The United States First Lady Michelle Obama
joins other dignitaries to celebrate Merrilyn
Akpapuna, a Nigerian girl that emerged the best
graduating student at the Dillard University,
New Orleans, CHARLES ABAH reports
Like a giant masquerade in the market place, all
eyes were on 20-year-old Nigerian, Merrilyn
Akpapuna, two Saturdays ago at the Dillard
University, New Orleans, United States.
The Psychology graduate not only obtained the
highest academic honour Summa Cum Laude
(first class), she also emerged the best
graduating student in the ivory tower. As the
institution’s valedictorian, she was on the same
podium with the wife of the President, Michelle
Obama, during its convocation.
Interestingly, three other Nigerians joined
Akpapuna in the league of the best graduating
students at the university. The three
salutatorians are Victor Ogburie, Stephen Igwe,
and Emole Anyadimgba. They also made a first
class in their chosen disciplines.
Besides, Akpapuna won two other awards for
highest academic achievements for the College
of Arts and Sciences and College of General
Studies.
In an online interview with our correspondent,
the youngster says her success in the 155-year-
old ivory tower was not without some
challenges.
She notes, “When I first got to Dillard, I had to
learn the differences in the spelling of certain
words and adjust to a new metric system. These
constituted challenges but I was able to
overcome them by putting in extra time to
study. I also faced some difficulties due to the
difference in the education system. In Nigeria,
the teaching system follows the British pattern,
which is different from the system in the United
States.
“However, despite these challenges, my
cumulative grade point average is 4.0/4.0. In
other words, I made an A in every course I took
during my four years study in the university.”
But her stay in the US and particularly in the
university was not all about academic work. She
participated not just in student politics but also
in other activities that affected humanity
positively.
She adds, “My stay in the university was not all
about studying. I took time out for my social life
and made a great effort to ensure that my
spiritual life did not suffer. I was also a student
activist and a leader. I was the President of the
African World Network Organisation and Lead
Fellow of the Melton Foundation.
“At Dillard also, some of my awards and
recognitions include the Daniel C. Thompson/
Samuel Dubois Cook Honours Programme, Phi
Eta Sigma Freshman Honour Society, Dean’s
List of Scholars, 1st Place for exceptional work
in Algebra Relay, National Institute of Science,
Beta Kappa Chi Honour Society, Alpha Kappa
Mu national Honour Society, and Psi Chi
National Honour Society.”
Again, for the youngster, her Dillard
accomplishment is not just by a mere stroke of
fortune. Excellence seems to be her middle
name. Indeed, following her success at the
Management Education Training, Ikeja where
she took tutorials on Scholastic Aptitude Test,
she received full scholarship to study in the
university.
Before then, the third daughter of a dental
surgeon, Emmanuel Akpapuna, had excelled in
the West African Secondary School Certificate
Examination, coming tops of her class at the
Reagan Memorial Baptist Girls Secondary
School, Yaba, Lagos.
The Delta State-born psychologist enthuses,
“Upon graduating from secondary school, I took
SAT classes in Management Education Training
in Ikeja. I decided to come to the United States
after I had received full scholarship offer for my
tuition, room and board. In fact, I had
scholarship all my four years in college.”
But being a female student, did she experience
any case of sexual harassment from her
lecturers and fellow students? Akpapuna, who
says she wants to proceed immediately to the
Western Michigan University for her graduate
programme, says there was nothing of sort.
“Men did not disturb me on campus and no
lecturer ever asked me for sexual favours.
Again, let me tell you, the factors that brought
about my success would have remained the
same even in Nigeria. So, I believe I would have
excelled in the same way if I had stayed in
Nigeria,” she says.
Advising younger Nigerians who might want to
follow her footsteps, she says, “Be ambitious
and go for what you want and do not let
anything stop you. Realise that there is time for
everything. Set priorities and live by them.”
Appraising the case of the Chibok pupils
abducted by the Boko Haram, Akpapuna
describes the insurgents’ action as crazy.
“So, imagine 276 girls being abducted from a
school in the city you’re living. How crazy is
that? How is it that even after all this time, the
government is still not able to make a concrete
and accurate public declaration of what is being
done to find the girls? This is very sad. Nigeria
is my home but I would be just as enraged if
this happened in any other part of the world.
“The terrorist organisation holding these girls
has been committing several horrifying acts,
especially in the Northern part of Nigeria, and
nothing major has been done to stop them.
These acts by the Boko Haram have been done
to ostensibly stop western education, which is
said to oppose Islamic tradition.
“We may not be able to physically save these
girls but what we can do is talk. Our voice is our
power and if everyone is talking about this, we
increase the likelihood that something will be
done about it,” she adds.
For 27-year-old Emole, who also obtained a first
class with a cumulative grade point average of
4.0, the Dillard authorities also provided him full
scholarship throughout his stay in the
university.
According to the Computer Science graduate,
he balanced his schooling with extra-curricular
activities and participation in collegiate
organisations such as the Rotaract Club and
National Society of Black Engineers.
He adds, “I served in various leadership roles in
the organisations, and through these student
organisations, I learnt about community service
and have been afforded the opportunity to
participate in many community service projects.
I also participated in some undergraduate
research projects, which I presented to the
school during my undergraduate research
competition. I emerged the first place.”
On why he chose to study Computer Science in
the US instead of Nigeria, Emole says there is
no way one can compare the academic
environments of the two countries.
He says, “Nigerian universities offer Computer
Science but it cannot be compared to what
obtains in American universities, which is why I
decided to come to the United States. Again, I
came to the US on the platform of a scholarship
that covered my tuition, room and board.”
The US First Lady, during the convocation,
urged the 226 graduands of the university to
contribute to producing future geniuses.
“Imagine the impact you will make. You have no
excuses to stand on the sidelines. Education is
still the key to real and lasting freedom. It is up
to us to cultivate that hunger for education in
those coming after us.
“We got here today because of so many people
who toiled and sweated and bled and died for
us; people who never dreamt of getting a
college education for themselves but who
worked and saved and sacrificed so that we
could be here today. We owe them. We owe
them. And the only way to pay back that debt is
by making those same kinds of sacrifices and
investments for the next generation,” Obama,
who received an honorary Doctor of Humane
Letters from the university, said.
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