By Glorious Olajire
Interviewer: Good afternoon and congratulations on being the best graduating student of the Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan, 2020/21 Session.
Miss Mistura Temidayo: Thank you very much.
Interviewer: Please introduce yourself.
Miss Mistura Temidayo: Thank you. I am Miss Odulate Mistura Temidayo a recent graduate of the department of Classics, University of Ibadan.
Interviewer: Apart from being the best graduating student, what other awards did you win and what was your cumulative grade point average?
Miss Mistura Temidayo: I think I won about eight prizes and awards. Sir James Robertson prize, Florence Atoloye capacity building awards, the Departmental prize, the Irving and Bonnar Prize, Remilekun Foundation Prize in Faculty of Arts, Dr Liman Ciroma prize, the Faculty prize, De-United Indomie Scholarship Awards, The Nupemco prize and the very Rev’d Samuel Adeoye Osinulu prize.I graduated with a CGPA of 3.83.
Interviewer: In your opinion, what does it take to be the Best Graduating Student in a Faculty at the University of Ibadan?
Miss Mistura Temidayo: I would like to give the honour to the almighty God, it is not by my power or my ability. I was not expecting to be the best graduating student, it has been God was a great surprise and I have been a very hardworking person. I do not settle for less because when I started nurturing it from 100 level, I never stopped being the best version of myself. It takes determination and discipline and it has been God.
Interviewer: What was your CGPA at 100 level?
Miss Mistura Temidayo: I started with 3.6 something. I am currently serving, so I am not near my files.
Interviewer: So, you have been pursuing this goal for a long time. I am curious was classics your first choice?
Miss Mistura Temidayo: No, Classics was not my first choice, I put in for communication and Language Arts. Fortunately for me, I met the cut-off mark, only to be told during clearance that I did the wrong subject combination for my JAMB exam and was given Classics instead. When I saw classics, I was like what are classics, but I fell in love with it over time.
Interviewer: You said getting the best graduating student was a surprise. When did you actually find out that you were going to be named?
Miss Mistura Temidayo: It was really very short notice for me. A few days before convocation, a friend saw it in the proceedings and she took a picture and sent it to me.
Interviewer: You mentioned the importance of God to your journey. Were there other people or associations that you were a part of that contributed to your receiving this award?
Miss Mistura Temidayo: Like I said, God is the number one factor and I am thankful to my brother, Odulate Adeniyi for making the journey a reality for me. If not for God and him, I don’t think I’ll be here today. Also for my mum and my sister for their sacrifice. They really made the journey though not easy, a smooth ride and a fruitful one. I also have a small circle of friends, friends that stood by me. I am thankful for friends like Akinleye Boluwatife, and Ebenezer Hannah. I am also thankful for the big sis UI gave me, Akintola Aisha Ambibola. I am thankful to them and also to other friends and family. I am thankful to all of them.
Interviewer: How were you able to combine your academics with other extracurricular activities?
Miss Mistura Temidayo: For my first two years as an undergraduate, I did not join any organisation, but when I got to 300 level, I felt like I wanted to do something, I wanted more than going to class and being a triangle student. So, I joined Junior Chambers International and through them, I came to love volunteering which made me join other organisations that I volunteer for like VolunteerHub Africa Plugin Club and I also joined some environmental advocacy.
Interviewer: What were your most memorable moments and worst moments, if any, in school?
Miss Mistura Temidayo: My most memorable moment was seeing what volunteering could do in people’s lives, impacting and giving back to society by joining organisations. When I got to 300 level, I kind of felt a kind of emptiness that I needed to do more. Joining those organisations gave me a lot of memorable moments because I got to meet many amazing people. My worst moment was when I enrolled on an art skill program- handbag. I had to do that with schoolwork, it was a low point in my life and I was stressed and scared that it was going to affect me, I has to do more and stretch myself.
Interviewer: What advice would you give to those who are trying to achieve what you just achieved?
Miss Mistura Temidayo: I would like to advise from the words of Socrates “man know thyself” Know you, be you, know yourself and don’t feel pressured that you just have to follow the crowd and you have to know what will work best for you and I would also like to add that education is not a scam. Being a first-class student is not a scam. Giving everything your best is not a scam. People should not be deceived about that one. Opportunities will always open and one has to be ready when the opportunities finally come.
Interviewer: School is not a scam right so what’s next for you? Are you going for postgraduate studies?
Miss Mistura Temidayo: For my next plan and I would want to strike while the iron is hot. The best time is now and I do not want to stop learning. For the art skill that I learnt, while I strive to further my studies, I would also like to pursue my business in that line of creativity.
Interviewer: Thank you very much for your time. Congratulations once again.
