TSU First-Class Graduate Emola Immanuel Shares Inspiring Message to New Graduates
A first-class graduate of Taraba State University (TSU), Emola Immanuel, has shared a personal and inspiring story with newly graduated first-class students, urging them not to allow the absence of special recognition at their convocation to diminish their academic achievement.
In a message directed at first-class graduates of the university, Immanuel reflected on his own convocation experience in January 2022, when he graduated from TSU.
According to him, he attended the ceremony at a difficult financial period and had to borrow a pair of shoes from his cousin, Oma Omaruzo, because he expected first-class graduates to receive special recognition from the government.
Immanuel recalled that first-class graduates and some students who finished at the top of their classes were recognised during the ceremony. He said monetary rewards and automatic employment were also promised.
For Immanuel, who described himself as coming from a poor background, the promise of employment appeared to offer an opportunity to secure his first job without having to go through the usual process of job hunting.
However, he said his experience after graduation was different.
He alleged that graduates were still required to submit applications for the promised employment and claimed that his own application was frustrated by individuals within his former Department of Public Administration, whom he said viewed him as “stubborn.”
He also said he did not receive the financial reward he had expected.
Despite the disappointment, Immanuel said he has come to view the experience differently, arguing that recognition, awards and promised employment should not define the value of a first-class graduate.
«“The recognition does not matter. What matters is that you recognise what is inside you.”»
He encouraged the new graduates to see their first-class degrees as evidence of intellectual ability, discipline and potential rather than as the final destination of their academic journey.
Immanuel further revealed that he later went on to secure multiple scholarships, which he said were worth hundreds of millions of naira collectively.
Reflecting on his journey, he argued that the opportunities he eventually received were more significant than the recognition and employment promise he had hoped for at graduation.
He acknowledged that public recognition can be fulfilling, noting that having his picture taken with Darius during his own convocation made him proud at the time.
However, he maintained that graduates should learn to celebrate and recognise their own achievements while focusing on building their future.
Twisdic Insight
Immanuel’s story highlights an important reality for young graduates: academic excellence can open doors, but a degree alone does not determine the direction of a person’s future.
For students graduating with first-class honours, the achievement should be viewed as a foundation for further growth rather than an endpoint.
Beyond university recognition, graduates may need to develop professional skills, build networks, pursue scholarships and fellowships, create opportunities and remain persistent when expected opportunities do not materialise.
His message ultimately carries a simple lesson: external recognition can be encouraging, but self-belief, discipline and the ability to create opportunities can become even more valuable in the long run.
As Immanuel concluded, the world beyond the university is much bigger than the convocation hall.
Congratulations to the first-class graduates of Taraba State University.
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