BRT ticketer graduates with 4.0 CGPA from LASPOTECH

By Dayo
Adesulu Few weeks ago, when Ayodele Dada from the University of Lagos graduated with a Cumulative Grade Point Average, 5.0 CGPA, little did we know that another Miss Omosalewa Babalola 26, from Ibadan, Oyo State, will repeat the academic feat at Lagos State Polytechnic, with a 4.0 CGPA, the best ever in the institution. Salewa, as she is fondly called, is the first child of a polygamous family of seven. Her father , a printer and mother, a petty trader. Due to her financially disadvantaged background her parents had to suspend her education when she was in SS2. However, this promising lady, determined that financial limitations will be the end of the road, resulted to the sale of tickets with the Lagos State run Bus Rapid Transit system,BRT, where she saved money to further her education. According to her, after making her WASSCE, she took JAMB, made it and was given provisional admission into the university, but due to financial constraint, she had to forfeit the admission. Nevertheless, her passion for education led her to obtain polytechnic form where she was admitted into School of Applied Sciences in part time, while working as a BRT ticketer. Upon completion of her Ordinary National Diploma, OND, with an excellent performance, she immediately enrolled for a Higher National Diploma, HND, which she did as full time. Reading at night Speaking with Vanguard  on the secret of her academic feat, she disclosed that success comes with hard work, adding that after close of work, as a ticketer, she spent the rest of the night reading. “I do not cram, when I read. All I did, was  employ the techniques of narrating a home movie. While watching a movie, you normally give your full attention to it, such that, if you are asked to narrate what you saw, you can do it from  beginning to the end. If you bring that same mindset to your studies, you will hardly forget what you are taught and what you read.” Hear her speak: “Success in life is not by chance, but by hard work, perseverance, commitment and dedication. If you want  extra ordinary result, you must put in extra ordinary input. One of my hobbies is reading, but I don’t have specific hours of reading. I love my course and I have a passion for it. The state of mind contributes to ones success. ‘Understand yourself, know what you like, know what makes you happy and know what affects you negatively and positively. I had read for fifteen hours before, but I don’t cram. “Obstacles are those frightful things you see when we take our eyes off the goals. I use this statement as a motivator each time I am confronted with a challenge. ”As a ticketer, I go to work from Monday to Friday, and am only left with Saturday and Sunday. Therefore, I read one day to the exam, but what I read, I never forget. “I once gained admission to Bayero University, but when I could not pay my school fees, I had to come back home. That was when I decided to work, if I had to go to school. I had only one male lecturer in the department. If I had male lecturers in the department, probably people would have said another thing. When my course mates had any issue, they always come to me to help them solve it. ”When we finish semester exam, I will just rest for four or five days then read ahead for the second semester. I made my SSCE results when I was in SS2. I believe in individual development, I don’t believe in this disparity between graduates of the university and the polytechnic. After this, I hope to go for my Master and Ph.D. Lecturers at the Lagos State Polytechnic are just so wonderful. In LASPOTECH, once you try to shit, that is bye.