How orphan emerges best graduating student at Unizik

Mr. Kosisochukwu Umeano of Music Department, faculty of Arts an orphan who lost parents at early emerged best student with GPA of 4.82 .
Umeano who is 27 years spoke with Daily Trust Education, he had no social life while university because no body was there to assist him.

Question: How were able to emerge the best graduating student?

Ans: I cannot say how I was able to emerged the best graduating student . What I know was that I pursued what I planned to achieve. I set my target and perspective and I followed them up.
In my perspective, there are three rules I normally employed.
One of the perspective is to understand my objective and goals at the beginning. One needs to have a clear goal of what he wants at a time. For example, if one is going to Lagos and he doesn’t know how he is going to Lagos , he will never get to Lagos. Even when he gets to Lagos , he won’t know he is there when he arrives Lagos.
Any one who wants to be successful must have a clear goal of his dream and goal of what he wants.
Secondly, you need to strategize . What I mean by strategy? One must know that by asking questions and by doing little research. If you want to be a Doctor, you have to ask Doctors, somebody who is already a doctor. You ask about what he did to become a doctor. Ask what he did to get where is his is today and if he tells and you follow the process, you will definitely get there.
Many of us , have not been able to achieve what we want in life, not because we are not working hard just because we don’t know the road to achieving our desired dreams.
This is the major reason some people work so hard and cannot achieve anything.
Strategy is very important in one’s success in life.
Then,the third one is what I called discipline. I defined discipline ad doing what one is supposed to do at right time, Whether you fell liking doing it or not .
With these three principles, I believe any body can achieve successes not only just in education but in every sphere of human endeavour.

Question: Do you intend to study music originally?
Ans:
I actually wanted to study computer science. That was what I actually wanted to study at the university. When I wrote JAMB for the first I applied for computer science but I was not admitted.
While I was at home I joined the church choir for the first time, then I began to enjoy sound. It happened to me naturally, I decided to apply to study music in my second attempt at JAMB and I was offered admission.
This is where we are today to the glory of God.
Question: How was social life in the university?
Ans:
I did not have any social life because I was an orphan. I did not have any person sponsoring my education. The Priest who actually pushed me to university, he said he was going to sponsor me , immediately I got admission he was transferred out. This time not even to a parish but but to a school and he has limited means and could not keep yo his promise.
Since then, it has been a lot of struggling for me from the beginning. How I survived,
I came to school in the morning and go to work in the afternoon after school.
I came back to school at midnight after work to read my books and go back to prepare for my lecture in the morning. The cycle kept going on and on till I graduated.
Question: How were you able to cope with challenges?
Ans: There is one Igbo adages, that says God will always help the helpless. My ability to emerged the best graduating student was not by myself . God was there for me and I did what I had to do at the right time. I did my best and God crowned my efforts. It is also said that God helps those who help themselves.
Question: Is there any time in your life ,you think of quitting your educational pursuit?
Ans:
Actually, there were many times I wanted to drop out of school because it was becoming too difficult for me . I could not cope with the stress, especially the financial aspect, having so much to pay for . Things like handout, photocopies, because I studied music and we do a lot of photocopying. Each piece, you have to do your photocopy, you must have a copy of your own.
However, with God on my side, I kept pushing, knowing that difficult time are transient, that no condition in life that is permanent. I had to persevere till the end and I thanked God that I did not give up.

Question: At what did you loose your parents?
Ans: I lost my mother in 2010 and father in 2014. However, I did want to mention my age when I lost them .
Question: How do you feel now?
Ans: I feel satisfied and grateful to God. I am happy that I was able to overcome all these challenges I passed through while studying in the university.
Question: What is your next plans in life now?
Ans: Iam already a teacher. I have already started an academy. This academy is a way of giving back to the society what it has given to me through my Alma mater, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka Anambra State.
Question:
Has Unizik offered you an employment?
Ans:
No, I have my own performing academy, where I have people learning music and performing music.
Question: What do you advise people of your background?
Ans: I will advise them not to give up in a challenging situation because there is a light at the end if they persevere.
I will advise that they should pursue their dreams with focus and determination. The universes has a way of bringing to us what we desire in life so long we persevere in that line of our thoughts without giving up. God will definitely come at the most critical time to give courage and strength.
Question: Do you have girlfriend while in the university?

Ans: I never had a girlfriend, not that I did not ask any for outing. When I asked for outing , they will decline. They will tell me that they were engaged in a relation and some will say I am too discipline and serious.
Some will say that I am too churchy, too strict, that I am this and that. They keep giving me a lot of excuses. Honestly, I never had an opportunity to have one .
Question: Rejecting you could it be because you have no money?
Ans: perhaps! They will not tell you that. They will not tell you that they don’t want you because you are a poor student.
They will always find excuses to do what they want, but I thanked God.