Girl, 13, emerges Good Shepherd best pupil

L-R: Director, Good Shepherd Schools, Lagos, Dr. Bayo Oyeyemi; Best overall pupil, Miss Oluwabunmi Adeyeye; her mother, Mrs. Adeyeye, at the school’s prize-giving ceremony ...on Friday

For scoring over 80 per cent in all her subjects in the outgoing academic session, a 13-year old girl, Oluwabunmi Adeyeye, has won the best academic minded-pupil award of Good Shepherd Schools, Lagos.

Consequently, the management of the institution has offered the JSS 2 pupil a  scholarship.

Her parents would therefore be saved the burden of paying tuition throughout her secondary school education.

Oluwabunmi was the cynosure of all eyes at the 2012 graduation and prize-giving day of the school on Friday as she received three awards. First, she won the best JSS 2 pupil award; then the best in JSS arm of the school and the overall best pupil award of Good Shepherd Schools in the just concluded academic session.

The girl, who aspires to read Medicine, was full of joy when the director of the school, Dr. Bayo Oyeyemi, announced the scholarship. Her mother, Mrs Adeyeye, who accompanied her to the 14th graduation, was also happy.

Oyeyemi said the school awarded Oluwabunmi the scholarship as a way of motivating her to do better and to inspire other pupils to take their studies more seriously. He added that the girl was the only pupil that scored 80 and above in all her subjects in all the three arms of the school. Oyeyemi noted that such efforts should not go unrewarded.

In response, Oluwabunmi expressed happiness at her performance. But she was quick to add that God’s grace, hard work and the support she received from her parents and teachers were some of the factors that helped her to excel.

She said, “I feel very happy. I never thought I would emerge the best. I studied every day and I was not too playful. I want to study Medicine at the university.”

She advised her fellow pupils to embrace the culture of hard work, obedience and discipline if they hoped to excel in their academic endeavour.

Before the presentation of prizes to pupils who distinguished themselves in the outgoing session, Oyeyemi told the audience comprising pupils, parents and friends of the school that the school groomed pupils to fit into a competitive world.

He said, “We prepare them so that they can excel through self-reliance and not through any crooked means. Our commitment to discipline remains steadfast. Our pupils are trained to respect the rights of others, thereby shutting out all forms of vices.

Oyeyemi admonished the pupils not to join bad gangs, but to imbibe the virtues of honesty, transparency, accountability and hard work that had been inculcated into them as pupils of the school. This, he noted, would single them out for greatness in life.

He added, “We have taught you that through industry and working with your hands, you can have good success. If you keep to this path, more accolades are coming your way and other countrymen and women will emulate you.

“In higher institutions, stay true to the ideals you have learnt for six years during your stay here. I wish you success in the world.”

Also, the Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, who was represented by a deputy director in the ministry, Alhaja Idowu Akinlade, urged the pupils to embrace hard work.

This, she said, became necessary because hard work “is the only recipe for success.”

In his remarks, a professor in the Faculty of Education, Lagos State University, Ojo, Emmanuel Akinlade, also advised the pupils to work hard as there was no easy route to success.

Responding on behalf of the graduating pupils, the outgoing Head Boy of the school, Adeniyi Adedapo, promised that they would not let the school down.

He also applauded their teachers for giving them the needed advice and support, which he said, contributed to their academic performance.

Guests were entertained by the school’s orchestra.