Multiple rejections made me drop medicine for food science – FUNAAB first-class graduate
Babatunde Elizabeth shares her remarkable journey with TEMITOPE ADETUNJI, detailing her story of perseverance, faith, and passion after having to abandon Medicine, her first passion, for Food Science and Technology, only to emerge with top honours from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta
How did your initial passion for Medicine evolve, and how did you eventually discover your calling in Food Science?
I am the youngest of five children and was born and raised in Mushin, Lagos. I completed my secondary education at P&P Comprehensive College in 2010. I had a highly commendable result in my GCE exams, which I sat for in 2009, only to face significant challenges in securing admission to a tertiary institution.
Despite multiple attempts, I did not meet the cut-off marks for Medicine and Surgery, the course I initially aspired to pursue.
Reluctant to consider polytechnic education, I avoided applying to any until 2012, when my attempts to gain admission into a university for Medicine proved unsuccessful. At this point, I accepted an offer to study Pharmaceutical Technology at the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
I began my studies late, carrying a sense of resentment towards attending a polytechnic. My initial plan was to pursue Direct Entry into a university after completing my National Diploma. Nonetheless, I graduated with distinction, becoming the top student in my department.
Following my diploma, I pursued Direct Entry into Anatomy and Physiology at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology in Ogbomoso.
Despite meeting all the requirements and encouraging friends to apply, I was not admitted. My sister, a lecturer at LAUTECH, discovered that the slots for my state of origin had been filled. This setback was disheartening, and I was on the verge of giving up. However, with the support of my mother and friends, I persevered.
During this period, I completed a one-year internship programme at Orange Drugs in Ilupeju, Lagos State, and sat international exams like the SAT.
Although I received an offer from Chicago State University, I was unable to attend due to financial constraints. Despite these challenges, my faith in God remained unwavering, and I sought guidance on my future path.
With a longstanding passion for cooking and food handling, I pursued free training in cakes, pastries, small chops, and cocktails.
I obtained certifications in these areas and spent four years at home defining my career direction. I realised my calling was in the food sector and decided to switch from Pharmaceutical Technology to Food Science. I took another DE form to study Food Science and Technology at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.
Determined to excel, I was eventually admitted to FUNAAB for the 2018/2019 academic session. There were challenges with catching up with first-year students but I formed a supportive group of friends among fellow DE students, engaging in group and night study sessions.
I also served as the campus fellowship president and took on various responsibilities in my local church and at the national level, maintaining a balance in all my activities.
Starting with a CGPA of 3.67 in my second year, my academic performance steadily improved and I graduated with a CGPA of 4.56, securing the position of the second-best student in my department.
Among my close friends, two graduated with first-class honours, while the third earned a strong second-class upper. Together, we became the first three students in our department to attain first-class honours. I graduated on 23 December 2023.
Right from my teenage years, I had this strong desire and passion to become a medical doctor and admired the way medical doctors are composed in appearance and their responsibility to care for sick people and offer relevant counsel on how to stay healthy and alive.
I didn’t know that you could always meet human needs and offer solutions to humanity’s problems in whatever field you find yourself and that you can be productive and profitable in other fields of life. Thank God I now know better, and I’m glad I eventually studied Food Science, although I still think I would have also excelled in the medical line.
How did you cope with the repeated setbacks of not being admitted for Medicine, and how did that experience shape you?
I must say it wasn’t easy for me; it was a period of shattered hopes and disappointment every time I wrote Post-UTME and didn’t meet the cut-off mark.
However, these experiences empowered my resilient spirit; I was never going to give up. The setbacks also opened my eyes to see the opportunities in other fields or career paths that I could harness aside from Medicine and Surgery. I began to see beyond that particular field to others that were not as populated as Medicine but were relevant to humanity.
You mentioned initially being hesitant about attending a polytechnic. How did your mindset shift, and what key moments made you embrace your experience at MAPOLY?
I remember a friend of mine who knew about my failed attempts to gain admission one day called to tell me about a new course, Pharmaceutical Technology at MAPOLY.
She knew I always wanted something unique, so she thought I would be interested in the course, as it was still in the same career path as Medicine.
I had also heard about the discrimination between HND and BSc holders in the labour market, but I said to myself that even with my ND, I could still excel and end up finding myself wherever I wanted to be. I knew nothing could stop me except myself.
I resumed at MAPOLY, and after several lectures, I fell in love with the course more and more because we had very good lecturers in the department. Eventually, I became one of the departmental executives. I developed more interest in the course and told myself I was going to excel in it.
What was the defining moment when you decided to study Food Science and Technology at FUNAAB?
I noticed that you could leave me in the kitchen for 24 hours and I would feel at home. I was the chef in my family, always cooking and ensuring that every process was followed and hygiene maintained even while in the kitchen.
I detested eating food outside, so I always took the time to prepare my meals in a safe and strictly monitored environment.
I found that beyond just my family kitchen, I loved ensuring that people eat the right food containing the right amount of nutrients and that hygiene is maintained in all food preparation processes.
The defining moment for me at FUNAAB was when we started taking our departmental courses; I had a feeling of great satisfaction that I was on the right path for my life.
You mentioned turning to your faith in those difficult times. How did that action guide you through the challenges you faced in your academic and personal life?
My faith has helped me to see that, as one is born to be great, there are several challenges that will come up on the path to success. But these challenges only help us to develop virtues such as patience, resilience, diligence, and other qualities needed to stay fulfilled in life.
You talked only about your mum, what about your dad?
My dad is late.
Balancing being the campus fellowship president, other responsibilities, and academics must have been challenging. How did you strike a balance?
I learned to set my priorities right and allocate time to everything; such as time to rest, hang out with friends, read, and so on. I was able to know what my distractions were, and as much as possible, I tried to avoid them as they came.
My room was my safe haven, hideout, cinema, mountain for prayers, and library.
You formed a study group with your friends and you all performed exceptionally well. What were the dynamics that contributed to your success?
My friends were also direct-entry students like me and all came to school driven by the desire to excel, against all odds.
So I was glad to have connected with people with whom I shared the same goals. These ladies were excellence-driven, resilient goal-getters and answer to my prayer.
Let me also add that I drafted a personal timetable that helped me read daily. I read every course before going to the next class.
I also loved to read at night when everywhere became quiet and would have had enough rest.
I literally did most reading in my room and never really enjoyed going to school at night to read or using the school library.
The first time I went for a night group reading in school, I ended up not reading anything but killing mosquitoes all through the night, and there were lots of people there to distract me.
During the years you were at home, you took various training courses in food handling and catering. Did the skills contribute to your understanding of Food Science and overall career?
These skills gave me prior, firsthand knowledge about food processing operations I later encountered during my study. Food goes through several processes from the farm until it gets to the table of the final consumer and I had practical knowledge of food handling through these skills, even though the theoretical aspects and more were what I now learned in school.
Now that you’ve graduated with a first class in Food Science and Technology, do you see yourself contributing to the food industry in Nigeria or globally?
Currently, I’m serving in Kwara State. After my National Youth Service Corps, I hope to gain more experience in the industry and possibly pursue higher education in the same field or a related one. I intend to specialise in food processing and safety, particularly in ensuring that local and international standards are maintained in food production.
I am also interested in contributing to research and development in food technology to enhance food security and sustainability.
What message do you have for individuals who might be facing setbacks in their academic or career advancement?
My message is to never give up, no matter the difficulties and setbacks encountered. With a clear goal in mind, be determined, resilient, and diligent. Embrace every challenge as a lesson to learn from and a step closer to your goal. Trust in God’s timing and have faith that your efforts will eventually lead to success.
