I am Abdulqudus, Hameed Olohuntoyin, a graduate of Botany in the Faculty of Science, with a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 4.73. It wasn't an easy journey, it has truly been God. Having finished secondary school more than five years before securing admission, my path was filled with twists and turns, missing LASU admission in 2018, graduating with a Distinction from Osun State College of Health Technology in 2019, and finally gaining admission into LASU in 2022.
Being named Best Graduating Student of my department feels different, the joy and fulfilment that come with achieving something like this after all the hard work, sacrifices, and challenges are truly second to none. I served as Head of Class in the Department of Botany from 100 to 400 level, as Auditor General across two administrations, as Director of Studies for MSSN LASU in the 2025/2026 session, and participated in the 2026 Measles-Rubella Vaccine Community Outreach and Sensitization Programme.
Juggling practicals, concurrent tests, and HoC responsibilities was one of my most prominent challenges, which I managed by reading certain sections thoroughly and skimming the rest, and by God's grace, many of those strategies worked out. Working hard is not always enough, working smart, coupled with a lot of prayers, makes a significant difference, a lesson I'll hold onto for life. I received a Certificate of Academic Excellence from NABOS LASU, the HoC of the Year Award for 2024/2025, and benefited from the Lagos State Scholarship Fund.
Almighty Allah, and my own resolve, have been my biggest sources of inspiration, and I hope my journey reminds others that setbacks don't have to define their future.
My advice to current and incoming students is that with perseverance, smart work, and prayer, challenges and setbacks do not have to define your future. As I remind myself often: it is not always the most intelligent or the strongest who survives, but the one who adapts best to change.