Adekunle Olusegun Michael Itopa is a chemistry teacher at Grait International College, Ota, and a basketball and football coach. He emerged as the 2025 best graduating student of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) from the Department of Peace and Conflict Resolution. In this interview, he spoke about the challenges he encountered and others!!
By Chidimma C. Okeke
How do you feel emerging as the best graduating student?
I’m filled with immense pride and humility to emerge as the best graduating student for 2025. It didn’t kick in at first when I got the news, delayed gratification I guess.
Well, this was a feat I never envisaged. I knew I had done well, just never thought nationally. It shows that the hard work and persistence paid off. I’d like to congratulate other graduates who made the list, especially 15 other first class graduates across the country. It isn’t an easy feat, it’s a privilege, it could have been any of us.
What is it like studying in NOUN?
Well, NOUN is a distant learning programme and unlike conventional Universities that provide campus life, it’s typical work days for most of us. We only go to study centres for registration, material collection, practical for sciences and examination.
What academic challenges do you encounter?
It was a little challenging juggling work and school, especially time management. I work in a secondary school and it’s quite demanding and on days we have basketball or football practice, my closing times extend till 6pm. Well, I made sure to make time for my studies and it was easy to assimilate my course materials because naturally I read anything I can lay my hands on for leisure; books, sport articles, journals. Reading is habitual and that really helped.
What informed your choice of NOUN?
I gained admission into the Federal University of Technology Akure to study chemistry in 2010. I dropped out in 2014 as my passion for music had taken over at the time. Fame evaded me and academia had slipped away. Then came the principal of Grait International College, Ota, P. Y. Folorunsho, who employed me as an assistant chemistry teacher after passing an aptitude test in 2018. He introduced me to NOUN as a platform where I could work and learn. He played a huge part in all of this and to him I’m immensely grateful.
There is a belief that the education Nigerian students receive doesn’t prepare them for industries; what is your take on that?
Although the system is often criticised for being too theoretical, I believe that is why the IT programme was introduced to the educational system to bridge this gap and develop the practical aspect. I had my IT with PocketLawyers. The experience was valuable and I gained a lot from the firm. I’d like to thank Mrs Ngozi Nwabueze, CEO PocketLawyers, for the opportunity to develop. And I believe that strengthening partnerships between the educational institutions and industries can help align curricula with the industry needs. This in turn will help produce better equipped students.
Well, online education is gaining wider acceptance because of its flexibility, affordability and accessibility. Besides, not only are the course materials comparable to conventional universities; they are authored and peer-reviewed by distinguished scholars from conventional universities. The choice of online education depends on one’s personal needs and circumstances – not on academic inferiority.
What is your next plan and goal after here?
Well, graduation is just the start of another race. I’d like to further my studies; it’s a dream to have an MSc abroad but financing that is a constraint. In the meantime, I will take a few professional courses to advance myself.
What is your advice to students who wish to come top of their class too?
My advice to them is that they should manage time properly, enjoy studying, be consistent and exercise if they can; I recommend long-distance running.
