SPOTLIGHT
CYNTHIA CHIDERA OKAFOR: A SPOTLIGHT OF UNMATCHED EXCELLENCE AT THE 74TH CONVOCATION CEREMONY OF NIGERIA’S PREMIER UNIVERSITY
When George Herbet, in his work titled “Jacula Prudentusm”, said “to him that will(sic), ways are not wanting” which in appropriate terms means “where there is a will, there is a way”, one would think he took a time-travel to feast at the University of Ibadan 74th convocation ceremony held on the 15th day of November 2022. On that day, congratulations were offered in overlapping order to honour the brilliant and excellent Pharmacist Cynthia Chidera Okafor, who became the event’s centre of attention due to her academic prowess. Cynthia, who was inducted into the Pharmacy profession in February this year, was said to have sailed through the tussling ocean of Pharmacy school with a Cumulative Grade Point Average(CGPA) of 6.9 out of a maximum of 7.0, having lead in five departments out of six departments in the faculty with distinctions. The ceremony, which had dignitaries in attendance, provided a platform to adorn Cynthia with an apparel of awards and prizes. Out of the many awards and prizes were the Professor Herbert Akinlolu Odelola Memorial Prize((#1, 000, 000), Foundation Dean’s Prize(#500, 000), Gamaliel Onosode Scholarship Scheme for Excellence(#50, 000), among others. Indeed, the award ceremony was a moment to celebrate Cynthia’s presence at the crest of a wave, and she did not hesitate to catch the wave of the memorable period with her joyous smile.
Cynthia: another biblical Daniel in our Babylon?
Aside from the distinctions she made, it is worthy of note that Cynthia also put on her bouncing shoes of excellence, matching the horrors and thorns of Pharmacy school unharmed and took the forefront in Clinical Pharmacy, Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Dispensing, Social and Administrative Pharmacy. In addition, she maintained her position on the Dean’s roll of honour reserved for first class students all through Pharmacy school. Unsurprising is the fact that Cynthia did not only exercise her dominance within the confines of Ibadan Pharmacy school, but she also extended her tentacles of excellence outside the said school. Evident to this is the Shalina Young Talents Awards 2021, where there is a sole quest for spotlighting best Pharmacy brains in Nigeria. Cynthia Okafor represented Nigeria’s premier university and took the third in the fierce competition. Also, she was the first runner-up in the 2018 Dean’s Quiz competition and the best speaker, Chief Lanre Bello Inter-Faculty debate competition organized by JCI in 2018.
Cynthia, who is a devout Christian, did not fail to acknowledge God in her sojourn to the land of academic excellence. In her words, “I am a worker in my church, and the only days I had no church activity were Wednesdays: cleaning services on Sundays, Mondays and Fridays, evangelism on Tuesdays, and cell meetings on Thursdays. But I learnt something: there is no one that does God’s work without God also being involved in that person’s work. More like, God I am serving you as an usher in this church, so help me with school work and help me cover up for seemingly lost time. God is not a sly o.” It is no hyperbole that Cynthia cast her cares on God, and as expected, God stepped in and exercised His dominance on her academics. With God’s backing, she had the Ibadan school of Pharmacy at her feet. She found her source of strength in God, and she forged ahead despite the seemingly overwhelming nature of Pharmacy school which has sent many off-guard.
Indeed, when others are saying there is casting down, the ones helped by God will say there is lifting up.
What is more, her fierce will for excellence afforded her a seat in the congregation of academic relevance and honour. Indeed, where there is a will, you can be sure to comfortably navigate your way through submerging waves of uncertainties. A strong will and determination do not only provide a student with the helmet of utmost diligence, the breastplate of top-notch consistency, the sword of discipline, but they also ensure a historic walkthrough via the wilderness of academic excellence. Cynthia Okafor set out to put on the whole armour and as such, she treaded the wilderness, leaving remarkable footprints that may not fade out with time.
