Many Great men in the world today started their advocacy whilst on campus. Boris met Dave Cameron and shared their conservative ideologies whilst they were in Oxford; Obama started His journey to Presidency from His Harvard days. University should be more than Just study; it’s about building your social and career life whilst studying. Dele Momodu, Omoyele Sowore, Yinka Odumakin and others all started their advocacy whilst in University (Great Ife).
Making the Most of Education: For Students and Parents – by Dayo Israel
School started today and I’m super excited. I’m excited because it’s time to get back into the study mood and empower myself academically. For many of my friends, school for us is fun; school is where the heart is. I grew fond of school in my early days of University when home wasn’t very attractive because of pressure from my host family at that time. I would usually spend all the time in the university library reading and using the internet for communications just to avoid getting home early, however along the line I got used to spending time in library, loved the lectures and the whole school environment.
Someone once said Studying in London Met makes you want to be a student forever. So while completing my degree, I was already making plan for my Masters and now being on my Masters, I’ve secured my place for my PhD to the Glory of God.
The truth is that schooling and studying can be very challenging, it can be a lot of commitment and a lot of sacrifice, but in the long run, it’s worth it and would bring a lot of great rewards. Alvin Toffler once said the illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn. Education is the best form of empowerment and it is fun, however many find it boring largely because they are not following a course of their choice, and if they are from African background, they are most likely studying what their parent impress on them to. Whilst growing up in Nigeria, the only courses people wanted to study were Law, Banking and Finance, Medicine and Biz Admin (Business Admin) as they call it.
One of my personal experience growing up was when, although inspired by Nigeria’s foremost Human Right advocate – Chief Gani Fawehinmi – to study Law and become a Human Right Lawyer, my mother wanted me to study land law. Over the years I have followed my heart and to the Glory of God been successful – and my Human Right Advocacy passion have brought me into the company of Great Men and Royalty – even earned me speaking opportunity at the United Nations; I believe I probably won’t have found much joy in land litigations and procuring property for clients.
According to Anne Frank, Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands. I believe that parents need to help their young ones achieve greatness but at the same time trust them enough to make smart choices. Children require guidance and sympathy far more than instruction. The scripture says “train up a child in the way he should go, and when He grows He’ll not depart from it”. I.e. The role of parents is to train them up as good children with the fear of God and build their confidence so that no matter how far their children are, they would still be responsible – not as some parent believe that they have to be involved in every step of their teenagers life fearing they might make mistake, – parent have to trust the children they have raised to make Godly decisions and smart choices.
Nonetheless, making the best of your school or university life can be a very great experience. The school is the shaping place for many great leaders and it has to be fun for you to experience the benefit. When I joined London Met, I found the necessary societies that are relevant to my cause and the things I am passionate about. This is because passion is the key ingredient to a successful student life and career path. You have to do what you are passionate about. I joined the Nigerian society, the Human Right Society and the Law Society, all of which I became the President except the Law Society.
Those activities made my degree days very interesting and now my Masters days more interesting. Find your passion in your university/college and follow it. Many Great men in the world today started their advocacy whilst on campus. Boris met Dave Cameron and shared their conservative ideologies whilst they were in Oxford; Obama started His journey to Presidency from His Harvard days. University should be more than Just study; it’s about building your social and career life whilst studying. Dele Momodu, Omoyele Sowore, Yinka Odumakin and others all started their advocacy whilst in University (Great Ife).
The Late Chief Gani Fawehinmi was given His greatest Award (Senior Advocate of the Masses) by passionate and zealous students in OAU. In the words of Aristotle, all who have meditated on the art of governing mankind have been convinced that the fate of empires depends on the education of youth.
To be continued….
Dayo Israel is an M.A International Relations Student at the London Metropolitan University, and the first African Student Council Chair of the University, which is London’s Largest single University.