Olatomide Ayomide Precious, a student from the Department of Accounting at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), has achieved an exceptional feat by emerging as the overall best candidate in the recent Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) examinations.
Her remarkable achievement comes as a result of her relentless personal efforts, unwavering support from her parents, and the high-quality education provided by the dedicated lecturers at FUOYE.
Reflecting on her journey to success, Precious expressed her gratitude to her father, Olatomide Babatunde Gabriel, who initially introduced her to the institute and encouraged her to pursue ICAN as an undergraduate student. Although she initially had doubts, Precious decided to build her Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) in her first year before delving into the ICAN programme. However, her plans changed when Ismail Izaaq Opeyemi, the current departmental President, advised her not to postpone the programme, emphasising the importance of seizing opportunities and avoiding procrastination.
Motivated by this advice, Precious made up her mind to register for the next diet examination, much to the delight of her father. Despite the challenges of maintaining a high CGPA and studying for ICAN exams simultaneously, she remained focused and determined. Precious acknowledged the support she received from her peers and drew inspiration from their achievements, further fueling her motivation.
To overcome the hurdles she faced, Precious adopted a strategic approach to studying. She highlighted the importance of not deceiving oneself while studying, recognising when a particular topic requires more attention and taking breaks when needed. Precious capitalised on her fast learning abilities, ensuring immediate consolidation of newly learned concepts by practicing relevant questions. She stressed the necessity of thorough preparation, reading each topic in the ICAN pack at least twice and solving all previously tested questions.
Precious expressed her gratitude towards her lecturers, particularly Dr. Sholanke Festus, the Faculty Dean Pastor Afolabi, and Dr. Ali-Mohomo, for their guidance and sound teaching. Dr. Sholanke’s encouragement during her skills level and tax lectures played a significant role in boosting her confidence. She felt a strong responsibility not to disappoint those who had faith in her abilities and to justify her parents’ investment in her education.
Offering advice to her fellow students embarking on a similar journey, Precious emphasised the importance of perseverance, self-belief, effective time management, and avoiding self-deception. She passionately stated that with determination and self-confidence, anyone can achieve their goals.
Precious expressed her heartfelt appreciation to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina, for providing a conducive environment for academic excellence and exhibiting remarkable leadership. She also acknowledged the support and nurturing provided by her faculty Dean, Pastor Afolabi, and her Head of Department, Dr. Ali-Mohomo. She extended her gratitude to God and wished for continued success and progress for FUOYE, the Faculty of Management Sciences, and the Accounting Department.
