Congratulations to Yembi: An Orphan Boy’s Journey to Academic Excellence – AAUA’s 2023/2024 Overall Best ofGraduating Student
I had the honor to present the award prize of Overall Best Graduating Student sponsored by the Adekunle Ajasin University Alumni Association to the university’s best graduating student for the 2023/2024 academic session, Oluwadara Glory Yembi.
The presentation took place at the institution’s 25th Anniversary and 13th Convocation Ceremony held yesterday, Saturday, December 14, 2024 on the beautiful and pristine campus of the university named after one of Nigeria’s avatars and foremost educationist, Chief Adekunle Ajasin.
Last year, the alumni association under my leadership instituted a N250,000 cash prize/award to honor any student who demonstrates uncommon courage, resilience, perseverance and high scholarship to emerge as the Overall Best Graduating Student of AAUA, our alma mater.
It is fitting and heartwarming that the first recipient is Oluwadara Glory Yembi of the Business Administration Department with Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.73 over 5.00.
Yembi’s story is remarkable because he’s a light that forced itself out of the confinement of pitch darkness. He’s an orphan who didn’t allow his background to put his back to the ground.
Yembi’s story screams at us that no one has an excuse not to succeed in life. Like the child of ‘pandoro’ (a Yoruba understands that signification), he rises above the vicissitude of life to sit on the altar of glory.
Yes. His departed parents named him Glory. But Yembi had to work harder than an average university student to achieve glory.
At the convocation ceremony, he was the cynosure of all eyes including Gov Lucky Ayedatiwa, Governor of Ondo State, as he received multiple cash prizes and awards, and also an automatic employment offer from a company.
On the eve of the convocation ceremony, I met the unassuming young man in the office of Dr Kazeem, my friend who supervised his project. I saw big dreams in his eyes and confidence in his words as we discussed his future.
Incidentally, Yembi and I are connected and he’s connected to the alumni association as well.
Like me, Yembi is from Eti-Osa Local Government Area; my place of birth and the land that forged me into whomever I am today. His connection to Alumni body is based on the accident of history that he was taught throughout and supervised by the Worldwide General Secretary of AAUA Alumni Association, Dr Kunle Yushau Kazeem.
To every other Oluwadara Glory Yembi out there, do not allow anyone to tell you that it is impossible.
Yes! You CAN. Think Yembi, think Glory.
As the alumni association of AAUA, we celebrate Yembi’s academic feat and wish him and all the new graduates a most fulfilling journey ahead.
As the alumni body, we remain committed to working with other stakeholders in maintaining the high standards of AAUA and encouraging academic excellence.
Postscript: I was joined by Dr Kazeem Yushau and Dr Simeon Olaogun (immediate past Chairman, Akungba Branch of AAUA Alumni) to honour Yembi)
Yours truly,
Olumide Olugbemi-Gabriel PhD
President,
Adekunle Ajasin University Alumni Association
