By Dickson Omobola
Burning the midnight candle is an axiom that resonates mainly with the older generation. Nevertheless, for 16-year-old Oluwateledemi Adeyemo, who scored 99 in Mathematics and had a cumulative score of 334 in the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, he takes delight in the act, saying it provided a productive ground for his academic successes. Excerpts:
Which primary school did you attend and what was your experience like?
I began my primary education at Saint Raphael Kiddies School, Ondo. Then I proceeded to Destiny Nursery and Primary School. For my secondary education, I started at Faith Academy, Ikorodu, and finished at Stars International College, Ikorodu. In primary school, I began not quite well. With time, I became better. At first, I would emerge in third position; later on, second and third. It was a progression from grass to grace. While growing up, there were financial difficulties, I would be stopped from sitting an exam or delayed. These things prepared me for the future, particularly being delayed, because I had to learn to catch up with my mates and even finish before time.
You performed better in Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics than you did in the English language. Why?
I had 99 in Mathematics, 88 in Chemistry, 86 in Physics and 61 in the English language. Right from junior secondary school, I have always preferred science subjects to arts. I preferred subjects like Basic science, Basic technology and Agricultural science to Social studies or Civic education. I have loved mental mathematics since primary school. I love things that involve thinking, not things that one sees around everyday. It is not like I fail these subjects, but whenever I prepare for examinations, I put in more effort in the science subjects than arts because science is a field into which I intend to go.
What were your preparations like for the senior secondary school certificate examination and are the results as fantastic as the scores you had in the UTME?
When I was preparing for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE, I started with school examinations, although I didn’t read daily because I played a lot. However, as soon as WASSCE began to draw closer, I sat up because my mum would shout at me and she would tell me to read. During my school examinations, I would read until late night. I slept from 8pm to 10pm, and I would start reading from 10:30pm to 2am or 4am.
I read at night for four to six hours. When the preparations for WASSCE started, my school made preparations for us to be like boarding students. My friends and I would go to class and read, we would be in class until late night after which we would refresh ourselves. We would continue reading at 1am until 4am whenever we had to prepare for a paper. If we had none the next day, we would briefly read and sleep. I tried studying most of the past questions even though I couldn’t do all of them. I ensured that I finished all the subjects I was good at. Mathematics, for instance, I finished it all. For Physics and Chemistry, I almost finished the past questions. I was able to do different things at the same time. If I see other books that are related to my subjects, I grab them and read.
My target was not to have any C, which I did not. I had As and Bs. In Mathematics, I had A1; and Further mathematics, A1. I determined that I wouldn’t have a C, I studied all by myself and any question that I didn’t know, I would also ask my friends. In school, I had friends that we asked one another questions.
When we didn’t know the answer to a question, we would come together to find an answer. It really helped us because we groomed ourselves together, and we were able to make a positive impact on one another. In my class, I was the overall best in WASSCE and UTME.
What is the secret behind your successes in Mathematics?
In mathematics, I trained myself to calculate fast and to solve different kinds of questions whether I know them or not. Let me say I trained myself to solve mathematical questions quickly.
Did you experience any challenge while sitting the UTME?
I didn’t experience any challenge other than the delay. We were supposed to start by 6:30am but we started around 9am. Before I commenced, I felt a slight headache. When I started, I felt better and the examination was like a walkover for me because it was simple. I finished my Chemistry in less than 20 minutes because it was the first subject I did. I was even surprised and had to cross check countless times to be sure that what I did was correct before I began the other subjects. They were simple, there was no problem and the network was fine.
Who impacted your academic performance?
It is actually one of my teachers, Mr. Bolaji. He told us that he was a guru in mathematics back in school, saying he almost made a first class. He helped me in my preparation for Mathematics in WASSCE. He groomed me. If I had problems, I would speak to him about them. He inspired me so much.
He started with me in my second year in the senior secondary class, SS2. For like a year and half, we were together. If I am free after school, I would go to him and also during school hours. After classes, I would ask questions to which he would provide answers. If there were more questions, I would meet him in his office.
He was one of the teachers who advised me. Back in school, if he saw me getting down, he would tell me not to give up, saying I can do it and I must not be discouraged. He would motivate me. He was one of the teachers who knew when I was going down, and what to do to cheer me up. He was one of the teachers who had time for all students. Mr. Bolaji would talk to almost everyone but, very often, he would call me aside because we were close. I wasn’t that close with my teachers, but he drew me close.
What do you do for fun?
If I am not reading, I play games. When we weren’t engaged in school, we would play games such as chess, board game and football. Those games have impacted me positively. They make me think fast, especially in the game of chess where you have to predict what your opponent will do before you make a move, and come up with something to block the move. Playing these games help me think fast, not to limit myself even in my choice of answers when sitting exams. For instance, in an average technical question, I would say the answer must be between these two. Average questions are questions that are not too hard or not too simple but they make one think. Not all of my classmates see an average question as one, but people who understand the subject well, do.
What is the secret behind your extraordinary performance because many people believe that Mathematics and science subjects generally are difficult?
Whenever I have an examination, my mum and dad would allow me to read until I am satisfied, they don’t stop me. When they notice that I am tired, they tell me to round off, so that I don’t wear myself out. As a stubborn type, I continue, especially when I have a target. My mum tells my younger ones not to use the lamp whenever there is no power supply so that I can read with it for my examinations. My mum makes sure she puts in place all that is required for me to read and pass. For my dad, he monitors my academic performance. He congratulates me whenever I don’t do well, particularly in the English language. He tells me that I can do better and teaches me when I find certain areas difficult. I don’t find any science subject difficult. I can only say Biology because I didn’t do it. For the ones I did, Physics, Chemistry, Geography and Technical Drawing, I don’t find them hard.
Most of my classmates didn’t burn the midnight candle and when some of them tried to, they would fall asleep because they were not used to it. For most of us who did, it helped us. When our results were out, we were among the best in our set. I would say burning the midnight candle is a vital means of succeeding in academics.
Nobody taught me how to burn the midnight candle but I would say I inherited it from my dad because he reads a lot. My dad has a library at home and he forces me to read the books there, although I don’t read them. My dad told me that I used to sit by his side imitating him while reading when I was a lot younger.
To achieve this feat, is it a case of all work and no play?
I am not a bookworm. I had a classmate who was a bookworm. I am the type who played with my classmates. When we were going home, we would play football and even chess. There is this game called bottle flip, we played it also in class. I read more when I am home, not in school and I prefer to read at night because there are distractions during the day. I have a particular time for reading.
Did you have a phone while preparing for the examination?
I did not have a phone when I was preparing for the examinations because I am the type that easily gets distracted. I would use my mum’s phone, which she didn’t give me when she was aware that I was preparing to sit my exams. I know of some of my classmates who were able to create a balance. There was this classmate of mine who had a phone and access to social media but would rather use it for educational purposes. He would download books, try to acquire knowledge about the course he intended to study. For others, they allowed social media to take over their lives, their phones were their priority.
Why do you choose to study Mechanical engineering?
When I was younger, I wanted to become a medical doctor but I am scared of blood. I saw engineering as another science field into which I can go. At first, I wanted to become a robotics engineer, but I was told that it is not taught here in Nigeria so I chose mechanical engineering, which is more versatile. As a mechanical engineer, I can work in different roles such as oil and gas and mechatronics. However, if I get the opportunity to study outside Nigeria, I would love to study robotics engineering because the world is beginning to adopt what is called Artificial Intelligence, AI, which is focused on robots.
At 16, you are quite young and getting set for tertiary education. Do you think you are ready?
I am 60 to 75 per cent ready for tertiary education, and my target is to make first class. When I get there, I will engage in social activities because I was not really social in secondary school, I became more social when I was almost done. Until I was promoted to SS2, I was reserved. I chose to become more social so that when I commence tertiary education, I can relate better with people.
Would you consider joining the academia and possibly become a professor?
The ratio is 80:20 because I don’t see myself there.
How do you describe your parents, very strict or disciplinarian and what profession are they into?
No, they are not. The only thing my mum does is that if she doesn’t see me reading, especially when I am playing, she shouts at me saying I have to go and read. My dad also tells me to read but doesn’t shout, which is the difference. While preparing for my exams, my dad would tell me that you have set yourself a target which was to finish the past questions. You know I didn’t not attend any lessons, I trained myself and studied the past questions in order to understand the questions so that when I am in the examination hall, I can answer the questions fast.
My dad would tell me to remember my target saying I had to create more time to be able to fulfill my target. I wasn’t able to meet up with the target, but I was close to it. I completed Mathematics and Chemistry, but I was almost done with English and Chemistry. He didn’t force me to read. If he saw me playing, he would say you can play but remember your target. My mum would force me to read even though I was tired, she would shout. My dad is a pastor and a financial consultant while my mum is a teacher.
