Bianca Iboma
A Lecturer at the Lagos State University (LASU), Dr. Saheed Timehin, has called on secondary school students to constantly embrace excellence, the only vehicle that can drive them to excel in their endeavours. He said this at the 14th graduation and valedictory ceremony of Nigerian Tulip College, Isheri, Ogun State, where he presented a paper; “Challenges Facing Teens and Youths in a Contemporary Nigerian Society.”
He encouraged them to uphold the spirit of excellence: “Excellence is not something that happens. It is something you plan for, and you do in a very meticulous way. And when you do it consistently, it then becomes a culture. And once excellence becomes a culture, it is very difficult for you to see mediocre and associate with it.
“Everything you do, even in your personal life, would be different. But it is a commitment much more than something else. And I can only motivate you to keep the excellent flag flying as you depart from here today into the rest of your bright futures.”
Timehin added that social vices have crippled the destiny of several teens and youths who had chosen that path based on the unjust society they have found themselves living. He appealed to them to shun such act and embrace things that would have positive effect on them and their future.
Principal of the school, Mr. Ecran Yilmaz, said: “You have been a talented, hardworking and well-behaved class. I am proud to have been your principal. This class has demonstrated a propensity to succeed on the biggest of stages. Be it in the classroom, on the competition surface or in the community, they have displayed their talents, passions, skills, accomplishments and achievements.”
He charged the graduating set to stay focused and meditate on the various admonitions from time to time from caregivers offered to them and not stray from the path of greatness:
“Four best graduating students of the school have been offered full scholarship to further their education at the Nile University of Nigeria in Abuja.” They are Kolapo Fuad, Science and Abdullahi Shehu, Art for the boys’ school. Lawanson Azizat, Art and Rekiya Tijani, Science for the girls’ school.
Yilmaz lauded the Parents Teachers Forum (PTF) for always supporting the school’s programmes. He also commended the parents for constructively criticising some policies when they believed there were better options. He promised that the college would continue to monitor its students all through their university education and integrate them with its alumni department.
The guest speaker, Rev. Mac Oladejo, of the Lord’s Portion Church, Isheri, said everyone who had succeeded in life got some trainings from parents: “The success of a child starts from a beautiful home and not from a beautiful house.
“Most parents are busy building fine houses at the detriment of their children’s success. A child who is a victim of a broken home, the potential of success in the child will be more under pressure than when the child is free from the trauma of a broken home.
“A home that lacks love and unity might bring division that can affect the mindset of the child, create insecurity and make the ward lack confidence due to the parents’ inability to help him develop his capabilities.
“Most of the moral decadence experienced by society, the home is responsible for it. If parents do not build interpersonal relationship with their wards it would affect the way they relate with them.”