How Unilag student-athlete, Hakeem Onitolo emerged as First Class graduate
Hakeem Onitolo is a student-athlete who finished among the 2022/2023 graduating students with a first-class student at the University of Lagos where he studied Estate Management and Valuation. He shared with Sportxvibe.com.ng how he combined sports and academics.
How do you combine sports and academics?
I was rationing my time between both.
I went for training when it is training time and attended classes when it was time for classes. I did what I need to do when I had to do it.
I made sure I didn’t play for “too-demanding” teams that understood the fact that I was a student. It is the exact reason why I did not play for professional teams because it would mean I have to choose.
You emerged as a first-class graduate, what will you say was the secret?
The secret was time management, hard work and diligence.
I did what I had to do when I had to do it. I start to read for my exams in the middle of the semester so I have enough time to cover the syllabus of my courses while still not missing football training.
The middle of the semester is where you have enough time to read and rest in between without the exam pressure and it gives me ample time to understand and digest what I read.
So preparing ahead is the secret.
I read one course at a time and I can spend as much as a week reading a course so I can fully understand it.
All first-class students that I know of prepare ahead. The difference between first-class students and others is the amount of reading ahead they do.
What were your challenges for you as a student-athlete?
I had financial issues majorly.
My father is late so I wasn’t getting handouts as a student. My aunt paid my school fees but thankfully for me, I have a best friend who supported me financially whenever I was down. And that was how I was able to keep playing while still creating time to read.
Because there was no space for me to do other stuff that would make me money that won’t affect either my academics or football or both.
And yes, reading or doing assignments or school work after training was another challenge because the body would be tired majorly. But then, I am a disciplined person so I do what I have to do regardless of whether I feel like it or not.
Lastly, I couldn’t play for professional teams because of school or take opportunities to start my professional career out of the country because I had to complete my education.
As a student-athletes, are you satisfied with the way student-athletes are treated?
I am not satisfied with the way student-athletes are treated because we are not treated as we should.
We are graded on the same scale as s other students. We don’t have any scholarship opportunities or consensus.
Nobody protects us academically while we’re representing the school.
I know of someone that had an extra year because he represented Unilag during exams and missed a paper. He had to write the paper again as a carry-over the next year.
What is the future for you?
The future is me playing professional football in Europe or any other proper footballing country abroad. In summary to be a successful football career.
What were the major sporting events that bring memories to you?
I remember my first goal for my department, which was the one that won our first HOD games. I have had a good run of games but never scored but was excited to score the lone goal in our final win.
That same year I scored 7 goals in 4 games in our Dean’s Cup win and also in the next HOD games final, it was my birthday and we were down 1-0 in the first few minutes into the game. Then, the game went on till the last minutes and our opponents were celebrating their win just waiting for the final whistle.
I remember it happened with the final kick of the game. A throwin’ into the opponent’s box and I was lurking around, the ball came to me and I headed home to make it 1-1. The final whistle was blown and straight, and the match went to penalties. We won 6-5 on penalties. It was the perfect birthday gift for me.
Also, in my last Deans’s Cup as a student, I said we were going to win it for the 3rd time in a row at the conference and we did.
I remember a game I played at the legacy pitch at National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos. It was between 96 Champions versus Starbase, I was on the bench and we were behind 3-0 in the first half. I came in the second half to be involved in our second goal and to score the final equalizing goal to make it 3-3.
Another match between 96 champions versus Jumez, it was 0-0 and I was on the bench, I was brought it around 75 minutes and I scored a screamer in the 88th minute to win the game 1-0.
In all the competitions you participated in as a student-athlete, how many trophies did win and kindly state them?
I played Higher Institution Football League, HIFL twice (2021, 2022), but didn’t win any. I didn’t play NUGA because of an injury.
I played in the Deans’ up housand e, won it thrice. I was the highest goal scorer and best player twice.
Also, I played HOD games twice and won it twice. I was the highest goal scorer once and the best player once.
What is your motivation for pursuing a career in sports?
My motivation in pursuing a career in sports is actually that I know I am a very good player and I deserve a career in sports because I was built for it.
And also, it means I will have the opportunity to better my living while enjoying what I do. I would also be able to inspire people and be able to help on a larger scale as a professional footballer.
I want to help and inspire people and being a professional footballer affords me that opportunity on a large scale.