Mr Daodu Oluwamayowa Temidayo, a graduate of Ekiti State
University, graduated with first-class degree in the 2017/2018 set
of the Nigerian Law School. He tells IHUOMA CHIEDOZIE how he was
able to excel in the school.
Looking back, are you happy that you chose to study
law?
I am happy that I studied law. Right from childhood, being a
lawyer has always been my dream and I am grateful to God for making
that dream a reality today.
What made you decide to study law?
Putting a smile on someone’s face and helping others have been
the driving force behind my decision to be a lawyer. I felt it
would afford me the opportunity to reach out to them. The respect
and honour given to those in the legal profession also motivated me
to become a lawyer.
Which university did you attend?
I attended Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, formerly known as
University of Ado-Ekiti.
Was it easy for you to graduate with a first-class
degree in law school?
Graduating with a first-class degree in law school was not easy,
I must admit. Anyone who graduated from the law school will confirm
that. The law school programme is structured in such a way that
your least grade determines your final results unlike what you have
in the university where a poor grade in one course may not really
reflect on the Grade Point Average.
How many of you graduated with a first-class in your
set in the law school?
Two graduates of Ekiti State University graduated with a
first-class from the law school, while a total of 161 students
bagged first-class degrees in the 2017/2018 set of the Nigerian Law
School.
Was there any strategy you deployed that worked for
you?
Well, I believe it was God that made it possible. Speaking of
strategy, I don’t think I did anything special. However, I believe
in having mentors, and have always followed their advice. I made it
a duty to read all the interviews and stories of those who
graduated with first-class degrees that I could find. I took note
of the things they did differently and how they succeeded. This
helped me during my stay in the law school. I made sure I read
ahead of each class and also did the tasks assigned for each class
because of the fear that I could be called in class to say
something. This helped me to understand the topics. I also took
lectures very seriously and listened attentively in class because I
knew law school examination questions would come from the
lecturers. I used the materials of Kenneth Okwor, who was the
overall best student in his set in addition to the recommended
textbooks.
What was the longest number of hours you read at one
go?
Honestly, I can’t read for long hours; after three hours of
reading, I always took a break before reading any material again. I
always envied those who stayed up all night to read. Right from
time, I had known that I couldn’t read at night, that was why I did
as much as I could during the day.
While in the university, did you have time for
social events at all?
(Laughs) I didn’t engage in social activities during my
undergraduate days. However, I was actively engaged in MFMCF
(Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries Christian Fellowship)
EKSU. I became an executive right from when I was in 300 level and
the only time left for me after school and church programmes, was
purely spent on reading and studying.
Did you make any conscious effort to seek out
friends that could motivate you to study harder?
Yes, I have always surrounded myself with friends who are
like-minded and would challenge me to study harder. I was lucky to
have such friends in school, also in Kano campus. My friends at the
law school contributed in no small way to my success at the bar
final exams; we always had group discussions where we shared views
and worked on past questions while timing ourselves. My friends, to
a large extent, helped me to realise my dreams.
Did you have to sacrifice anything in order to
excel?
I had to give up social life and unnecessary outings. I remember
staying back after the end of first term and spending Christmas Day
and New Year’s Day in school just to be able to read the topics we
had done and discuss same with my friends who were also around
during the break.
Was graduating with a first-class degree a challenge
you set for yourself?
Having a first-class degree has always been my goal right from
the outset. I started with the end in mind and was ready to pay the
price, knowing that with God, nothing is impossible. And yes, I did
challenge myself; although, I finished with a second-class upper
degree from university, I told myself that if others could do it,
then nothing should stop me from graduating with a first-class
degree from law school even if I didn’t have it in the
university.
Have you imagined how you would have felt if you had
failed to achieve the feat?
After seeing the workload and the enormous demands of the law
school, it crossed my mind a couple of times that I might not have
it, but my consolation always came from Isaiah 41:10. This has
always been my anchor scripture and my belief was that those who
succeeded did not have two heads.
How would you have felt if you had not graduated
with a first-class degree?
I would have accepted any grade I got even if it wasn’t first
class, because I know that grades cannot limit one’s potential if
the person has a passion for greatness. Many of the renowned and
brilliant lawyers who have contributed immensely to the legal
profession did not even graduate with first-class degrees.
What are your aspirations? Where would you like to
work?
I would like to get a master’s degree in one of the renowned
universities in the United Kingdom. I hope to get a scholarship to
enable me to pursue my dream. I also desire to carve a niche for
myself in the corporate world. I desire after my service year, to
work in one of the top-tier law firms (in the country) and learn
and develop, especially in the area of corporate law.
How did your parents and siblings feel after you
graduated with a first-class degree?
When our results were finally released, I had to summon courage
to check mine, after having sleepless nights for two days. I
finally checked my results with my heart beating very fast. Fear
was written all over me, lo and behold, it was first class. I
checked the results more than three times to be sure they were mine
because I felt I didn’t answer some questions well. My younger
brother was even scared when I shouted upon seeing my results; my
parents were elated and glad and they told me it was well
deserved.
Were there times your parents rewarded you for your
performance?
Yes, my parents, especially my dad, are strict disciplinarians
who always encourage us to study hard. He believes every child has
great potential which can only be revealed through hard work and
discipline. Since I was in primary school, my dad imposed a ban on
watching of television in our house. We never had DVD or even
computer games. His belief was that the time spent watching
television should be spent adding value to yourself and reading
your books. My parents were very supportive and would always
encourage you, even after failing. They will say you can still be
the best you are meant to be.
What do you think students should be doing that they
don’t do?
Students should rely more on God rather than depend on their own
strengths and abilities. Humility and readiness to learn, even if
it’s from one’s classmates, goes a long way in helping students to
succeed.
I will also state that diligence, dedication and willingness to
pay the price for success should also be part of the culture
imbibed by students, as a man once said that greatness is
achievable, but not without a price.
I think students should look inward and find out what actually
works for them. Many people fail to achieve excellence because they
tend to copy others.
Some people are of the view that it is harder to
maintain a first-class grade level than to get there; how true is
this?
I quite agree with that position. Expectations are somehow
higher, especially for someone that is already at that level. It
behoves the person to show that it isn’t by fluke and that the
position is well deserved. There are times I almost gave up on my
dream of graduating with a first-class degree, but I constantly
reminded myself that the difference between those who succeeded and
those who failed was that the latter gave up earlier, while those
who succeeded held on a bit longer than others.
Were you one of the best in your class in secondary
school?
No, I attended Oyemekun Grammar School, Akure, Ondo State and
during my secondary school days, I was not even among the best
students in my class; I was an average student. After I did Unified
Tertiary Matriculation Examination for the first time, I couldn’t
get my favourite course of study in the University of Benin, Edo
State; that was law. I did my second UTME and got 263 after which I
got admission to study law at EKSU, formerly UNAD.
Why do you think students fail in
school?
I think many people fail because of fear. When school resumed
for third term after the externship period, the fear was so
palpable. Fear can make you forget the simplest things like your
name. The best thing is to put one’s fear under control and turn it
into something that will motivate you to do great things and not
act as a barrier. Inability to pay attention to small things such
as instructions or even questions can bring failure. Many people
fail not because they don’t know the subject, but because they
either answered it wrongly or did not fully answer the
question.
Are there any challenges you had while in school
that could have stopped you from graduating with a first-class
degree?
Law school is a jealous wife which requires your full and
undivided attention. I always found it difficult to keep up with
the workload and volume of books that we had to read for each
course. Many times, after each day’s lecture, I would find it
difficult to prepare for the next day, so I had to come up with a
to-do list as a means of managing my time well. I tried to wake up
early in the morning to do revision and attend to tasks and after
class, I tried to revise and also read in preparation for the next
day. I made it a culture to always finish all the activities listed
on my list before going to bed each night. At some point, I
was intimidated when I saw people taking notes, going to the
library and reading till daybreak. I had to find out what actually
worked for me, so I came up with a plan that suited me. I knew I
had to read two or three times before I would understand a topic
unlike others who would read once and understand. I started
listening to audio lectures and my personal recordings, which help
me to remember the principles and sections faster.
Culled from Punch