By SIMEON BANKOLE
From the time social media took over the global space, I have restrained myself from posting the achievements of anyone in my family, especially our children on their great and remarkable feats. However, I have to break the vow today in order to celebrate my niece, Miss Oyindamola Naomi Bankole, the second daughter and the third child of my immediate younger brother, Mr. Samuel Adebayo Bankole. She joined those before her to etch the family’s name in Gold, Diamond, any other precious stones.
Today, during the 21st Convocation Ceremony of Bowen University, Oyindamola shone like a thousand morning stars as she was declared the Overall Best Graduating Student for 2025/2026 academic session from the Baptist Convention citadel of learning with an outstanding Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.98.
For her brilliance and outstanding effort, Oyindamola, who graduated with First Class Honours in Accounting received fourteen (14) individual University Prizes which included but not limited to awards of the Best Graduating Student in Accounting; with a CGPA of not less than 4.25 in each programme; Best Graduating Female Student; Best Graduating Student in College of Management and Social Sciences among others.
The golden Bible passage that was fulfilled in the life of Oyindamola is aptly captured in Proverbs 22:29, which says, ‘Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men’. Today, Oyindamola stood before distinguished personalities such as the Visitor to Bowen University, Rev. David Olusola Idowu, Ph D; the Chancellor, Rev. Yusuf Gwadah; Pro-Chancelor and Chairman, Governing Board, Deaconess Joan O. Ayo, CON, and the Vice Chancellor, Professor Jonathan O. Babalola, FAS.
Other distinguished and very important personalities that witnessed the presentation of Oyindamola as the Best Graduating Student are the Convocation Lecturer, Mr. Ademola Adeyemi-Bero, MD/CEO, First E&P Limited and Nigeria’s Governor to OPEC; the Oluwo of Iwoland, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi and the two Honorary Doctorate awardees, Engineer Adeleye Omobolaji Falade, MD/CEO Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas and Engineer Adegbite Olanrewaju Falade, who is the MD/CEO, Aradel Holdings PLC, who also doubles as Chairman, Independent Petroleum Producers Group.
If the Yoruba’s belief that dead progenitors are always happy each time their offsprings do exceedingly well is to go by, then our late parents should be happy in their graves that the offspring of one of their children has brought honour home again.
The joy is unending because Ikereku Abeokuta, the ancestral home of Chief Jacob Adekunle Isola Bankole, has again produced another first, which will resonate not only in Ogun State but Nigeria as a whole. Join in our celebration as another star has emerged from Adebesin Compound in Ikereku, Oju-Olona, Abeokuta.
To Oyindamola, the end justifies the means as the investment of the parents did not go down the drain, and the midnight candles she burnt produced the spectacular result which made everyone to honour her with standing ovation while parents desire her as point of reference for their children.
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