Lawal Samuel, Young Man who wrote JAMB 4 times but still Graduated as Best Pharmacy Student

Lawal Samuel Adefisoye is a first-class graduate of the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) who wrote JAMB four times before gaining admission.

In separate interviews with ALLSCHOOL and The Punch, Lawal Samuel Adefisoye shared his academic journey, obstacles, and advice for students.

Can we meet you?

I am Lawal Samuel Adefisoye. About eleven years ago, I remembered how I was struggling with UTME for good 4years yes I wrote UTME for good four years.

Here I am today fully inducted as a licensed Pharmacist With first-class honours (CGPA 4.63/5.00), best graduating student, and best project student from the Department of Pharmaceutical microbiology and biotechnology, Olabisi Onabanjo University.

Wow, that’s great! So all through the four year’s were you applying for Pharmacy?

No, I applied for microbiology. I have always been passionate about microbes and disease-causing organisms but at some point, I realized Pharmacy will give me a better edge to understand the pathogenesis of disease and the therapeutic agents that will be used in their management also, a better advantage in seeking job opportunities.

What was your JAMB score like?

I scored 233 in my first jamb and I couldn’t secure admission into the university. I was offered an educational course at Adeyemi College of education at some point of trying various ways of attaining higher education

Why did you choose Pharmacy?

I grew up as the youngest child in a family of seven and lived through an environment plague with little to zero hygienic practice. I regularly witnessed children of my age get infected with contagious microbes.

Although this made me anxious, it also fuelled my desire to seek medical solutions to these numerous infectious diseases whilst consistently questioning the role I can play in other to contribute to advancing health care. This is why I studied Pharmacy at the Olabisi Onabanjo University.

Were there challenges towards attaining the first class?

I encountered some hiccups at the inception of my study. During my first year, in my first semester, I had a GPA of 3.76/5.00 and I was devastated about my goal of making a first-class. I had to fasten my belt, increased my reading hours, and prayed. The second semester I made a GPA of 4.92/5.00 and throughout my study, I made a first-class GPA.

Were there areas you worked on as an undergraduate that made you better or made you stand out?

For me, consistency is key. Consistency was the cheat code for me during my course of study. I also reached out to my seniors, people I knew did so well during their course of study too. What I did was reach out to people, and ask them how they overcame some mild hiccups that came their way. I did not make myself so comfortable with what they taught us in class alone. I went beyond my class to reach out to seniors, read textbooks and journals to understand the latest trends in healthcare practices. I had a futuristic approach when I was at school that immediately after graduation, I would study for a master’s and PhD and become a professor. So, I realised that if I have to actualise these, I need to do well beyond the normal target of an average or a pass. For you to match up with the international standard, you have to get excellent grades in the university at the undergraduate level, so, these were the things that informed my decision to also go beyond my comfort zone.

I discovered that for me to do well, I needed to study extensively. So, every other person basically has what drives their passion. For me to be at par with international students, I need to go beyond my comfort zone. So, I was not really looking at what my colleagues were doing, although I knew that the people in my set were doing well, my interest was different from what my other colleagues were doing because I already had a futuristic approach to it.

Did the kind of education you received at the lowest level help you in any way?

I grew up on a street called Oshinle in Akure, Ondo State, and it was quite a ghetto. My childhood education was okay because I was able to access quality education within my city, although it was sort of a ghetto. At that time, many children of my age group came down with different infections due to the poor environment and so on. Those were the things that also triggered my passion to want to make an impact. I believe we are measured by the number of lives we are able to touch. One didn’t come to the world just to live. One has to make an impact and contribute substantially. However, I had supportive siblings and my education was good based on Nigerian standards.

What was your greatest source of inspiration all through your years on campus?

My greatest inspiration during my campus years was the foresight of my future. I knew where I was going. I had an idea of the things I would achieve thereafter through God. I realised that I was just in a local setting but that there was an international setting waiting thereafter. So that picture in my mind inspired me to really be consistent with the things I was doing while in school. It wasn’t like I had a smooth path throughout my stay in school. There were times I would need to sleep in the teaching hospital. I deprived myself of sleep to study.

It is also worth mentioning that Samuel Adefisoye wasn’t just about academic excellence as he was also the president of the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigeria Students (PANS), Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) Chapter

Apart from being the president of your faculty, what other social activities did you engage in?

I participated in spiritual activities too while on campus. I was the drama coordinator of one of the biggest campus fellowships at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital – the Redeemed Christian Fellowship, and we had a proper drama concert during my tenure as the coordinator. So, I was able to strike a balance both in the political and spiritual aspects of leadership. I was not just involved in school politics alone, I was able to spread the tentacles to the spiritual aspect of it. Asides from being the president of the faculty, I also served as the chief whip of the students representative council of the school. That was before my administration as the president. I also tapped from the experience of some of my mentors that have gone ahead of me. I learnt how they managed academics and other activities and were able to strike a balance.

What is your next plan in life?

Research, I want to contribute immensely to the field of Immunology and vaccine discovery. I aspire to advance my study and pick a graduate program in the field of immunology and help our dear nation in the search of potential vaccines for emerging and re-emerging viral infections and also explore the microbiome and its influence on the immune system.

What is your advice to aspirants of such great honor?

Tenacity is the bedrock of success. You have to be passionate and be determined not to give up regardless of the results coming your way. I didn’t give up and I was deeply determined and I said to myself one day “Pharmacy or nothing”.

I knew what I was looking for, I fought and prayed so hard for it. After I got it, I did not joke with it or took it with levity. I kept working hard and it paid off. During my undergraduate studies, I got a federal government scholarship award, to the tune of #150,000 every year. In all, be passionate, be tenacious and be consistent.

Editor’s Note: We hope this story was inspiring and motivating. If you have a success story to share with us, just CLICK HERE. Let’s share your story. Motivate Someone today.

PS: Your success story mustn’t be about first class. It could be how you were able to train yourself in school despite the challenges, or how you made legitimate money in school even while studying, etc. Please your story with us today.

Once more, Congratulations to Samuel Adefisoye Lawal. We wish you the best in your endeavors.