Women
My First Class Option Started From Secondary School – Oyebanji
Hardwork and determination, they say are key to any successful endeavour. However, the most important point is the wisdom, understanding and foresight to start a vision early.
Hardwork is the ability to never stop and never give up until you suceed. It involves physical, mental or emotional effort, high levels of focus and purpose.
Determination on the other hand is the positive and emotional feeling that involves persevering towards a difficult goal in spite of obstacles. This occurs before goal attainment and serves to motivate behaviour that will help achieve one’s goal.
The world’s most successful people have unshakeable confidence in themselves and in their vision, no wonder, when these people set a goal, nothing gets in their way of achieving it.
There is a certain young man who at age 25 should become an inspirational story to the young and younger generation of they hope to succeed in life.
It was a chance meeting with Ayobami Iyanuoluwa Oyebanji at the Department of Microbiology at the Rivers State University, Port Harcourt. In the office of the Head of Department, Associate Professor Nedie Patience Akani, another great inspirator of youths who revealed to me the capacity and potentials inherent in the outgoing National Youth Service Corps member who served diligently in the department.
Mr Oyebanji is an indigene of Osun State and a first class graduate in Microbiology from the Osun State University(2018/2019 session).Here is his story…
From secondary school, I had it in my mind that I will graduate from the university with first class honours.
As I got admission into the university, I want into action to achieve my goal. From the beginning, I attended Tutorials by a top level student who taught us Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and the rest. I did my assignments seriously because this is what the lecturers do not joke with.
Also, attendance in class was mandatory for me. I did not miss lectures for anything. I am not the type that read at night. But, I must read after the class, I go through all my notes and wake up about 4am every day to read up my notes before going to class. No distraction.
I usually had discussions with my tutorial teacher. I also started a Discussion group with five of my classmates that discusses the lectures immediately after each class.
At the end of year one, I got a CGPA of 4.03.Then,I knew that I can make it to first class level.
From year Two, I loved a triangular life. Fellowship, school and hostel. I did not attend parties but functions concerning academics. I made a move and talked to my department student who is from my hometown that made first class that year. He advised me to work hard by going through past exam questions in all my courses.
I then had a study plan which I used regularly., reading my books every day, all my assignments being done and submitted at the right time and attendance on class still mandatory for me.
Every semester, my CGPA started increasing. I normally check my results and document them on paper and the calculate my CGPA to be sure of my efforts. I look at my results and give thanks to God and make more effort. This involved making A(s) in all my courses. At the end of year two,I got a CGPA of 4.19.
At 300 level,I discovered that I needed to do more to get to first class. I did not relent,bye persevered with hardwork and by God’s grace. At the end of year three,I climbed to 4.37 CGPA.
In 300 and 400 levels,I had A(s) and a B in all my courses.At 400 level,I became the Director of Tutorials. I applied for that office which was unopposed. My classmates asked me to go for it to help other students.That was a sacrifice I did for the National Association of Microbiogy Students(NAMS).
I then worked hard on my project which was on Water Quality Pharmarcolgy Microbiology.One thing I discovered was that I worked hard at my project which added to my final CGPA of 4.51 and earned me first class honours.
For those in secondary school, my advice is,they should start thinking of what they want to do.They should search the courses online to know what they want to study and get materials in that course. The 100 level in the university is the foundation of results.A(s) in all courses should be the order of the day.If the foundation is poor,there will be a problem.
Ibinabo Ogolo
IVY-K Fashion by Igiebor Daddy Lucky, a Nigerian-born designer now based in the UK, has launched the latest menswear line, Dapper Man.
One of the collection’s strengths is its classic, clean aesthetic. Dapper Man delivers sharp, structured suits in a timeless black and white color scheme that exudes a sense of luxury and professionalism. The use of high-quality fabrics like wool and silk ensures that the suits not only look high-end but also feel luxurious to the wearer. The designer’s focus on detail is evident in the meticulous tailoring, with fitted blazers and crisp trousers forming the foundation of the collection.
Where IVY-K Fashion shines is in the subtle yet elegant touches. The inclusion of beads as embellishments on lapels and cuffs adds a unique flair, blending traditional craft with modern tailoring. This nod to African heritage gives the collection a distinct identity, offering something more personal and culturally significant than your standard menswear line.
However, despite the elegance of the Dapper Man collection, there is a lingering sense of missed opportunity. The black-and-white color palette, while classic, feels overly safe. In a fashion landscape where bold colors and daring patterns often make the strongest impact, the collection could benefit from incorporating more vibrant hues or experimenting with unconventional fabrics. Pushing the envelope with color or texture could elevate these designs from simply elegant to truly memorable.
In addition, while the tailoring of the blazers and trousers is immaculate, the collection lacks a sense of playfulness or modern edge that many contemporary menswear lines are embracing. The suits are undoubtedly stylish, but the collection as a whole leans heavily on tradition. Experimenting with asymmetrical cuts, bold patterns, or even layering could add an exciting dimension to Dapper Man. The challenge is to maintain the sleek sophistication of the collection while infusing it with a fresh, innovative spirit.
Another area that could use improvement is the overall cohesion of the collection. While the suits are well-crafted, there is a feeling of repetition across the pieces. More variation in design, such as different lapel styles, pocket configurations, or even bolder accessories, would give the collection greater diversity and visual interest.
In conclusion, Dapper Man by Igiebor Daddy Lucky showcases the designer’s strong grasp of classic tailoring and elegant design, but to truly capture the attention of a broader audience, IVY-K Fashion would benefit from more daring choices. By infusing the collection with bold colors, unexpected textures, and a more modern edge, Dapper Man could move from a well-crafted line to a trendsetting force in men’s fashion. With such a solid foundation, there’s no doubt that Igiebor Daddy Lucky has the potential to lead his brand toward greater heights
The trend of indecent dressing all in the name of fashion is fast becoming a norm in our generation and society at large. Most married women embrace this fashion as competition with single ladies.
Different scholars have given an in depth insight about dressing as a tool of communication. Non-verbal communication has been asserted as the communication between people by the means of signs or symbols. It conveys what we wish to disseminate to the public as either intentionally or not.
According to Paul Ekman and Michael Argyle, communication is carried out through what has been classified as “Presentational Code”. He listed nine codes of non-verbal communication, as body contact, facial expression, gestures, postures, eye movement, proximity, orientation, head nods and appearance.
This, being stated, married and single ladies should understand that their mode of dressing is communicative be it directly or indirectly as such body parts we call “private” are now being made public because of the trends or wearing of transparent dresses and this in turn calls on the attention of men who are weak and prone to illicit thoughts thus, resulting to most rape cases in our society.
This indecent dressing by most ladies has denied many their future husbands. The truth is that a man is attracted to his kind; his desires in marriage. It is often asserted that decency and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder, yet, in trending times of this 21st century, dress code and fashion in nudity form is gaining popularity.
This has become complicated as most men tend to toggle between their emotions (lust) and sanity (rationality) in terms of marriage, thereby setting a wrong foundation upon which most marriages are consummated.
On the other hand, most married women have embraced the trend of indecent dressing nipping it on the state of it being the choice dressing, approved by their spouses, leaving society with the question of what “responsible” man would prefer that the secrecy of the benefit of his marital vow has become the centre of attraction and viewership by the general public.
Hence, communicating with their dressing gas given licence to every male gender who is interested or attracted to what they see to make unsolicited sexual passes at them, which might be considered embarrassing.
At this juncture, it is important to state that ladies should dress decently knowing that they are the epitome of nation-building, they are nation-builders, character moulders and pacesetters not just in the lives of their families but to the society at large.
In most occasions, there are no clear border lines between the married women and the single ladies because of the rate of scanty dressing which has close the gap of differences.
Women and girls should embrace this call awakening to decent mode of dressing. Dresses that are meant to be worn indoors should remain indoors.
It is worrisome to see ladies wear shorts that are supposed to be worn in the living room on the streets without shame. This is an awakening call to our ladies, married and singles that the opposite sex do not expose their private body parts for the public. Sometimes, the ladies go about in the streets without wearing brazziers as to showcase their nipples.
The society should be sanitised of the menace of indecent dressing that is lurking and taking over the entire nooks and crannies of the society and the nation at large.
Let it be known that he or she is addressed in the manner he or she is dressed. There may be no room for a second impression. To the single ladies, your dressing decently will not stop you from meeting your Mr Right rather, it will increase your stake and place you on the list of most valued women in the society.
Dressing speaks louder than words.
Kate Chisom Isiocha
Isiocha is an OND final year student of Temple Gate Polytechnic.
