"Past Questions": FUTA Graduate Lists 3 Things She Did to Bag First Class Despite Getting Pregnant

• Blessing Chukwuma, a young Nigerian lady, achieved a remarkable feat by graduating with a First-Class degree in Computer Science from FUTA despite getting pregnant during her second year
• In an interview, Ms Chukwuma attributed her academic success to smart studying and time management, as she balanced her studies with single motherhood and managing a business
• The brilliant lady said her strategic approach included attending classes, paying attention to lecturers, and studying past questions to understand exam patterns

Legit.ng journalist Nurudeen Lawal has years experience covering basic and tertiary education in Nigeria

Akure, Ondo state - Blessing Chukwuma, a young Nigerian lady, got pregnant while in the 200 level at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA). However, that did not stop her from graduating with a First-Class degree.

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In an interview recently published by The Punch, Ms Chukwuma, who bagged a 4.58 Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) in Computer Science, spoke on how she excelled against all odds.

I studied past questions - Blessing Chukwuma

Asked what she did differently that stood her out academically, Ms Chukwuma said she "studied smartly" because she didn’t have a lot of time to study, unlike other students.

Apart from being a single mum catering to her child, the first-class graduate said she was also managing her business which she was using to take care of herself.

"I had to come up with a study plan so that I wouldn’t have to go through all the course materials while studying. It was a combination of smart reading and time management," she said.

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Sharing her special study method, Ms Chukwuma said she tried as much as she could to attend classes, although she was not able to attend all, given her peculiar situation.

Also, the FUTA graduate said she paid attention to the lecturers to know the aspects of the course they focused on in class.

Apart from that, the brilliant lady said she also studied past questions to understand the lecturers' patterns of setting questions.

Her words:

"Then, I studied past questions to understand the way the lecturers set their questions during examinations. With these, I would know the part of the course that I would concentrate on while reading.

"I used to study past questions from about five years before reading the materials for the course. The method was very effective for me, as I wouldn’t have to spend so much time reading. It also allowed me time to do other activities outside academics.

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FUTA: Nigerians react to Blessing Chukwuma's feat

Reacting to the story of Ms Chukwuma, Kenny Lanwo commented on Facebook:

"This should encourage someone out there in the same situation not to give up on life.......that you can achieve your aims in life with determination, hard work, believing in yourself and consistency too."

Immanuel James Ibe-Anyanwu said:

"This isn’t an easy feat, especially for that course. I hope she gets the reward she truly deserves. Great young lady!"

Onuma Paul Chidi said:

"It is not easy getting first class from that computer science department with those borrowed courses that they disturb us with. Congratulations my dear. You really tried."

Sola Odewusi said:

"Good feat, congratulations. This is a lesson that will last forever."

Senewo Emmanuel said:

"She's very intelligent and brilliant....."

How I divorced, remarried - UNILAG best PhD thesis awardee

In a related development, Dr Ige Aminat Olawunmi who won the University of Lagos (UNILAG’s) best thesis award shared details about her inspiring journey from divorce to academic excellence.

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Mrs Ige, a lecturer at the Lagos State University (LASU) who was the cynosure of eyes during the 54th convocation ceremony held, on Thursday, January 18, disclosed how she suffered divorce and remarried during her academic voyage.

“On this Ph.D. program, I got divorced, suffered depression, two armed robbery attacks, surgeries and several bouts of malaria. However, for every step backwards, I took three forwards recovery,” she said.

Source: Legit.ng