Academic challenges almost made me commit suicide, says winner of KASU essay, poetry writing competition

The winner of the Kaduna State University (KASU), Vice Chancellor’s essay and poetry writing competition, Abubakar Sadiq, says academic and personal life challenges he faced almost made him quit school and commit suicide.

Sadiq, a 300-level science student from the department of chemistry in KASU, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday on the sidelines of the 2021 prize-giving and award day organised by the University.

He said, however, his numerous life encounters and challenges he witnessed in his academic and personal life made him develop the passion of even wanting to write a book about himself.

“I have been in KASU for six years now, I was earlier studying medicine where I was doing very well academically, I was even our class representative.

“Unfortunately at the end of my level 200, I was the only one who was withdrawn, I felt very sad and everybody was surprised about this development.

“I was very worried and then reapplied to the institution and was given fresh admission at the biochemistry department.

“After finishing my final semester successfully with a very good grade, I saw my name on the notice board that the best graduating student (which is myself), have been transferred back to medicine department again.

“I accepted the transfer and went to the medicine department, I was later again withdrawn, making it the second time, I became worried and began to ask myself what was going on in my life.

“I became frustrated and even started thinking of killing myself, but my friends and families stood by me with advising that my encounters are few among trials in life.

“Since then I became stronger and decided to develop writing skills and joined the KASU essay competition where I worked hard and sourced materials and by God’s grace emerged the winner,” Sadiq said.

Earlier, at the event, the Vice Chancellor of KASU, Prof. Muhammad Tanko, represented by his Deputy Vice Chancellor Administration, Prof. Yohanna Tella, said it was the institutions tradition to recognise hard work so as to motivate others.

Tanko urged all the students to engage in research and work harder to enable them excel in academics and later in the wider world.

NAN reports that the topic of the essay and poetry writing competition was ‘COVID-19 and its impact on Kaduna State’, where Sadiq emerged the winner and was given N100,000 and a laptop as his prize.

NAN also reports that awards were also given to individuals who distinguished themselves in service to students of KASU.

Awards were also given to undergraduate students from various departments who had Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.50 and above at the end of the 2019/2020 academic session. (NAN)