Boniface Brian Odong, 23, has emerged the overall best sciences student in Makerere University 68th graduation. The graduand, who did not attend the graduation ceremony because he was not in the country was honoured on Tuesday during the first day of the 4 days graduation ceremony.
The MAK Vice Chancellor was among the many that congratulated Odong.
I congratulate Boniface Odongo for emerging the best performing student in sciences with a 4.94 CGPA. #Mak68Grad
— Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe (@ProfNawangwe) January 16, 2018
His old boy, Isaac K. Ssenyange, a Makerere Law student fondly celebrated Odongo’s success. Here’s what he had to say;
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then is not an act..but a habit. Tonight I want to celebrate Brian Odong who emerged the overall best science student at Makerere University 68th Graduation with a 4.94 CGPA with a personal existentialist story of the person of Brian Odong.
Ailing from the the gallant Acholiland without nursery school education, Odong joined Bishop Ddungu Primary School for P1 in the year 2000. Only able to speak his mother tongue and unable to write, Odong started his formal schooling untouched. No sooner had he learnt how to write and speak English than he started edging the leaders in the class…By P.3, he was a constant trophy among the top 3 pupils till P.7. As early as primary school, Odong’s academic discipline was made clear in the most remarkable act of consistency by anyone I ever studied with. In 7 years
?, despite Odong’s obvious fluency in Luganda he never spoke vanacular, not one day! When you spoke to him in Luganda, he replied in the English language deliberately following the rules by the letter. For everyone who studied in a rural Primary School, you will agree with me that this was quite an achievement and a testament to the person of Odong.
At the end of Primary School, Odong and I had opted for St. Mary’s College Kisubi (hereafter referred to as SMACK) for High School. I joined the school while the school missed out on Brian who went to SHACK…
However, testament to the character of this gentleman, he topped the nation in UACE to make it to SMACK on merit. He was such a good study, influencing all around him to do the same to the extent that “chiller boy academic part timers” nicknamed his cubicle “katusome” loosely translated to mean let us study hard. A PCB student he did not relent on showcasing academic prowess throughout the program despite SMACK ‘s culture and liberal teaching style.
In first year of University, I was saddened by the fact that medical school missed out on Brian…again just as our Lord would never leave us nor forsake us, he confirmed my suspicion that he was scoring straight As with an initial 5.0 run. I knew it was only a matter of time.
On this day when he graduates…I look onto a hardworking character with such olympic discipline, an inspiration to many that know him and a friend to be proud of! What a run Odong! Congratulations”
