A 43- year father, Mr. Saviour Asuquo bagged a University degree same day with his daughter, Joyce Asuquo, from the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS).
Mr. Asuquo a former staff of Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Calabar, and freelance cameraman with Channels Television stated that his motivation to pursue a university degree same time with his daughter was motivated by his determination to break that barrier that had prevented his family members from acquiring a University degree.
The graduate of Mass Communication who hails from Ikot Eyo Edem Community in Akpabuyo local government area of Cross River State said, “I wanted to get a university degree because no one in my family have a degree.
“The determination to acquire a university degree is like breaking a covenant that have held my family spell bound,” Asuquo stated.
He advised people to take a bold step and pursue whatever university degree that they desire in pursuit of academic excellence.
“Don’t wait until your parents send you to school. On your own, you can struggle and to bag one.
“I began the academic programme, without a father nor mother to provide me with the necessary financial assistance.
“My mum who passed away few months ago was old, and I struggled to bury her, as an old woman whom I also struggled to keep alive,” he said.
The father of four children explained that apart from the responsibility of his education and that of his daughter, he was supporting other relatives to scale through school.
“If I can do this, without waiting for anybody, other young men can as well do same without waiting for someone to assist them.
“They should take same bold step rather wait for their parents to train them in the university.
Despite these challenges, Asuquo expressed delight for being a University graduate of Mass Communication while his daughter earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Laboratory Science.
He explained that at a point, he had to quit his job after being to Ogoja, a distance he considered too far from the state capital where the university campus operates.
The elated graduate stated that his determination to read further propelled him to sit for the West Africa Certificate Examination (WAEC) at the same time with his daughter with which they gained admission to UNICROSS.
“My desire to start a family early is to ensure that I break away from that jinx of not having educated people in our family.
“My first son is 25 years old, the second whom we graduated together is 21, third one is 17, and the 4th who is the last is 7 years,” he said.
