Nigeria’s Obayemi on global map with excellent result

A Nigerian student, John Pius-Obayemi recently puts the country positively on the global map, when he performed excellently well during the Cambridge Advanced Level. He came out of the examination, a three-star general, as he got three A-stars in Physics, Mathematics, and Chemistry.

Surprisingly, Obayemi did not complete his secondary education from one of the high-fee paying private secondary schools; he graduated from a public secondary school, before he got a scholarship to write his A-level examinations at The Vale Tutorial College, the reason he is called Atinuke Ige Scholar.

Aside from Obayemi, another student, Fatihi Abdulmalik, courtesy of the tutorial centre, also was exceptional, achieving second-best results with another three A-stars in Sociology, Economics, and Mathematics.

However, this is not the first time the college will put Oyo state and Nigeria on the global academic achievements. In 2014, Maryam Adeyanju got A, A, A, in Chemistry, Physics, Biology, and emerged as 2014 Best Result. Boluwatife Adewale followed suits in 2015 with A, A, A, in Chemistry, Physics, Biology, while AbdulHammed Babatunde equally achieved the same feat in 2017 with A, A, A, in Chemistry, Physics, Biology while Joel Christiana also achieved A, B, B, in Sociology, Literature, History, recording 2019 Best Results.

Still basking in the euphoria of his attainment, Obayemi, a former student of Command Day Secondary School, Odogbo, Ibadan, not new to winning academic laurels having scored 6 As, 1 B, and 2 Cs in his WAEC examinations, gave kudos to the convener of Atinuke Ige scholarship, Mrs. Funso Adegbola, nee Bola Ige.

He really felt elated coming top in the examinations, because it was a bit more than what he had expected.

“I knew that these results were good enough to make everyone proud and get me into very good universities. Initially, I got a bit discouraged about achieving those scores, when we started coursework, but I put in my best.

“TVTC impacted my academic life. The teachers there are also very good and experienced and I am able to say that my academic strengths have been developed and advanced. After this, I plan on seeking international admissions into universities and scholarships to study Electrical and Electronics Engineering.”

Founded 10 years ago by Mrs. Adegbola, the Vale Tutorial College, an offshoot of The Vale College is an independent entity established because of the need to prepare students to be better mature for university admission, as A-level is a solid foundation and pathway to a foreign university and 200 level in Nigerian universities. So, it has been 10 years of propagating academic excellence.

On Saturday, August 15th, 2020, the school management in compliance with the government’s directive to keep COVID-19 at bay rolled out the drum to celebrate these exceptionally brilliant finalists during a Valedictory service held for the graduation class of 2020 at the New Bodija, Ibadan Campus of the College.

On what makes the centre different from other Upper Sixth Form Colleges? Adegbola said it was a combination of many factors. “We do an excellent job, with our students achieving high grades and we have first-rate, comfortable hostel facilities. We are not just a center; we are a full-fledged school. Here, students have leadership training sessions every weekend; there are sessions on character development and there are mentoring sessions between the alumni and the current students.”

Throwing more light on the Atinuke Ige Scholarship, which has continued to bring succor to brilliant students from public schools in Oyo State, Adegbola said it is a way of giving back some of the values she imbibed from her late parents.

“I started the Atinuke Ige Scholarship in 2013 for students who finished their WAEC in public schools in Oyo and Osun States. One of the cardinal points of my father’s party then, the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) was free education for all at all levels. My parents believed in education, not for their only biological children, but for the education of other people’s children. They have three biological children but raised over 300 children. I just thought I cannot do free education like my father was able to do when he was governor. I know my mother too gave scholarships to people, while she was alive.” She disclosed that the scholarship worth N2.5 million for each winner.

It has been one decade of providing qualitative education. But what is next for TVTC? “The reward of good work is more excellent work. 10 years is only the beginning, God has been faithful and we trust Him that the next 10 years will see increase and enlargement on all sides of TVTC- numerically, physically, spiritually, and materially. In 10 years, our Alumni would have become leading experts in their chosen fields and they will be mentoring the future students of the College, by God’s grace,” Adegbola stated.