Nigerian youth makes waves at Princeton varsity

A former student of Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja, Tumilara Akinlawon, has demonstrated how Nigerian youths can excel when they find themselves in the right environment.

Twenty-three-year-old Akinlawon, who majored in mechanical and aerospace engineering at the Princeton University, New Jersey, US, has not only established records in athletics, he also recently won the Young Alumni Trustee election in the institution.

As a result, he has started a four-year term as a University Trustee.

“At the Princeton, he has conducted research on the flow profiles of micro-fluidic microbial fuel cells. His senior thesis in mechanical engineering researched off-grid power solutions for commercial firms,” a report in The Daily Princetonian noted, adding that only the Class of 2015 of Princeton varsity could run for the trustee position.

The writer, Jessica Li, added, “Shawon Jackson ’15 and Hannah Rosenthal ’15 also made it to the runoff election. The three finalists were selected in a primary election among 28 seniors who ran for the position. The Class of 2015 had the largest pool of candidates since 2013, when 39 seniors vied for the position.”

Akinlawon, who also attended Stock Nest Nursery School, Yaba, and St. Saviours Primary School, Ebute-Meta, both in Lagos, now works at the Boston Consulting Group’s energy and sustainability practice, after graduation.

On his agenda, Akinlawon said he was interested in pushing for increased diversity on campus, “including diversity among faculty, as well as improved integration of student athletes.”

He noted that board initiatives were already on the way to resolve the issues.

Akinlawon was quoted as saying, “Balancing everything while being a student athlete is something I personally struggled with. I know people who have experienced lack of respect for diversity.”

The report added that he previously interned with Black & Veatch, an infrastructure engineering and consulting firm. He is also a Class of 2015 co-chair of Annual Giving. Akinlawon is also a residential college adviser in Wilson College and has certificates in materials science, sustainable energy and robotics.