In the midst of a sea of A’s and B’s, there it is — an enigmatic eight grade “E” stands out, challenging the expectations of Umar Samsudeen, who once served as the Students Union Chairman at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.
Delving into the story behind this substandard performance, the narrative becomes evident that Samsudeen’s extracurricular activities have outshone his academic achievements, making the grade “E” an emblem of his dedication beyond his academic sphere.
Umar Samsudeen, currently a 500-level law student, held the position of Students Union Chairman during the 2019/2020 academic year at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.
Umar Samshudeen
Recounting his leadership struggles, Samsudeen narrated to this reporter how the journey of leadership is not for the weak—noting how the unexpected grade “E” defied his hopes for the best grades.
“During my tenure as the students’ Union chairman, I had eight-grade “E”. It was during that time that I had a profound realization about the challenges of leadership.
“ I hardly had time for personal pursuit because my primary focus was dedicated to the well-being of my fellow students, said Samsudeen
High Commitment to Extracurriculars Blamed for Poor Grades
Speaking with this reporter, Samsudeen revealed the reasons behind his poor academic performance, citing over-commitments as a significant factor—noting that his daily commitments had been one of the major reasons for his subpar academic performance.
“I am committed to many things. Sometimes, I would receive different calls whenever I tended to have time for myself, informing me that some students had been attacked and my immediate attention was required at the clinic.”
Expanding on his viewpoint, he suggested that a balance could be struck between co-curricular activities and academic excellence, but when one is deeply committed to discharging various duties, co-curricular activities tend to take precedence over academic responsibilities.
“The fact is the commitment to the students. There were times when I did not attend lectures,” he admitted, “or in the event of a lecture, I would receive a call or text notifying me that my attention was urgently needed due to an emergency situation in the hospital.”
Abdulhamiid Adebayo
Also, Abdulhamiid Adebayo, a fresh graduate of accounting from Ekiti State University, shared a similar experience with Samshudeen. He noted how the extracurricular activities had diverted his attention from getting firsthand information about his academic career.
He emphasized that the lack of clear information about his primary task resulted in increased expense and subpar academic performance.
“ The information I lacked about lectures drew me backwards in my academic progress but glory to God I excelled alongside my coursemates.”
My Second Class Upper Becomes Second Class Lower—Yusuf Agboola
Yusuf Agboola , a fresh graduate of law from Kwara State University, Malete, shared the story behind his academic journey—shedding light on how his involvement in extracurricular activities led to a shift from his initial second-class upper status to a lower class of honor.
Yusuf’s Agboola
Speaking, Yusuf recounted his dedication to non-academic pursuits ultimately impacted his academic performance—causing his classification to slip.
“During my tenure as the NAOSS national president, I faced significant challenges as I was unable to dedicate sufficient time to my primary responsibilities. A year later, when I assumed the role of president of the Egbedun local government association, my academic performance began to suffer. My previously achieved second class lower upper grade declined to a second class lower.”
“I was so committed to many things that I didn’t have class attendance for two consecutive semesters, which adversely affected my educational progress. I received a grade “D” in a four-unit course and a “C” in the Law of Evidence , another four-unit course.”
Extra Curricular Activities Prove More Valuable than Traditional Degrees
Yusuf Agboola, irrespective of his encounter with extracurriculars, boldly admits that engaging in extracurricular activities has offered him certain benefits that are not attainable solely through a traditional classroom education, regardless of his graduation status.
Stressing further, he boosted his career and knowledge gathered beyond the four walls of the classroom—adding that there are benefits, degrees alone can not provide him but extracurricular activities.
His words: “ I believe that going beyond the pursuit of a first-class degree equips me with the skill to be responsible after school. Those who only focus on their CGPA may seek guidance after graduation, as they’ve concentrated on academic knowledge, not practical experience.”
Students Must Learn How to Balance Academics with Extracurriculars—Expert
While speaking with Dr NI Lawal, a lecturer in the faculty of education at federal university Gusau, provided valuable insight on the importance of students learning how to balance academic pursuit with extracurricular activity.
According to Dr. Lawal, students who fail to strike this balance might resort to cheating during exams due to a lack of time for proper preparation. He emphasized the significance of students being able to manage both aspects, as both their degree and skills are crucial in life.
Furthermore, Dr. Lawal suggested that students should prioritize their primary academic responsibilities over extracurricular activities. He noted that these activities can sometimes tempt
“ Students should be able to know how to balance the two because both the degree and skills are important in life, but they should not let one affect the other. Because extracurricular activities, if not well handled, can distract student attention totally from studies and may lead to low class of degree.
Dr Lawal further added that students should prioritize their primary academic responsibilities over extracurricular activities—nothing that these activities can sometimes tempt students to skip class and lectures, making them trainers in the classroom.
