An Interview With An Outstanding Student of Industrial Design Degree
Ilesanmi Abayomi is a skillful and versatile industrial design degree holder. His skills include arts and crafts, graphics design, animation, illustrations, portrait sketching among other things.
This outstanding industrial designer got to know quickly that one of the secrets to success in his department is the neatness of work presentation and he quickly adjusted.
Sometimes you just need to take a closer look at what you are doing to know if it’s giving you your targeted result. As for him, he discovered this on time, while some other designers kept on making the same mistake till their final year.
When you ask them the reason behind their poor performances; they will likely spew hasty comments like “the lecturer just hates me, he is too wicked, he is being partial”. The truth is – Attention to details is really necessary when you want to have an industrial design degree.
Well, it’s better to learn from those at the top of the ladder so that you can see further.
Enjoy this interview session with the best graduating student of the industrial design department, FUTA.
1. Your full name?
Abayomi Babatunde Ilesanmi
2. Course studied, graduation year and graduating C.G.P.A?
Industrial Design (Graphics Option), 2017
3. Why did you choose that course of yours?
I chose that course because I have a passion for graphic design. I also love to draw.
4. Can you please share any difficulty or hurdle you faced while being a student and how you overcame?
One of the difficulties I faced in school was accommodation. I got a room in a lodge that was quite far from school so I had to cover a long distance to get to school and to access materials for assignments. I later relocated to a nearby lodge in my second year and the issue got solved.
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5. What is your personal mission/vision statement?
Vision statement: To impact the world positively through designs.
Mission statement: To produce designs/visual items that inspire, encourage, and teach morals to both young and old.
6. What drives you to success?
Creativity
7. What are your hobbies?
Drawing, football, reading, cooking
8. What are your dislikes?
Dishonesty and laziness
9. Did you see yourself becoming the best Industrial Design student a few years back and why?
No, I had no such intention of being the best student. I only compete with myself to perform better every day.
10. How did you achieve your goals of becoming the best student?
Practice, they say, makes perfect. When I got into the department, I put 3 things into consideration. First, I got interested in the industrial design degree, then I was determined to give in my best, and thirdly, diligence played a major role. With these and by God’s grace, I was able to attain this feat.
11. Was there any time you failed or any time you were not happy with your grades? Can you tell us the experience?
Yes, at a point in 200 level I got a low grade (20%) in one of my assignments. Actually, I felt really bad about this. After the class, I got to know it was not because the work done was not good, but because it was presented roughly.
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12. How did you get over it?
I was able to improve my grades before the end of the semester by making sure other assignments were submitted neatly. Since then, I ensured my work presentation was as neat as possible and also put in my best in any task given.
13. Have you had any challenge with a lecturer in the past? How did you scale through?
Actually, I had a challenge with my project supervisor (Dr E.L Etsename) which I am grateful for. It’s about his relentless efforts and inspirations on my case to get the best out of my final year project required from all industrial design degree holders.
14. Would you advise students to combine academics with other activities while on campus? Why?
Yes. This is because they will gain practical experience of their skills, relate more with people, visit places, and will be able to raise funds to support their academics (vocational activities). Students should, however, get it right with themselves first if it’s something they can combine conveniently with academics or not.
15. Would you say you had more friends or lost more friends because of your goals and values? Kindly explain.
Yes, I would rather say I had more friends. For every new friend I met, we exchanged ideas in terms of business, academics and societal development which built my social network and made school life more interesting.
16. Have you ever been a recipient of any scholarship? How did you apply for it?
Actually, I got one in secondary school. I emerged as the best student in mathematics and my WAEC registration fee was paid for as an award.
I didn’t get any in the higher institution even though I applied for some.
17. Is there any habit you are working hard to break and what are the measures you are taking to break it?
Yes, I trust people a lot and when chosen to be part of a team for a particular task, I end up doing most of the work that is supposed to be shared. To reduce this, I now set principles to keep myself and team members in positions to avoid being cheated in the long run.
18. During your undergraduate days as an industrial design student, was there a mistake you made and wished you could undo?
Yes. I took some leadership positions. I didn’t participate in political activities in school though.
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19. During your undergraduate days, was there something you couldn’t do but wished you did?
Yes. During my final year as an undergraduate, I wished I was able to organize free tutorial classes for students in my department but there was so much to do with the limited time I had.
20. Has your choice of friends influenced your success in any way? How?
Yes. My friends have really been of great influence to me in no small measure. Every one of them had something to offer (accommodation, training, financial support, entertainment amongst others). At a point in time, schooling was fun with them.
21. Has your structure of home and family influenced your success in any way? How?
Yes, my family members were relentless and supportive during the course of my studies and beyond.
22. What advice would you give people with a poor choice of friends and people who are not lucky enough to be raised in a healthy home?
People with a poor choice of friends should first identify themselves – who they are, their visions, goals, and the likes. With these, they should now decide which friends to choose. “You are the average of five people you spend the most time with – Jim Rohn”. If bad company corrupts good manner, then a good company will also go a long way to help you actualize your dreams.
For people who were not lucky enough to be raised in a healthy home, I would advise them not to be discouraged by their family backgrounds. Rather, they should make a decision to make a difference positively. There is a saying that “if you allow your background to affect you, your back will always be on the ground.”
23. Can you share a testimony that showed vividly that God was involved in your success?
God was involved indeed. There were so many challenges in the course of study but God’s grace saw me through. My final year project was based on book illustrations. When I first started, I faced so many challenges getting along with the research work. I also made a lot of mistakes over the course of this journey. At some point, I fell ill because of the workload and other assignments I had to do. In the end, it was successful and highly commendable by my external supervisor. I bless God and appreciate the efforts of my project supervisor and friends.
24. Is there any particular experience from which you will like us to learn?
Yes, at some point in my course of study, I got a job offer from a radio station. I applied and was auditioned for newscasting. Followed through and started working with the broadcasting organization but later realized it was eating up most of my time and I couldn’t concentrate on my design training. I had to quit the job to create more time for what I love to do more.
Direction, they say, is more important than speed.
25. Were you in a love relationship while in school? if yes, how did you combine it with your academics without one affecting the other? If no, why?
No, it wasn’t my priority at that time. Though I socialize with both guys and ladies around me.
26. Who do you see yourself becoming in the nearest future and how are you working towards that?
A creative director and I am working towards this by creating design services for advertising, sales promotions, regulations, entertainment, and also training young industrial design degree enthusiasts.
27. What advice would you give students who wish to be highly successful?
They should do what they love, set goals, and strategize on how to attain them.
28. What advice would you give Nigerian students, Nigerian lecturers and Nigerian Universities?
Nigerian students should embrace education and shun all forms of misconducts within and outside the school premises. The lecturers should strive for students’ continuous improvement because we are the future of this nation.
Also, Nigerian universities should provide modern, quality infrastructures, good physical and mental learning environment for Nigerian students especially for intending industrial design degree holders who need to practise what they have been taught as often as possible.
29. Any advice to give to a student who has failed severally and about to give up?
I will advise such student not to give up but rather relax, take a fresh start, and never accept being a failure. Nothing is impossible!
30. What is your definition of success?
Success is accomplishing one’s goal – happiness, helping others to succeed, doing God’s will, positively impacting lives, just to mention a few.
