Amuke Sunday has made history as the overall best graduating student in Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), topping his peers in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Faculty of Technology, with a stellar CGPA of 4.90 for the 2023/2024 session. He is also a multiple award winner, a testament to his academic excellence.
In an exclusive ACJOAU interview, he shares key insights from his undergraduate journey.
Please, could you give us a brief introduction about yourself?
My name is Sunday Amuke. I am a graduate of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Faculty of Technology. I graduated as the overall best graduating student in OAU with a CGPA of 4.90. I am from Enugu state (and my Igbo name is Chukwudi). I am 23 years old.
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Congratulations on being the top final-year student in your department and in OAU! How did you make it happen, and was it a surprise to you?
Honestly, I was surprised. Although I knew that with a CGPA of 4.90, I was among the best, I never imagined I would be the best. Regarding my academic journey, I actually did not start with a first-class GPA. Despite scoring 99/100 in MTH101 and 91/100 in CHM101, I had a 4.44GPA. But scoring that high in the much-feared yellow and white houses made me believe that anything was possible. From this belief, consistency, and God’s grace, I later earned six 5.0 GPs out of the remaining nine semesters.
Alongside academics, what are the other things you do as a student?
Outside academics, I spend a lot of time teaching. From the 200 level through the 400 level, I taught mathematics in several tutorial centres on campus. I also authored four mathematics past-question booklets for MTH101, MTH104, MTH201, and MTH202, which are materials that many students regard as some of the best on campus. From the 400 level, I became more of an online math tutor, and notably, I worked as a Math Expert on Photomath. In addition to this, I am an intermediate-level programmer with experience using Flutter/Dart and React.js.
Was there a special pattern you used in reading, and how were you able to combine Academics with other things you do?
I think my approach was quite simple. I tried to understand each course with respect to the lecturers taking it, and I made sure that I was as prepared as possible, especially before every exam. Whenever I found a course challenging, I invested more time in understanding it. I believe there is nothing that cannot be learnt provided someone has done it before. This mindset helped me stay consistent. Also, there are so many resources available on the internet. Balancing academics with tutoring and programming was only possible because I kept track of my priorities. When it was time to read, I focused solely and fully on reading.
What are the challenges you faced as an OAU student, and how are you able to manage your academics with other things you do?
While each week came with its own challenges, the hardest time I faced was during my PHY101 exam. Everything that could go wrong went wrong that day, and everything was totally out of my control. PHY101, a 4-unit course, gave me my only C grade on this campus. As a fresher, getting back up from that moment was really important to this final achievement.
As much as OAU can be challenging, was there any fun moment you cherished a lot?
Yes, several moments! I love watching and playing football, and I am a proud Chelsea fan. Also, the Computer Science and Engineering Department was full of love and good vibes. The sense of community within the department was (and still is) something I truly cherished. We had a good ‘work-life balance.’
What advice would you give to students who want to achieve academic excellence like you?
My main advice is: believe that excellence is possible. Then, back that belief up with hard work and consistency. You also need to understand yourself to find what works for you, ,that is, know the kind of person you are academically. Are you a study group person? Do you learn better during the day or at night? Do you understand better with videos or PDFs? In essence, do not simply do what others are doing. When preparing for any course, try as much as possible to understand what the lecturers expect. In all cases, prepare for each course thoroughly and seek help when needed.