Oluwatoyosi Jide-Jimoh: How I graduated top of my class at LASU

Oluwatoyosi Jide-Jimoh, 20, recently graduated from the Lagos State University with first class honours in communication and media studies.

In this interview with The Record’s Imanuela Roberts, she says her passion for communication was ignited early by her father, a professor in the same field. 

Jide-Jimoh also recounts how she achieved a first-class degree, ultimately finishing top of her class.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

Imanuela Roberts: What inspired you to pursue your current field of study?

Oluwatoyosi Jide-Jimoh: My dad is a Professor of Mass Communication and I remember the first book I read was “Introduction to Mass Communication.” Even though I didn’t understand it then, I’ve always been intrigued.

IR: Did you have any mentors that influenced your journey?

OJ: My Dad is my mentor. He is the main person that inspired me, and I don’t know if you know Amanpoor from CNN. I used to watch her and want to be like her. 

IR: What strategies did you find effective during your time in school?

OJ: Figuring out the time that I assimilate things better really helped because I could not read at night like most people; I like my sleep. I noticed that if I read during the day, I understand better, and that’s what worked for me.

IR: How did you balance your academic responsibilities with your personal life?

OJ: First class was always the goal for me, so I just knew that in order to achieve that, I had to prioritise my academics over having a social life. That doesn’t mean I didn’t have one; I just put my academics first, and that’s how I managed it.

OR: What was the most valuable lesson you learned during your time in school?

OJ: You can’t do it alone. There were many times I felt frustrated and wanted to give up, but my friends were always there for me. Making valuable connections with people really helped, and that’s a lesson I learned.

IR: Have you ever faced a significant setback, and how did you overcome it?

OJ: In my third year, I got my first ‘three’ in a course, and at the time, I considered that a failure. Looking back now, I know that it wasn’t. Then, I was truly devastated by it, but instead of letting that feeling envelope me, I decided to work harder and do better, and that’s how I overcame it.

IR: Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?

OJ: Since I finished school, I’ve been diving into animation, but i haven’t gotten into animation yet, i’m still learning 3D Modelling. The goal is to become an animator. Alongside that, I plan to further my studies—I want to pursue a master’s and hopefully a PhD. I want “Doctor” in front of my name. So, the plan in 10 years’ time, Is to have a doctorate degree and I would be doing animation. I will find a way to merge both aspects of my life.

IR: What role do you think education plays in shaping society?

OJ: Apart from the obvious fact that going to school sets you up for great opportunities even though our system might be a little bit crooked, the connections you make in school also matters a lot. School is not only about academics, it’s about the relationships you can make. The connections your parents are saying they have today, they made them in school.

IR: What advice would you give to students aiming for similar success?

OJ: I might sound like a broken record , but prioritise, know what you want. Also, there’s this app called the Pomodoro Timer, So it’s like an ‘efficiency’ app. it helps you time yourself when you are reading and it gives you breaks in between and the thoughts of having a break, makes me want to read more. That App really helped me and the whole concept of timing myself helped a lot. Know what you want to do, prioritise, have good people around you, pray and you’ll be fine.