I’ve Never Kissed A Man In My Life – Babcock’s Best Graduating Student

 

Last Sunday’s The Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State, had its 11th convocation. There was an outpour of emotions. For some, it was very exciting, with shouts of joy, mixed with backslapping and hugging. For two other graduating students however, it was not the best of times, as they were grief-stricken, over the death of their family members few days before the convocation ceremony.

The cynosure of all eyes was a 20-year-old lady, Omobola Oduyoye (pictured above), who emerged the best graduating student after scoring a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 4.92. 

OmobolaOduyoye, an indigene of Ilisan-Remo, Ikenne Local Government Area of the state, was awarded a first class degree in Public Health.

She said commitment, discipline, hard work and focus – combined with what she called God’s grace – fetched her the award.

Oduyoye, who aspires to become the nation’s health minister some day, noted that she would change the face of the nation’s health sector, particularly child and maternal health if given the chance.

“I’m from this town. I only lived the first six years of my life in Ghana and since then I’ve been here and I see a lot of challenges poor women and children go through daily. I want to make health delivery accessible, affordable and extremely cheap for our children and women. I will fight corruption in the health sector and ensure that our children and their mother don’t die again from preventable diseases,” she added.

On how she handled pressure from male students and lecturers, Oduyoye, who had her primary and secondary school education at Babcock Primary School and Babcock University High School, stated that though she had so many male friends, she avoided getting intimate with them.

“I have a number of friends – including male students but I always draw a line between friendship for academic advancement and immoral relationship. I’m not abusive; neither am I a snub. But I don’t encourage any relationship that will distract me from my studies. I don’t encourage any action that can suggest to you that I’m a cheap commodity. I also ensure that I don’t go alone anywhere or follow anybody to dark corners even if she is a girl like me.

“It may sound funny to you, I have never kissed anyone in my life and I have not been kissed by anybody. I thank God for the grace He gives me to achieve this because I know that some people will say it is not easy but with God all things are possible,” the 20-year-old fresh graduate added.

Oduyoye advised young girls to abstain from sex, face their studies and respect people and honour God. 

The sad part of the day was two other graduating students who lost family members in an accident, two days before the convocation.

The VC, Miss Okwuikpo & a friend

According to The Nigerian Tribune report, Miss Okwuikpo who graduated with a second class upper degree in Nursing, lost her father, grandmother, sisters, brothers and cousin in a motor accident  while on their way to the University located at Ilishan Remo, Ogun state to witness her convocation ceremony slated for Sunday.
Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Professor Kayode Makinde, drew the emotion of the audience at the graduation ceremony of the university, when he invited  her to the podium for special prayers over the unfortunate incident.
Reports say the family hired a Lagos bound 14-passenger bus from Port-Harcourt  which got involved in an accident just 15 minutes after it left the park.
Okwuikpo’s mother, brother in-law and two others are said to be in critical conditions in the hospital

The other  graduating student who also was grief-stricken, was identified as Tochi who lost her father in the same accident.
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NaijaObserver; The Nigerian Tribune