I refused to be ordinary — UNIBEN first-class Law graduate

Hannah Kintum, who graduated at 21 from the University of Benin with a first-class degree in Law and a CGPA of 4.69, tells TEMITOPE ADETUNJI how discipline, consistency and sacrifice helped her achieve academic excellence

Congratulations on graduating with a first class in Law from the University of Benin. How does it feel now that the achievement has finally sunk in?

I feel proud of myself right now. I am grateful to my parents, my school, my lecturers and my dean.

Tell us about yourself.

I am 21 and from Obudu Local Government Area of Cross River State. I come from a family of seven, with five children, and I am the third child.

Were you always academically driven?

In secondary school, I was not particularly focused on academics until SS1. Then I realised I was not living up to my potential and knew I could do better. From SS1 to SS3, I came first in my class every year until I graduated as the best graduating student of Our Lady of Apostles College in Yaba, Lagos.

When did you gain admission to the University of Benin?

I gained admission in 2021.

Why did you choose Law?

Right from when I was little, I was always very vocal and wanted my voice to be heard. My parents were therefore certain that I would eventually want to study Law. It was something I had always known I wanted to do.

When you started studying Law, did you imagine you would graduate with a first class?

Initially, in 100-level, my mind was not on graduating with a first class because I felt there were many intelligent people in my class. They were always asking questions while I was often lost.

However, when our 100-level results came out, I had the highest CGPA in my class. From then on, I knew I wanted to maintain that first-class CGPA until graduation, and I did. Every semester I spent at the university, I earned a first-class grade.

What was your final CGPA?

It is 4.69.

Law is regarded as one of the most demanding university courses. What was your experience like studying it at the University of Benin?

It was interesting because my faculty and my dean tried to ensure that we had all the resources possible to learn. Our library opened on weekends, so we could study there, and our lecturers did their best to impart knowledge.

My school also participated in moot and mock competitions, which helped build us in advocacy. We had internal competitions within the faculty, and I also represented my school several times in national and international competitions.

What did you do differently academically that helped you maintain your performance?

Personally, I hated being average, and that drove me to maintain a first class. I did not want to be just another student; I wanted to be different and stand out. That feeling pushed me to do better, aim higher, and do everything as best as I could. During examination periods, I hardly slept because I was focused on studying.

Did you have a particular study strategy for dealing with cases, legal principles, and other materials?

Yes. First, I would read to understand exactly what the topic was saying. I did not pressure myself to remember everything. I just picked up whatever I could.

Then, I would read it a second time to commit it to memory. After that, I would write out all the legal principles, sections, and cases in a book, topic by topic. The third time, I would not read the topic again.

I would go straight to the specific principles, sections and cases, trying to remember every single one. I would then read that book of principles and authorities several times before the examination.

How did you manage your time and avoid becoming overwhelmed?

I tried to make the most of my Saturdays. I did not particularly read much during the weekdays unless examinations were close. There was a place in my school called the Basement. I would go there on Saturday morning and stay there reading until evening.

Having Saturdays and Sundays to read extensively made it easier to balance everything. Rather than reading little by little, I preferred to read extensively at once.

How did you balance academics with social life, extracurricular activities and leadership?

I had quite a lot to do. I was a vice president and one of the conference coordinators for AIESEC in Nigeria (International Association of Students in Economic and Commercial Sciences), a global youth organisation that trains students in different skills.

I was also the deputy head of my chamber in school. I was the president of the International Law Students Association in my faculty. I made sure that while I used my weekdays for these extracurricular activities, my weekends were reserved for reading.

Was there ever a point when you became tired, discouraged or doubted whether you could maintain the first-class standard?

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I don’t think there was ever a time when I doubted that I could maintain a first class. My only concern was how high my CGPA would be because I knew maintaining a first class was something I could do. I was not afraid of losing the first class; I was simply worried about how high I would eventually finish.

What sacrifices did you make to stay focused?

One of the biggest sacrifices was sleep. From about two weeks before examinations, I would hardly sleep or sleep very little. Sometimes, I would have to sleep in school because I was very focused on my studies.

Who were your biggest sources of support throughout university?

Firstly, my father; he was there for me financially and emotionally. I remember when I was in 300-level and something happened. I called him, and he motivated me and helped me forget everything happening around me.

The same thing happened again in 500-level. I called my parents, and they told me not to think too much about it. My parents were a very big support system. I really just had to make one phone call to them and they would be willing to listen to whatever issue I was dealing with.

My elder brother and sister were also there for me. They gave me advice and supported me emotionally. My friends were equally supportive. They believed in me more than I believed in myself. They would always tell me, “Hannah, you can do better than this.” I was always grateful to them. All their support meant a lot to me.

How did your parents react when they found out you had graduated with a first class?

They were not surprised because they knew I had maintained a first-class CGPA right from 100-level, so it was expected. They were, however, happy and proud of me.

Beyond graduating with a first class, what has been your biggest achievement as a law student?

Getting a job immediately after I finished school remains my biggest achievement as a law student. I had a friend who recommended me for a job with a startup. I got a writing contract with the company. Literally, immediately after I finished my university examinations, I got the job, and it has really made my life much better.

What area of Law are you most interested in pursuing?

I am quite open to any area, but I am leaning towards corporate law. I have always liked corporate law. I got the highest score in Commercial Law in school because I genuinely enjoy corporate law in its entirety.

What is the next step for you?

I am preparing for Law School. I will be going to Law School in February next year. I have to wait until then because of a backlog in the Nigerian Law School. Immediately after that, I plan to further my studies in Law and build my career.

What kind of lawyer do you hope to become?

I want to be the kind of lawyer people look up to. I want children to look at me and tell their parents, “I want to be like her.” When I entered the faculty, I was so lost because I did not have anyone in my family who knew anything about studying Law.

It seemed like everybody else had siblings, uncles or aunties who were lawyers and could tell them how to navigate the profession. I was always lost and lonely. So, I want to be a role model to people who are lost and lonely and show them that they can eventually find their way.

It does not matter how lost or confused you are. Just start. You will eventually find your way. I also want to show young people that they can be social, have friends and have fun while still doing well academically and in life.

Many people assume that first-class graduates are simply naturally brilliant. How important are intelligence, discipline, consistency, time management and sacrifice?

There is something my mother always says: if you put an intelligent person and a hardworking person together, and the intelligent person does not work hard, the hardworking person will eventually outwork the intelligent person. So, all the factors are important.

As much as you are intelligent, you still have to put in the work. You have to be consistent because if you do well in one semester and do not do well in the next, your CGPA will drop. The higher you go in university, the more weight your CGPA carries.

So, you have to be consistent, put in the time and work hard. Every factor is important. It is everything together that makes excellence.

Looking back, is there anything you wish you had known before starting your Law degree?

There are definitely things I wish I had known, but I think discovering them while going through university was an important experience. It taught me how to figure things out for myself.

The fact that I did not know anything and was often lost and confused gave me the drive to put in the work. I wanted to know more, improve and get better. So, while there are things I wish I had known, I am glad I did not know them because that was what motivated me.

If you could return to your first day as a Law student, what would you do differently?

I would definitely put more effort into my academics.

What would you say to a Law student who is struggling academically and wondering whether graduating with a first class is possible?

I would tell them to try their best and keep putting in the effort. I have seen several cases in my faculty where people gave up before the final results because they did not think they would graduate with a first class. Then, at the end, you see them graduating with perhaps an exact 4.5 CGPA.

As long as it is still mathematically possible, they should put in the effort. There is a point at which it is still possible to achieve a first class, and there is also a point where, even if they make a 5.0 GPA, they still cannot get there. If it is no longer possible, they should know that it is not the end of the world.

They can still do well. I know people who graduated with second-class degrees and are now working in Tier-1 law firms and doing extremely well. So, a first class is not a criterion for excellence. You can be excellent with a second-class degree.