Reading time:6 min read

Don’t just focus on being book smart, but be life smart— First-class Graduate of CLA, Fatimah Silah

This week’s episode of Meet-Our-Scholar sheds a spotlight on a Female graduate of the Department of Communication and Language Arts, Fatimah Silah. Enjoy the narrative of Fatimah’s resilience and grit with our Correspondent, Nusiroh Shuaib.



Asslam Alaykum wa rahmotullahi wabarakatuh, ma’am.

Adh-Dhikr: Can you introduce yourself, ma’am?

My name is Fatimah Silah, a recent graduate from the University of Ibadan. I studied Communication and Language Arts. I am a freelance writer. I am kind of mixed; my Dad is Outside Nigeria and my Mom is in Gambia. I speak four languages.

Adh-Dhikr: Could you narrate your academic sojourn at the University of Ibadan?

I was admitted in 2017 and resumed in April 2018. I had a 3.4 GP in 100 level and at the end of the second semester, I had 3.6. My GPA increased to 3.7 in my second year; however, 300l was the hardest year for me because a whole lot was going on for me, so my GPA dropped and I ended up graduating with 3.65.

Adh-Dhikr: How did you manage your time between academics and extracurricular activities?

I did not engage in any extracurricular activities apart from my departmental press.

Adh-Dhikr: In our background research about you, we gathered that you didn’t engage in any extracurriculars other than your department press. Is this true? If yes, why?

Like I said earlier, I did not engage in any extracurricular activities apart from my departmental press. The reason is that I have worked as a freelancer since 200l and it was a lot. So, towards the end of the second semester 200l I was working on e-books. To be honest I was going to leave the press, especially in 300l because it was a lot for me.

Adh-Dhikr: Pressmen are believed to be good at writing and this helps them in exams. Is this true?

Actually, yes, if you study a course like CLA you are not just graded on your ability to answer questions correctly, but they also grade your exam as if they are grading essays. I don’t know if it applies to science courses, but in faculties like Arts and Social Sciences, you are allowed to express yourself. In a pressure situation like an exam, I will not struggle because I am someone who has written eleven or so articles in a semester so I believe it is true.

Adh-Dhikr: Do you intend to go further in journalism?

Yes, if I have the opportunity, but I majored in Journalism and Public relations, so I planned to go into both. I am a freelance writer so I am much into creativity which journalism lacks except for feature writing which I found enjoyable and my niche was rooted there. But with the black and white writing journalism is known for I don’t know if I want to do things like that. Let’s say writing because I am a big advocate of writing.

Adh-Dhikr: It’s believed that CLA rarely produces first-class students. What could you say is the secret behind your distinction?

CLA rarely produces first class and it is funny how seven people graduated with first class in my year. Diligence and commitment are my watchwords. I have two quotes that I work with. “Anything worth doing is worth doing well”. This means whether education, group work, or anything I have always put my 100% and be diligent about it. The second; “Be stronger than your excuses”.

To be honest, UI is hard and as a freelance writer I am always with deadlines, coupled with 2 hours of sleep, family problems, relationship issues, and things like that. The deadlines were one of my greatest issues, but because I have it in my head that all those circumstances are excuses not to perform well. I always told myself I needed to be stronger than my excuses. So diligent and committed.

Adh-Dhikr: Why do some hold to the notion that relationships do not affect academics, some other people believe that relationships are detrimental to academic success. Can you bridge the gap between these two schools of thought?

I believe relationships do not affect academics. When I look for friends, I don’t look for book-smart people, but life-smart. These friends know a lot about life and I think they contributed to my academic success. People are a reflection of who they mingle with. For me, I don’t choose friends based on book smart alone, but they have to be strong elsewhere, that doesn’t mean you cannot be friends with book-smart people because there will always be a time when you will need their help.

Adh-Dhikr: What’s your advice for Muslim students on campus as far as the trio of academics, relationship,s and religious activities are concerned?

The six years I spent in UI are life-changing because of the people I surround myself with and the other part is my religion- Islam. A lot of us are Muslims because our parents are Muslims and we went to Arabic school. But I felt it was UI that helped me find that deep connection with Allah and it was because of the people I surround myself with.

So, my advice is that don’t just focus on being book smart, but be life smart. Don’t just be yearning to be book smart, you have to balance both. When we are talking about life-smart, it means to do things that improve your life. Try to improve your deen, character, and attitude towards people the same way you are trying to improve your GPA. Be diligent, look around for other aspects of your life that need change, and work on it.

"For Muslim students on campus, we have an amazing community(MSSN UI) so utilize this and connect with the right people." — Fatimah Silah