Hephzber Ifunanya Obiora, who emerged the overall best graduating student at the 7th Commencement ceremony of the American University of Nigeria (AUN) Yola, Adamawa, studied English Language and Literature at the university’s School of Arts & Sciences. She was the valedictorian for the 2015 class. Obiora, who was the president of the Honour Society of the institution, led other students to represent the school at various exchange programmes abroad. She spoke with ZEBULON AGOMUO, Deputy Editor, BD SUNDAY, on the benefits of the programmes, the exposures, and the need for students to work hard. Excerpts:
What are some of the benefits of the exchange programmes at AUN, which took you to different parts of the world with other students in the group you were leading?
First of all it was exciting. The first exchange programme I had was in 2013; we went to New York. But then we were representing South Africa. We were actually studying about that particular country. In addition, we represented South Korea. I think we were two groups; one represented North Korea, the other South Korea. Representing these countries was a great exposure because we studied about them, detailed information about them- from their Independence and general happenings in those countries. When we got there, we met students from other universities, including Harvard. By that exposure, you actually come to realise that you actually know a lot, if not more than they know.
To what extent do you think such an exposure has impacted the lives of AUN students?It has given us the ability to speak up wherever we find ourselves. We are not intimidated by black-white, American-African barrier. There is no inferiority complex of any kind because we operate on equal basis or even above. Second, it helps the students to develop the attributes to become ambassadors, because whenever we go out we carry the name (badge) of AUN and of our country. The exposure has also taken us beyond classroom level because some things we dealt with were purely professional which, not only helped in our academic work, but also widened our world view.
Hephzber Ifunanya Obiora
Some people will consider you as privileged having had the opportunity to study at AUN; those in that category complain that they can’t afford the fees for an AUN education; what is your take on this?
First of all, I think I have an advice for children. AUN has scholarship programmes for those wishing to study there. Anyone who scores a certain point (I can’t be exact now) gets a scholarship from the school. Now, if you say the school is expensive, why not study hard so that you can get a scholarship. I was on scholarship. It is not as if I paid millions of Naira. No. Because I studied very hard, I was able to be at AUN. There’s always a reward for hard work. Back to the school, President Margie Ensign is working twice as hard now to get organisations and individuals come to talk to students and to donate to the school, and when such donations are made there will be more money to do more scholarship. It is still a work in progress. But mind you, AUN is not costly compared to its peers elsewhere even in the country. I must say that with all the benefits students enjoy and the quality education being offered, it will be unfair to say it is costly. But as I have said, if anybody says it is costly, let the person explore the scholarship option through hard work.
Part of the mission of AUN is to provide quality education to Nigeria and Africa’s future leaders in order to equip them with the skills needed to solve development issues on the continent; to take over the political and economic leadership of the country. But does it bother you that over the years, older generation has continued to dominate leadership positions. Many people have expressed the fear that the much expected “future” may not even come for today’s youths as it were. What do you think?What I tell the young people is to give politics a break for now that the old and established politicians are still there; if you want to go into politics empty-handed it will not work. The youth must concentrate on developing themselves for now. After you must have excelled in business for instance, and you decide to go into politics, people will then say, ‘oh, we have been seeing him on TV and reading his success story in business in newspapers, let’s vote for him’. We must do first thing first. Develop yourself and make yourself ready for relevance tomorrow. There are young Africans who are doing great in their chosen areas. By the time you begin to impact the world with your creativity, people will notice you for higher responsibility. It is not just possible to replace the older generation with the younger generation in a day. The younger generation must make themselves relevant for whatever position they want to occupy, whether in politics or business. It is not enough to complain, but must plan on how to make themselves useful to society.
