STEADY, CONSISTENT, BALANCED: SONEYE SAHEED OLADEINDE BEST GRADUATING STUDENT IN THE FACULTY OF PHARMACY

 

STEADY, CONSISTENT, BALANCED: SONEYE SAHEED OLADEINDE BEST GRADUATING STUDENT IN THE FACULTY OF PHARMACY.

By Tofunmi Adewusi

In a year marked by remarkable academic triumphs across Obafemi Awolowo University, one story stands out for its quiet determination and disciplined rise. 

Soneye Saheed Oladeinde, a native of Ogun State and graduate of the Faculty of Pharmacy, has emerged as the Overall Best Graduating Student of the faculty with an impressive CGPA of 4.86, a feat he described as “steady, consistent, and balanced”.

A Journey Defined by Discipline

Saheed’s academic journey at OAU wasn’t a straight line paved with perfection. Instead, it was shaped by personal highs and lows, long hours of strategic studying, and a deep commitment to growth.

He said, “I found what worked for me and stuck to it. I’m a day person — once I wake up, I start my tasks immediately. I minimise distractions, block my time, do deep work, and reward myself with movies or rest at the end of each day.”

This rhythm became the backbone of his success. But even with a strong routine, some courses pushed him to the edge. Courses like that include Pharmacognosy, a course he described as “a lot of cramming” and “not my favourite by any means”.

His solution? Brutal consistency.

“While I read other courses two or three times before tests or exams, I had to go through Pharmacognosy many more times. That was the only way.”

Mentorship and Connection

Interestingly, Saheed was not always the sociable, connected student he is today. “Before Part 5, I liked to be on my own and not be known,” he admitted.

Things changed when he served as the FYB Class Chairman, a role that pushed him to interact with lecturers and colleagues on a deeper level. 

Through this, he built relationships with lecturers he now speaks of with genuine admiration; Professor Sharon Igbinoba, Dr Adegbola, Professor Oladimeji, Dr Adepiti, Dr Akinwunmi, Dr Olayemi, and many others.

“They inspired me a lot. By Part 5, they had become people I genuinely respected and learnt from.”

Excellence Beyond Academics

While his academic record speaks volumes, Saheed’s story extends far beyond classrooms and laboratories. 

He is also:

An entrepreneur, running multiple online businesses throughout his time in school.

A football lover and athlete, who played for his class team from Part 1 and the faculty team from Part 2.

A celebrated sportsman, with numerous awards including:

PANS Best Player of the Year (2023/2024)

PANS Sportsman of the Year (2022/2023)

Class Sportsman of the Year (Part 5)

PANS League Player of the Tournament (2021/2022)

With his class team, he won the PANS League twice, an achievement he calls “historic” and unforgettable.

He also served as the Director of Studies for the Pharmaceutical Muslim Student Society of Nigeria (PMSSN), Faculty of Pharmacy.

Awards and Recognitions

Saheed’s outstanding final-year performance earned him some of the most coveted awards in the faculty, including:

Pharmacy Council of Nigeria Award for Best Graduating Student, OAU

Board of Fellows, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria Award for Best Graduating Student, 2023/2024 Set

OAU Stars Award for Overall Best 400 Level Student (2022/2023)

Winner, Prof Wilson Ergun’s PharmaSpark’25 Competition (Team Category)

These accolades reflect not only intelligence but resilience

Battling Internal Pressures

But behind the achievements was an intense, personal struggle.

“It wasn’t external pressure. It was me. I wanted to do everything — and do it excellently. The mental struggle was real,” he said.

By 300 Level, Saheed admitted he nearly took a leave of absence. His businesses were suffering because of academics, yet he couldn’t bring himself to let go of excellence.

He said, “I just kept going. I was too scared to fail. I took breaks when I had to and made sure my businesses could run passively so I could face school during the second half of the session.”

A Moment of Joy

When the news of his achievement finally came, it was delivered by someone dear to him, his project supervisor, who also happens to be one of his favourite lecturers.

“I was soooo happy. More than I expected. Immediately, I thought of my mum and how happy she would be,” he recalled with a smile.

Looking Ahead

For now, Saheed is exploring his options calmly and intentionally. He plans to further his studies, but not immediately.

“There are other things just as important to me as my Pharmacy career. But I’ll keep my Pharmacy path steady. I definitely have plans for it,” he said.

A Legacy of Balance

Saheed’s story is not the stereotypical tale of a bookworm buried in textbooks. It is the story of a young man who balanced academic excellence, entrepreneurship, leadership, sports, faith, and personal growth, all while staying true to himself.

In the Faculty of Pharmacy, his name will not only be remembered for a near-perfect CGPA, but for the calm, consistent discipline that carried him through.

A steady journey.

A balanced life.

A remarkable finish.