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• Salmanu, whiz kid who scored 9A1 in WASSCE, 347 in UTME
From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Salmanu Isa Musa is a student of Premiere Academy, Lugbe, Abuja. He could be described a whiz kid, going by his academic performance. He participated in the 2023 West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and came out with A1 in nine subjects.
He told Daily Sun his success story in this interview.
Excepts:
You came out in flying colours in your WASSCE. How did you do it?
It was a thing of joy to myself, my family, my school and my classmates. The result was, obviously, an outcome of dedication, commitment, hard work and, most importantly, the help of God.
I was not the only one taught in the class nor was the only one who participated in the examination, but I was privileged to be among the few that came out in flying colours. I had A1 in nine subjects. It was surprising and at the same time amazing to me.
In addition to the help of God, I made sacrifices that others might not have made. There was also the place of extra academic work, which I did very well. Also, I took advantage of my teachers’ efforts as they gave me extra time, as well as my familiarity with past question papers, which gave me a guide on what to expect from the examination.
But in all, the determination I had, as well as my commitment and push to make myself, my family and my school proud helped me, and I am happy that I achieved the result I expected and prayed for.
My teachers helped me greatly. Our teachers are friendly and accessible. They gave equal amount of time to all students. Because they have been with us for long, they know the strength, competence and capacity of every student.
However, I do meet them outside classroom hours to get additional knowledge, especially in areas that need clarification that I don’t understand clearly. That also helped me and I am grateful to my teachers for that.
Which of the subjects was tough for you?
Physics was the toughest subject for me.
But you got A1 in it. How did it happen?
I adopted a different approach on the subject. What I did before the examination was that, any subject that was difficult for me, I would dedicate more time to it.
For instance, in the case of physics, I spent extra hours taking lectures. I also got additional tutorials from my teachers, in addition to group reading that I did with my friends and classmates. That made me spend less time on the other subjects I was good at.
You sat for the recent UTME?
Yes.
What was your score?
I scored 347.
Which university and course?
For the choice of university, I am yet to decide. But I want to study computer science. But my parents are suggesting Nile University, Abuja. It’s still a matter of discussion.
Why computer science?
I chose the course because it’s leading a positive revolution in the world and I want to be part of the ongoing technology revolution in the world. ICT is the main thing in the world now. It has redefined the world and it’s driving several things in the world.
Do you have a social life?
Yes, I do. I go out with friends, have fun, but at the right time. My friends and I often visit gardens, play different games, including chess. In fact, I have different hobbies.
What influence came from your friends?
It was a positive one. I can confidently confirm to you that my friends are also intelligent people. We do a lot of great things together. We often challenge ourselves positively. We do have positive friendly rivalry and that has helped us to grow, individually and collectively.
How did your parents receive the news of your academic excellence?
My parents were extremely happy and proud of me. Though they weren’t surprised at the result because they know the kind of person that I am. My mum showered me with praise and appreciation. My siblings were just screaming in joy and surprise.
What impact did your school have on you?
I have had a great time in this school and also learnt a lot. The school taught me leadership skills, creativity, hard work, goal-setting and achieving collaborations with peers, among others. I remain eternally grateful to the school and its management. I promise that I will be a good ambassador of the school.
How long have you been in this school?
Six years. I started from JSS 1 to SS 3. It has been an impactful and fun-filled journey for myself and my classmates.
Did you envisage you would come out in flying colours?
I knew I would have excellent results. But I didn’t know it would be as excellent as it presented. That was where the surprise came for me.
What message do you have for classmates and teachers?
I appreciate the school’s management for the platform provided for us to acquire this quality education. For my teachers, I am grateful for the time and extra time they invested in me and my classmates.
On behalf of my classmates, I promise that we will be good ambassadors of the this school wherever we go. Hard work and results will be our focus in all our future endeavours.
What are the things you let go to focus on the examination?
I let go of several things that were distractions to me. For instance, I reduced the time spent on social media, notably, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and the rest. I dropped them completely because they are time consuming.
I also reduced the time I spent with my peers. If it’s not intellectual discussions, I would not be part of it. I also spent more time in the school library because I had a target. I am happy that I achieved the target.
Did you witness distractions from female classmates?
Nothing like that. I had female classmates though, but all what we had was platonic relationship. Nothing more than that.
Do your siblings share the same academic excellence with you?
My siblings are all great and intellectual fellows. We may not be exactly the same academically and otherwise. But they are also smart and intelligent in their own way. Some achieved similar result as mine, while some didn’t get up to that.
What should your parents expect from you in the university?
I wish to continue doing well in my academics. University is a different environment and experience completely. I am expected to up my game there. But my target is to graduate with First Class.
What message do for Nigerian education administrators?
I want the government to improve on what they are doing to better the education system in Nigeria. There are more to do especially in public school system.
Not every child has the privilege to be enrolled in private schools that have more and good facilities. Children at the rural communities who mostly patronise government schools should also enjoy some level of support and good infrastructure. They are Nigerians and deserve good education.
