Four and a half years ago, a young and afraid girl travelled thousands of miles away to the land of the unknown with no guide, in an attempt to seek further education. Today, she is no longer young or afraid, she is now a bold and courageous woman, conquering at every level. I am that woman. My name is Grace Nwabunwanne Ofili.
Greetings to our respected dignitaries, our highly commendable faculty and staff, our devoted parents, the outstanding class of 2023, and our founder, His Excellency Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
It is an honor to stand before you as the valedictorian of the Class of 2023. As I look at the sea of graduates, I am filled with pride and gratitude for the incredible journey we have shared together. But the road to this moment has not been an easy one. Over the past four to five years, we have faced our fair share of obstacles and setbacks from the global pandemic of 2020 which temporarily transitioned us to online learning, the dreadful Naira scarcity, and the month-long election break that interrupted the Spring 2023 semester. At AUN the struggle to find a fifty Naira was still very much present, the sleepless nights reading for exams, the rush of the 11:59 deadlines and the need to meet choking expectations.
Personally, when I initially came to the American University of Nigeria, I was so timid I flopped my first few presentations. I hardly ever left the confines of my room. At most, one could find me in the library and I made little effort to communicate with the people around me. Yet, I had the zeal to be in charge, to get things done in the best way possible which drove me to overcome my fears and take control of the narrative. I challenged myself every day to be the best version of myself, make valuable connections, build life-long friendships and impact my community. I am proud to say that during my time at AUN, I was a member of the prestigious AUN Honor Society, the General Secretary of the Law Students Society (LSS) and a volunteer for the Geminate Kids Foundation which was driven by my need to give back to the community.
We are here today because we persevered, we have proven to be equal to the task and, we went above and beyond expectations. Now as we prepare to move on to the next chapter of our lives, we must remember the lessons that we have learned at AUN. We must remember the importance of hard work, dedication and willingness to take risks. We must continue to push ourselves, strive for excellence in all our endeavors and never give up on our dreams. So as we prepare to toss our caps in the air, let us take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey that we have shared. Let us celebrate our achievements and look to the future with excitement regardless of the uncertainties.
I would like to thank AUN for the countless opportunities it provided me. This is indeed a development University where innovative leaders, critical thinkers and servant leaders are molded. I can confidently say that AUN passed through me. This however was not possible without the laudable faculty and staff who were always present and involved, they were definitely exceptional. Notable amongst them are: Dr. Agatha Ukata, Dr. David Adetoro, Dr. Uchenna Orji, Dr. Obinna Dike and Dr. Erebi Ndoni. I am also thankful to my friends in persons of Esther Odumu, Naomi Derego-Somiari, Jemimah Pam, and Ikram Ibrahim. Especially, I am thankful to the woman of color, one of the brightest minds I know-Fatima Afama Banjiram. To my parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ofili who have spared no expense in engineering my success and my supportive brother and sister, Peter and Gladys Ofili respectively, I am truly thankful. Above all, I am highly grateful to the Almighty Mighty God for his ever-sufficient grace and faithfulness throughout this journey.
Congratulations, Class of 2023 the sky is our starting point! Thank you!
Grace Nwabunwanne Ofili
Bachelor of Laws (Magna Cum Laude)
Valedictorian, Class of 2023