INTERVIEW: Stories about Gani Fawehinmi inspired me to read Law – OAU first-class graduate

PUNCH

Segun Olayinka, son of a cocoa farmer from Ile-Ife, Osun State, who defied the odds to graduate with a 4.79 CGPA in Law from Obafemi Awolowo University, tells TEMITOPE ADETUNJI about his humble beginnings and the relentless drive that fuelled his academic success

What school did you graduate from?

I graduated from Obafemi Awolowo University where I studied Law. We finished around June, but the certificate was issued in September 2024. We ought to have graduated in 2022 but due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the strike, there were issues with the school calendar.

What was your CGPA?

I graduated with 4.79.

What inspired you to pursue Law as a course?

First, I would like to acknowledge God for it, because I believe I was led by the spirit. Also, growing up in a village, I believed not every child of a peasant farmer should end up as one, so I set professional goals for myself. I developed an interest in advocacy and was a good debater in secondary school.

The environment where I grew up also made me realise that many people struggle to get justice due to their financial status, which further sparked my interest in Law. In that regard, I was inspired by the stories of Gani Fawehinmi, a passionate advocate for justice.

What kind of family background did you come from?

I come from a very humble background. My father is a cocoa farmer in Abiri, Ile-Ife, and my mother is also a small-scale cocoa trader in the same village. I’m the first son, but the third child of my parents.

What was your reaction when you found out you were the best-graduating student in your faculty?

It was a moment of refuelling. From the start, considering my background, I always wanted to graduate well to get myself a place in the corporate world and be a source of inspiration to people starting their careers from backgrounds similar to mine. While I did not expect to be the overall best, I aimed to graduate with a good grade and leave a mark. When I found out, I was thrilled and felt proud, and my family was equally proud of me, together with the people from my hometown.

What motivated you to get educated?

For me, I would say God. I like to acknowledge Him in my discussions. I would say God motivated me spiritually through biblical principles. Since God takes pleasure in my prosperity, I’m always interested in doing anything that will make God take pleasure in whatever I do.

Aside from that, I would say that I took education very seriously, precisely because of my parents.

When my mother was younger, she wanted to pursue a dream in Nursing. However, due to her financial status, she could not continue with that dream. My father also wanted to become a pilot but because of his financial background and the fact that his father had many wives, people felt that he couldn’t be supported without his father having to sponsor the children from other women. So, he had to stop his professional ambition as well.

For me, knowing that I had their support, particularly my mother’s, I just knew that I needed to make them proud and ensure they were happy with me pursuing my educational career, something they were unable to do themselves.

Are you the only graduate in your family?

I am not the only graduate, but I was the first person to be admitted to the university. My two elder sisters studied at the College of Education and Polytechnic.

How do you feel about your achievement?

I feel fulfilled. To finish with a 4.79 CGPA in the Faculty of Law is very commendable. It is the second-highest CGPA in my faculty since its establishment in 1962.

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