was a beautiful day spent alone and it doubles as my birthday but there was no one to celebrate with. I took to the field, took some pictures alone, ate and drank as I made my way back to my hostel.

My first friends were my roommates and a young man, Lanre Olokunde who is and still remains a covenant friend.

Journey so far!

A rough road it has been in FUNAAB as I caught the vision of a literary group that can be founded in FUNAAB. I related it with my friend, we got the name “Top-Notch Writers Organization” and before long we swung into action in establishing her. Amidst all these, I had a rich academic background and I thought as well this should guarantee me a good CGPA.I was so confident of this that i soon became a tutorial teacher to many of my mates but reverse was the case when I saw my first G.P as 3.44, very suddenly true but worst of it was a PCP 191 carryover due to a departmental mistake which I had to do again.

It has been a long walk into destiny as I continued my self-discovery exercise as I got admitted. I had started few months before I was admitted. I started to know about myself, my likes, dislikes, hobbies, my vision in life, how I hope to get there, etc. I began reading books and ever since, I have read nothing less than 350 books and counting. I didn’t stop there, I read the bible through once and the New Testament severally as I got a rich deposit of Godly values to beautify my life.

I discovered my love for writing quite young, though I gained admission at a tender age of 16, I started writing. I wrote an anthology of 150 poems, I wrote a novelette “despite all odds”, I wrote several books yet unpublished before I published recently a book titled “The Exceptional Leader”, a resourceful piece for leaders that wants to be exceptional.

I had pledged my allegiance to God through Jesus Christ and NIFES became my loved church since part 2 due to their rich lessons on leadership.

I remember a particular day I was watching a student preach and deep inside me I was wondering if I could ever do that because I was a very shy, timid person who lacks the power of expression.

I was easily intimidated and as a result, I usually hid myself but NIFES started to break me through her leaders by giving me things to do, first of it was when I was called to take testimony, I had to first go and rehearse for few minutes before coming to recite my rehearsal and that was it, before long , I started addressing audience of 400, 500, 1000, 2500 capacity and more at different times.

Being someone that knew next to nothing, with a wrong orientation of almost everything, my choice of friends was first to change me. The likes of Adams Kehinde , academic guru who helped put me on a good academic status as he taught me what I don’t seem to understand because I barely attend classes. I do a lot of crash readings for test and exams and I bless God because I get it quite quickly and he explains tough ones that has been why up till my final year. I had a CGPA of 4.22 of 5.0

I came from a background that dad and mum would tell you face your book, be careful of ladies because they can spoil your life and having that orientation, I became distant from ladies, I don’t shake let alone hug them but thanks to Lanre who first introduced me to Pomile Orija, my first female friend who doubles as the deputy director of TWO –Nigeria since 100 level whom became the Chief-Pen/President at 300 level, a lady of inestimable worth.

“Sometimes in 100 level, guys were asking if I would ever kiss my wife, I said NO blatantly! This has always been their usual. They use me as object of discussion because of my odd thinking but it is rather interesting to know that the man with a phobia for ladies became “oko awon obinrin” on FPY. He lived with 25 ladies with 2 other guys and of my first 30 friends, 25 are females. Females, who have a sense of direction, purpose and have a future.

Thank God I stayed in Sango , I have 1001 mentors whom before  I take any reasonable decision I consult –the likes of Mr Olowolade Sola , Mr. Femi Olusola, Mr. Femi Bolaji, Mr. Temilolu Sijuwomi, Miss Tope Olusola, Mr Mathew Ojo, Mr Lanre Ogunnibi, Mr Tola Agboluaje, and many more. I relate all that I do to them, they advise me and weighing them, I chose the best for myself. It has made me make intelligent decisions.

Challenges are Gods way to build us

Early in life, I thought I had a melancholic temperament due to my shy state but as I got to know myself more I discovered choleric, leadership then I began to build myself. The fundamental building stages of my life on campus were during my freshman year, sophomore and a little into part 3.These periods I started cultivating the attitude of resilience, never giving up in the face of  challenges because life challenges for me at those times were enormous.

I lost my mum as far as 2009, I became a son of a single parent and then I got inflicted with a disease that didn’t have a name. I diagnosed almost everywhere, general hospital, airport clinic (dad’s work place), and Indian hospitals spending a huge sum of money yet without any solution. It affected my walking posture because it was a strong killing pain usually felt at the abdominal region. It took about two years before it finally relieved me. I remember going to LUTH in 2011, at 3:30am in the morning of the 10 people they would attend to, I was no 9. God just saved me in all.

I didn’t faint in face of numerous challenge that arouse in my journey, I prayed more, served God more, read more. It was at this stage that I wrote my plan till I will be 80 years if God wills , and it has since been falling in place ever since.

Apart from the skill of resilience, I evaluated my values and delved more into creativity; it earned me the award of the most creative Agricultural students. I enjoined guys to partner in a publication that was done to expose peoples secret without people knowing the authors – it was tagged ‘Shadows’ – Sefe , dami , phago, bertha, Timi, Ay were making it make sense.

One thing I love to do every day is to fill my dairy which I started in my 100 level and I still do it till date, I always fill my diary first thing in the morning to know what to do (Agenda), by evening, I write my reflection of activities done and a record of my financial statement to know how much I have earned for the day and the total expenditure for the day.

It has helped me to estimate my daily usage, monthly, quarterly, and yearly financial statement. In 2013, my yearly financial record recorded an expenditure of #600,000 and monthly varied from #30 – #150,000. My daily accounting has placed me on a pedestal of indebt knowledge of my financial status quo which has been a statutory guide to my daily spending. Several young peeps under my mentoring have taken to this and they have always thanked me for introducing it to them. It gave them a sense of direction.

Apart from these values of resilience, accountability that I learnt, I further learnt to communicate. The problem of communication is everywhere and that is because it is costly to do. It cost me a daily usage of ₦ 400 - ₦ 600 / day and over ₦ 15,000 to call / text friends, foes, family for the purpose of talking and listening to them.

I also learnt the art of talking / speaking. I read several books on these and likewise study my dictionary properly. At a point, I couldn’t write a sentence simply without using too many vocabularies but until now that I understood the importance of communicating for people to understand.

I took my activities diligently because at a stage I was over involved in extracurricular activities. To remain ahead, I ensured procrastination didn’t steal my time and as well, I eliminated all forms of distractions.

Having studied the art of self management, financial management etc, I had to learn stress management as I became the publicity secretary of NIFES , the publicity secretary of ICJCF ,the chief editor of Agripreneur Magazine etc. it appeared very heavy on me.

I learnt to manage the stress of attending meetings every day, meetings of 12hours and sometimes more. I sleep properly at night and I eat good food, I conserve my energy for the most important things, I weighed my options properly, attended to urgent things as well as important things.

I also picked strong lessons on time management, the art if managing 24 hours judiciously. I work most times for 18 -19 hours daily, attending meetings, classes, carrying out duties and responsibilities. At my first tenure as the president of TWO-FUNAAB, I did a lot of things myself but later I learnt the art of effective delegation and it made the job quite easier. My time was highly competed for then I remembered that when you are loaded, you could be needed but ironically when the world sucks out your juice and you stop being resourceful, they dump you and go for others.

As I realized this, I always create time for solitude thereby thinking in-depth about my actions and activities and how I can improve and I never for ones became useless. I was always useful.

In all these lessons, I was able to learn to combine reading with my numerous extracurricular. I learnt how to multi-task, doing many things at a time. It gets many of my friends amazed about me. Something so special about me is that i like to do what no one has done, it makes me appear precocious, I hate to copy people but I learn a lot from people. I invested into myself by knowing what works for me. Night reading doesn’t work for me, am a day reader so I don’t copy people that read at night except for special reasons and by then I would have extra desire for study.

Nobody can believe in you more than you believe in yourself

I learnt to believe in myself and my capability even as I strongly trust God for help and he helps me. I rarely get distracted by what people say. I hear a lot everyday about myself from friends and foes alone capable of drawing me back into my shed. Early in life, some made me cry by their criticism. They say I want to be popular, I want people to notice me and that’s why I do some things but later I found out that many of them criticize me because of envy, they cannot do half of what I do and since then I learnt to close my ears to what they say, many of them now congratulate me because I wasn’t distracted by what they said.

I remember when I was the FPY magazine chief editor, the magazine didn’t get published till after a year because one publisher embezzled over #80,000 paid him, at a point my friends even turned their backs at me, many called me bad names, thanks to Onikola Afeez, another great leader am glad to meet who stood through till it became a reality.

I made myself become a goal getter. I don’t set challenges ahead of a project. This is what has helped in the several programs that I have pioneered alongside my various team members.

I hate to hear it cannot be done because there is nothing that seems impossible; all things are possible according to the word of the holy book.

Programs/Impact made in FUNAAB…

May 2012, our 1st program as topnotchers, we hosted all colleges in a debate, essay and quiz contest and it was featured on OGTV though the attendance didn’t exceed 100 people but it has been the least attendance in history for all our programs.

Nov 2012, we had another program that brought together several professors including Professors Oluwalana, Akeredolu, Bamgbose, Onifade, etc several staffs, masters’ students, over 400 undergraduates and guests across south west.

We have hosted 3 presidential debates with audience close to 2000 which has facilitated the emergence of 3 presidents so far because it became the largest platform for them to sell themselves to the people.

The organization has since released several publications from bulletins to newsletter to magazines.

God helped me to pioneer a leadership / entrepreneurship outfit “ROYAL FOUNDATION” with some passionate friends and we hosted the first business summit featuring business challenge which provided cash prize to the winner.

I was privileged to be the LOC Chairman of the just concluded leadership conference of the student union which I presented my book on ‘Exceptional Leadership’ which was featured in the national dailies.

I was part of the delegates that attended the Ghana students for liberty leadership conference in 2013.

All these successes I owe to God, my wonderful friends and my amiable family

A heart of gratitude appreciates….thats the essence of this piece

I cannot but appreciate Victoria Williams, the lady that literally stole my heart by her resilience and passion for excellence. She taught me to take care of myself even when I was non-challant about it.

Abisola Omobulejo, she made a great difference in my journey to success, she is a loved one and a sister from another mother

Kingsley Oladoyin and Esther- I call them my school mothers cos they have in one way or the other made indelible marks to my life and generally made my stay on campus worthwhile.

I cannot fail to mention great people that have mentored, encouraged me, stood by me and have been pillars of support to me. They have been fathers and mothers to me and I really appreciate them (Prof and Dr Onifade, Prof Bamgbose, Prof Oluwalana, Prof Adeofun, Prof Akeredolu-Ale, Dr Sotiloye, Mr Adepoju, Mrs Emi Alawode, Prof Akegbejo-Samason

My two jolly friends, Lanre and Adams-am thankful to God for meeting them as they have watched my back diligently and without mincing word, they are God sent to me.

I cannot mention everyone here especially the Leadership LOC Committee, my friends from NIFES, my friends at ICJCF.

I am grateful today that the journey of 5 years has finally come to a beautiful end. Praise the Lord, I Shout Halleluyah (21 times).

With a heart of gratitude to God and everyone that made my stay awesome, I present this short piece to the world….

Aliu Oluwafemi Royal

topnotchwriters@yahoo.com,

 08137365526