In 2014, Ubani Obinna Rwanks made history as the third student to graduate with a first class degree from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University popularly called UNIZIK by Nigerian students.
Ubani Obinna receiving an award from the Vice Chancellor of Joseph Ahaneku after his graduation
Mr Obinna received an award from Vice Chancellor of the university for his efforts. The civil engineering department of the school is notoriously difficult to graduate with good grades from.
ZENITHBLOG.com was able to catch up with the brilliant young mind who conclude his National Youth Service Corps in November 2016. Below is the story, he shared with us:
“Academically it was fulfilling. I wouldn’t have forgiven myself if I didn’t make 1st class. So I basically put my poor results in 1st and 2nd year behind me. I could have had a higher CGPA but 1st class is 1st class. So no regrets, apart from the fact that I started thinking about making money so late,” he says.
READ ALSO: Beautiful lady graduates with a first class in Engineering from UNIZIK
Why was this the case, where his parents financially comfortable?
The civil engineer said: “My dad died when I was 9 years old, and my mother is a teacher with Imo State Primary Education Board. But somehow, we are comfortable, not rich and not poor either. I had a scholarship from 300 level. So I never developed much entrepreneurship drive till after my graduation.”
“I could have started earlier… Not that it is late anyway,” he concludes.
He served under the National Youth Service Corps from November 2015 – November 2016
Did he come into the university with the plan to make a first class?
He explains: “Not really, I actually started thinking about making a first class in my 3rd year. Well, it was all about the motivation anyway.
“I was not even the second best in our 1st and 2nd year, but my GPA was never below 4.0. So when I got to my 3rd year, I picked up my calculator and realised that first class was possible, then I decided to get it.”
Despite the hardships associated with university in Nigeria, Obinna Ubani graduated the best
Sounds easy when it is said, but how did Obinna go about it. Read as he explains below:
“Well, I want to attribute everything to passion. I am really passionate about civil engineering, and that is why I blog, interact, and live with it everyday.
“Normally, there is a course outline, and I finish all the courses before mid-semester (this was from my 3rd year though). In my 3rd year I was reading for about 15 hours on lecture free days, little did I know that I covered many final year topics in my 3rd year
“So, it was all about passion, hard work, and approaching exams with a master plan. When you target 100% in a course, your worst result will be 70%, which is still an A in Nigeria’s school system. I normally write to impress my lecturers, and I am lucky we have very intelligent lecturers.”
READ ALSO: 200L UNIUYO student described as first class material with GPA of 5.0, dies at 20
When you teach others, you are teaching yourself is a maxim that proved true in Obinna’s case as he said: “One of the biggest help I got was teaching other people. It made me see what others were not seeing.
“I normally had traffic and queue in my house anyway, from my level mates, younger colleagues, to extra year students. So I found myself working so hard for them, but it was actually for myself. It really did help me.”
Yet it wasn’t all roses. “Some people wanted to sleep over so that they can study with you at night, or some people showed up without calling. So it was not easy,” he reveals.
Participating in the road safety campaign during NYSC year
Where is he working now? What is he working on. His answer was surprising:
“The Structville (His civil engineering blog) dream is super big, and I am not disappointed with the way it is starting up. I don’t expect a premature big bang, but steady progress, irrespective of the pace.
“The only place I have submitted application is at UNIZIK (due to my passion for teaching), and a big uncle I gave my CV.
“But so far there have been no response but I am not worried. The idea of applying here and there does not excite me, and the desperation in our labour market is very sorrowful and embarrassing.”
In conclusion, we asked him how he plants to impact society with his knowledge, to which he said:
READ ALSO: Girl expelled from Covenant University in 300 level graduates with first class in Veritas Uni
“Every problem can be solved using engineering approach. In Nigeria, we have a housing deficit of about 17 million, irrespective of about 100,000 thousand houses being built annually…
“Furthermore, we are aware that the population is increasing geometrically, and rural-urban migration is congesting our cities. Time has come to review our land usage policies, and carefully check the way we build in this country, for the sake of the future. We must start now.”
Meanwhile, the president of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, has awarded foreign scholarship to two students from Kwara, who bagged First Class in their undergraduate studies.
Obinna with friends on his final examination day in the university
The two students were selected from 73 first class graduates, who were hosted to a dinner by the president of the Senate in 2016.
He said the scholarship was in addition to N500, 000 given to each of the 73 scholars by the President of the Senate, representing Kwara Central Senatorial District.
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