In this picture is Alimi Ibrahim – the unpretentious, unassuming little giant who conquered everything along his path in the course of his Mechanical Engineering degree at UNILAG. Ibrahim has been celebrated far and wide – and rightly so. How does one make a GPA of 4.98? Normal people don’t do this – except that he is as normal as they come. And as my brother AbdurRahman Lekki observed last week, it is a welcome development to be bombarded with such fantastic news about so many young Muslim adherents. On this, we are all indebted to Abubakar Rasheed and his Muslim News team.
Many of you are likely to have seen this picture before – taken 18 months ago as he – alongside three of his friends Abdulhameed Obileye, Hassan Salaudeen and Kamal Salisu – were celebrated by my jama’ah at Lekki. Apologies to the rest, but these four are our own.
Following my post of last week about the 1986 set of UNILAG first class graduates, many have asked what my advice was for the new graduates. Olowoyobiojo Muftah Kayode, Sulaiman Olayiwola – here it is:
I presented a case study of five famous first class degree holders, each of whom went in different (and totally unrelated) directions, but with each reaching the pinnacle of their chosen careers and professions. I present three of them here:
David Cameron – politician and former prime minister of Britain. Cameron made a first class at Oxford University. His first job was as a researcher to a senior politician – an indirect route into politics in the UK. It was only a matter of time before he would enter politics full time and contest for political offices. He did – becoming a Member of Parliament MP and, ultimately, prime minister.
Professor Fidelis Oditah QC, SAN. This is the brightest first class degree holder I have ever met or known. Fidelis made a first in Law at UNILAG in 1984 and repeated the feat at the Law School – in the days when there was only one Law School in Nigeria.
He secured a Commonwealth Scholarship and pursued his Master’s and PhD at Oxford University. A young man from Africa with an accent, he was so good that the university retained him as a lecturer. Young Oditah became a professor of law at what is generally regarded as the ultimate university in England.
I actually spoke with Fidelis on the very day I was to address the young MSSN members. Now a professor and recognised authority in Law, he negotiated with the university to be allowed to engage in practice. With the university’s concurrence, Fidelis’ practice ultimately earned him the apex position and title of Queen’s Counsel (QC) – UK equivalent of SAN. Having become a QC, SAN became an inevitability. Today, Fidelis is a Professor of Law, UK Queen’s Counsel and Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
Professor Nurudeen Alao: Former Chief Imam of UNILAG, Professor Alao combined being Chief Imam with being Vice Chancellor. A first class graduate of Geography from the premier University of Ibadan, this most revered man of God earned his Master’s and PhD in the United States. Returning to Nigeria and taking up a teaching appointment with UNILAG, many mistook him for a Professor of Islamic Studies due to his uncommon leadership of the Muslim Community and top-rated Khutbah week-in, week-out at the impressive UNILAG Mosque. Becoming VC in 1987 at a young age of 47 years, Alao ran a corruption-free regime at the university (as much as is humanly possible, anyway). His successor (who turned UNILAG into a commercially super-successful outfit) officially ran the most corruption-ridden regime in the citadel’s history and had his term terminated in the most inglorious manner. Alao became appreciated the more.
So, to my young first class brains, there are many routes to success. The key is to do that which you are passionate about. Anything which is done well, while continuously seeking improvement in the course of doing it, would ultimately lead to success.
I wish you all success here and in the Hereafter.
Alhaji Nojeem Jimoh is a commentator on religious, public affairs and Imaam of Lighthouse Mosque Ajah, Lagos.
