I am Ekeh Timothy Ugochukwu, a graduate of the Department of Economics in the Faculty of Social Sciences. My journey through LASU was everything I wanted it to be, one of the most challenging and demanding journeys I've ever undertaken, and I wasn't from a household where tertiary education was ever a given, so I adjusted quickly and embraced the difficulty from the start.
Graduating top of my class with a First Class, despite my background making even a university degree feel like an unreachable dream at SSCE, is what I'm proudest of. I didn't hold any leadership position, my books and the library were where I spent most of my time, but I represented my department in an inter-varsity competition between LASU and Pan Atlantic University, helped organise one between LASU and UNILAG, and was part of a leading tutorial group where I taught from second year through to my final year.
Most challenges I faced didn't really affect my academic performance, because I already knew going in that it wouldn't be easy, so I quickly adjusted whenever something came up. Nothing good comes easy, if you're striving for excellence, you must be willing to do what other people aren't willing to do, a lesson that will stay with me for life. I was recognised with a certificate of participation as a tutor and in several inter-varsity competitions.
My family, upbringing, and background have been my biggest source of inspiration, I'm trying everything I can to ensure I don't replicate that same background for my own children.
My advice to current and incoming students is to try as much as possible to be outstanding in your academics, there's no reason to be average when you can join the elites through hard work. As I remind myself often: you must be willing to do what others aren't willing to do for you to stand out