A University of Calabar (UniCal) top graduate reveals he spent 13 months without accommodation, sleeping in classrooms while still achieving academic excellence through discipline and focus.
Offiong Edet, the best graduating student at the University of Calabar (UniCal) 38th convocation ceremony, has revealed that he spent 13 months without personal accommodation during his studies.
Edet, a graduate of Business Education, disclosed this in an interview with journalists on the sidelines of the convocation ceremony in Calabar on Friday.
He said during the period he either slept in classrooms or stayed with friends who had accommodation.
“I had no money to secure personal accommodation because of my poor background. I was able to achieve academic success because I was determined and focused during this journey. Although I had no shelter, I maintained perfect academic commitment, attended classes, and completed all assignments and tests,” he said.
He added that academic pursuit became easier when a student remains focused and disciplined, stressing that humility and consistency reduce academic stress.
“I approached my academic tasks with a huge sense of discipline. I saw school and learning as my master; I saw myself as the servant,” he said.
Edet identified delayed release of results, weak moral supervision, and lack of dedication among students as key challenges in the academic system.
He urged university authorities to enforce stricter discipline, while advising students to remain focused and committed to their goals.
The University of Calabar graduated a total of 10,820 students at the ceremony, with 52 earning first-class honours.
A breakdown of results showed that 2,390 students graduated with second-class upper, 5,819 with second-class lower, 666 with third-class, while 246 obtained pass degrees.
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