From Sola Ojo, Abuja
At the recent Joint Consultative Policy Meeting on 2024 Admissions, the Registrar of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, announced David Alayande and two others as Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) 2024, joint top scorers with 367. Thus the search for the whizkid begun and he was found in Kaduna State.
The 17-year-old student of Zamani College, Kaduna, in this interview shared his journey to stardom:
Tell us about your primary and secondary education
I had my primary education at a private school in Barnawa, Kaduna South Local Government, Kaduna State. That was the school closest to my house. I remembered that I went away with all the prizes during graduation. But, as soon as I gained admission into Zamani College, my dad and mum, God bless them, told me to fasten my belt because I was going to face competition from brilliant young Nigerians from other primary schools. I was not coming first in my class and I felt temporarily worried.
I’ve been getting the first position in class from my primary school. But when I got into the junior secondary class at Zamani College, I found myself in fourth and ninth positions. But, as I was planning to cross to the senior class in the same school, I had a rethink that I could still be my best self by putting in more effort and shunning distractions.
How did you prepare for the UTME?
I had wanted to get 400 in the UTME because my elder sister also got a very good grade then when she wrote her Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). We did a lot of pre-mock and mock in my school from SS1. That guided me to have precision study. There are also JAMB classes in my school; the tutorial sessions were also great. My teachers also helped me a lot. I did a lot of past questions review. I did the JAMB mock exam as well and I scored 67 in English being the lowest score in that mock. After that experience, I decided to treat one English past question per day during my past time.
How did you, your parents, fellow students and the school react to your result?
When I checked my result and saw my scores, I screened shot it and shared it with my friends first as a joke. However, I showed my parents and they were happy and said they were proud of me. That was emotional and I was grateful to God the giver of knowledge, wisdom, and understanding, for helping me to make my parents and school proud. They know I love them and my wonderful elder sister and brother, I love you. In my school, wow, I was reviewing congratulatory messages all over for two days. My phone was filled with “congratulations” messages. I really felt it because that was the first time I would be so congratulated.
What is your intended course of study?
Originally, I wanted to study Architecture. But I changed it to Software Engineering because the world is revolving and I don’t want to be left behind.
Why Software Engineering?
That’s because my love for mathematics and creativity is second to none. I like making things. I also want to study a course where I can work remotely. So, I can say I found all my interests in Software Engineering.
In your UTME, which of the four subjects did you record the highest mark?
I got the same marks in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry.
What was your mood when the Federal Government through the Minister of Education said any students below the age of 18 cannot be admitted into the university?
Thank God, that news came after my UTME. Possibly it could have demoralised me if I heard it before writing that examination. I saw the information on my phone immediately after I left the examination hall. So, I did not feel bad about it. I was thinking that I would take a year to explore life. But at the same time, I was not ready to go over all the hassles again. Now that the same Federal Government has changed the admission year to 16, it’s fine.
Which university do you have in mind?
I have Nile University in mind because I learned they offer scholarships. I was like; I don’t want my parents to pay any money again.
What are your expectations in the May/June 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and National Examinations Council (NECO)?
Yes, my prayers and efforts have been 400 in the UTME and A1s in these examinations. Basically, these were my expectations. All the papers went well, however, I had to study harder for Chemistry and Physics.
How has your school contributed to realising your set goals so far?
One thing you cannot take away from this school is that they don’t skip our syllabus. In doing that, the teachers, knowing us individually, know our strengths and weaknesses. So, when they teach, they break it down until the last person gets it right. Additional classes including Saturdays were added for the UTME class. The preparation was like too much then. However, I’m grateful for their efforts so far.
How many laurels do you have to your credit from primary to SS3?
I cannot remember much about my primary school but I remember that of secondary school. In my primary school, we didn’t do a prize giving day except for handwriting and spelling.
In the JSS, I was also a good student but I have others ahead of me. For example, while I had seven prizes in one of the graduations, someone else got 12. In my SS1, I was the best in Mathematics and Further Maths among others. In the SS2, I was best in Science and Technical Drawings. In SS3, which is the most recent one, I got about 15 prizes and a trophy from my school as the overall best-graduating student and I’m grateful.
What is your message for those coming behind you?
They should be prayerful and act on their prayers because that is what helped me. We should pray for the spirit of excellence because when I was reviewing the grades, I was ahead of the second and third positions with just two marks. It was so close and that is what it means when grace sets you apart. I mean, I could have made mistakes to miss two points. So, those coming behind should be determined and set a target and study hard to achieve that target, and with God and the right attitude to their studies, they can build on the foundation we have laid.
Who is David Alayande?
Alayande David is a 17-year-old son of the Alayande Dynasty. My family name, Alayande, is popular and well respected both at home and abroad. Funny enough as a boy, I love to cook and draw my past time. I’m a science student at Zamani College, Kaduna. I’m the youngest of three siblings.
