How I overcame F9 parallel in WASSCE to bag first class in OAU — UNILAG don

How I overcame F9 parallel in WASSCE to bag first class in OAU — UNILAG don

Dr Adewale Tiamiyu, a lecturer in the Department of European Languages and Integration Studies at the University of Lagos, shares his remarkable educational journey from humble beginnings to academic success in this interview with IMOLEAYO OYEDEYI

How did you feel when you had an ‘F9 parallel’ in your O’level exam?

That was in 1987. I felt it was over and it was not possible to go back to school. But I still tried. At that time, it was my social life that affected me. I used to be a break dancer. I also marched for my school: Adelagun Memorial Grammar School in Ibadan, Oyo State. But at the end of it all, I went to check my result and it was F9 parallel. So I lost hope. Though I later sat for the GCE exam, it wasn’t successful, because I did not have the English language. I tried the examination twice and I had E8 in the language. So I abandoned education in 1990. Between 1990 to 1995, I was in Cote d’Ivoire as a meat seller. So I travelled out of the country. However, I returned in 1995 to Lagos and registered for GCE lessons. At the same time, I worked as a primary school teacher in Surulere. So I prepared to go back to school between 1995 and 1997. I made my GCE in 1996 and got admitted into Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife in 1997.

However, was it only the break dancing and extracurricular activities that made you fail the ‘level examinations?

No. That was not the only issue. Then, I was too social and had about 18 girlfriends in almost all Ibadan schools. In those days, we always went to different schools for inter-house sports and I would want to have at least one girlfriend in any school we visited. I am talking of the 80s now. So, I think it was my social life. It was later in life that I understood that I was not a dullard since I had a First Class in OAU years later. I used to think I was a dullard, but my academic achievement in Ife made me believe I was not. I was just not serious during my secondary school days.

What was the reaction of your parents to your O’level result at that time, did they also give up on your education?

They were disappointed that I had an F9 parallel in my O’level. But when I did GCE in 1988, I had credits in four subjects, excluding English. So I did GCE again and kept on having E. So I tried, but I couldn’t make the full five credits. And I never wanted to go to a polytechnic anyway. Assuming I wanted to do that, I could have combined my results. But I never wanted to go. I remember that after my first attempt, it was one of my girlfriends who taught me Mathematics, which made me pass the subject in the second examination, GCE. But I never had credits in English. And when I couldn’t get admission to the university, I wasn’t comfortable in my area anymore. So, I had to travel out of the country.

But why Cote D’IVoire?

I wanted to go to the United States from a French country. This was because most of my mates who didn’t make their results back then had travelled to Holland and other foreign countries just to take away that shame of not passing O’level. You know we were big guys in those days. And all our girlfriends had all gone to the universities because they made their results. So psychologically we were disturbed. We just felt the only option available for us was to go abroad and look for money. So that was why we travelled out. I had intended to go to the USA from Cote d’Ivoire. But when I got to Abidjan, I was disappointed with what I saw. I regretted travelling out. And even now, the phobia is still in me as I don’t want to travel out. Even if they are calling me in the same USA now, I already have that phobia that I don’t want to go and suffer anywhere in the world.

Do you know where some of the bright students in your secondary days are right now?

graduate assistant. But I later resigned from the university in 2006.

Why did you resign?

I received a job offer from Conoil Plc because I had a First Class and the company needed people who spoke French fluently. I went for their interview and they saw that my French was very powerful. So they asked me to get more people for them, which I did. I was expected to give the university three months’ notice which I did in my resignation letter. But before the three months could end, I had already lost the Conoil job. So I lost both ways at the same time. I couldn’t get back into the university and the Oil company had also got someone else to replace me. So I ended up becoming a primary school teacher again in Lagos.

How did that happen?

What happened was that I was expected to resume in Conoil the following month. But because I didn’t want to abscond from the university, I had to give the school three months’ notice. Along the line, I lost my phone. So there was a problem of communication between me and the oil company. I had thought they would wait for me since I had already requested three months before resuming with them. But by the time I left Ife three months later and went to the oil company, they had already got someone else. So, I went back to teaching at primary and secondary schools. Later on, I did my master’s programme in 2010 and was employed at UNILAG in 2012 as a lecturer. I began my PhD immediately and finished it in 2020. So it took me eight years to run the programme. But I thank God that I have been able to make up for lost time.

Do your wife and children speak the foreign languages you speak fluently?

No, not all. But everybody in my family speaks Chinese. They all understand French and German. I taught them the languages. Two of my children are currently competing in an international competition in China. They were invited by the Chinese school. I am determined to get back what I lost in education for my children.