IT'S EITHER LAW PRACTICE OR BUST FOR ME: LSS PERSONALITY OF THE WEEK, BALOGUN ISMAEL

LSS PERSONALITY OF THE WEEK

           "The best person is not the most brilliant but the one adaptable to change".
Balogun Ismael, our personality of the week shares his experience on how life on and outside OAU campus has been generally. He talks on how he has been able to shuffle his  extracurricular activities with his academics and conclusively advices the fresh students and other students.
Meet our personality of the week: ISMAEL BALOGUN a.k.a I-SHOW

INTRODUCTION:
Balogun Ismael is a 500 level law student of Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Osun State. He is currently the President of the National Association of Muslim Law Students (NAMLAS). He is a very active member of the moot and mock committee as he has on many occasions, represented the school on moot competitions. These are some of his contributions to the Law Students Society amongst others.


INTERVIEWER: Can you tell us summarily but generally how your experience on this campus has been?
BALOGUN ISMAEL: Justice Holmes who said that, "the life of the law has always been experience and not logic" has infact said it all. My experience on this campus like most people has been a tasking journey right from my first year days. Not only a tasking journey, it has also been a very long journey with some ups and downs.The courses, the lecturers, the students, everything infact has been very interesting and I thank God for it all.

INTERVIEWER: How exactly were your first year days?

BALOGUN ISMAEL: One very essential thing I would love to share is the importance of perception and adaptation to the change of that perception. Before I resumed school fully, I always had this known perception of being a first class student and I made up my mind not to get involved in any extracurricular activity . All I wanted was to be on a first class. So on resuming school, I interacted with people and listened to their perception about things, some good and others not so good. Subsequently, i decided to speak with a few lecturers who told me to suspend every extracurricular activity with the exception of the moot and mock committee and the debate committee till after my first year. Although coming to school, my parents warned me not to allow anyone direct my decisions, i adhered to the advice of these lecturers and got serious with the moot and mock committee and I have not since then, had any regrets about my decision. Concerning the courses, they were new but I still enjoyed them, read and was happy with the results.

INTERVIEWER: What influenced your study of law?

BALOGUN ISMAEL: Coming from a kind of background and environment where I wasn't exposed really exposed to much, I wasn't opportuned to see lawyers at work and admire the legal profsssion. I didn't have a relative or anyone I knew in the legal professional to look up to. I just knew there was a thing called Law and I read books about it which developed my interests for the profession. Basically, my study of law was decided by me.

INTERVIEWER: So, going back to school, we know peer pressure influence either positively or negatively is very rampant among students. For example, if a friend gets a higher than you, how did you exactly feel? Did that always push you positively or make you have a kind of jealous influence?


BALOGUN ISMAEL: There's this Latin Maxim I really cherish and believe so much. Vita brevis est, ars longo Is a Latin maxim that means "this life is very short and full of calamity". I believe that one rule in life is to understand your ability. I never really feel bad if my grades are not as good as my friends'. I just think that's their own destiny and my own grades also shape my destiny. Plus, sentiment might block my way of achieving other things.

INTERVIEWER: So, from your introduction, you're a 500 level student, the president of NAMLAS and a very active member of the moot and mock committee which is quite impressive. How have you been able to cope with these positions? How have you been able to shuffle these activities with your academics?


BALOGUN ISMAEL: Thanks for the compliment, I really appreciate it. Being a member of the moot and mock, as everyone knows, that committee is really time taking, the president of NAMLAS and also my academics, I have learnt to structure and plan my everyday work so, everything goes smoothly without disrupting each other. Basically, time management had been my strength.

INTERVIEWER: That's very good, now to the future. It is a known fact that law has many fields, so, what part of law would you like to delve into? What are your basic interests in law?


BALOGUN ISMAEL: Well, coming from my type of unexposed background, i have found out that if I don't practice law, it would look really bizarre and disappointing. Also, if I were to choose a particular field of interest now, I think I would deny myself of learning from the other fields of law. So, for now, I would love to be a full time litigation lawyer with basic knowledge of other areas in law.

INTERVIEWER: Hmmm impressive perception. Okay now, for the single ladies eyeing you out there, I would love you to tell us if you're in a romantic relationship or not


BALOGUN ISMAEL: (Laughs) Well, all my life i've been single, no girlfriends, no romantic relationships.

INTERVIEWER: So, what's the reason? Do you think being in a romantic relationships is a distraction?


BALOGUN ISMAEL:  I think ladies might be a distraction to you if you don't have sense. My motive of not having a girlfriend yet is not due to the fact that she will be a distraction to me. In my own view, if you have the right person, you don't have to be distracted. The right lady to me is one who is productive, could help you and guide in everything you're doing. I think that's a plus and not a distraction.

INTERVIEWER: So, what do you do during your free time? Are you involved in any business?


BALOGUN ISMAEL: To some extent, I'm always occupied. I really do not like lazying around. So, during my free time I read and sometimes go to see friends, talk about businesses, careers, and general stuffs.

INTERVIEWER: Hmm you mentioned books, what kind of books?


BALOGUN ISMAEL: I read literary works, novels basically. I read books by philosophers like Aristotle and Plato. I read John Bisham's books, the jury is my favorite. Also, I think to be distinguished, you do things no one else does in your environment. So, as a law student, I also read chemistry, physics, and biology.

INTERVIEWER: Being the NAMLAS president, how do you handle people as a leader?


BALOGUN ISMAEL: Basically, patience is the key! I use patience and respect to handle most people which in turn, gains me influence. A leader is expected to have a lot of influence.

INTERVIEWER: Now, the penultimate question. What's your advice to the fresh students?


BALOGUN ISMAEL: One thing the fresh students need, is to know about an environment, particularly the challenges in the environment. They should always get the act right first and not jump into conclusions about everything. They should always inquire from their senior colleagues. Also, they should focus on having a solid foundation. I would also recommend the moot and mock committee and the debate committee for them to be serious with in their first year. When they're done with their first year, they'll have the experience and they can then do anything they want to. But always put their academics first.

INTERVIEWER: The last question now. What advice do you have to every student out there?


BALOGUN ISMAEL: To all students out there, whatever we all are doing, I believe we should do them well and be consistent. Consistence is the key!. Also, with the way we're being trained in this faculty, I believe we'll be prepared for anything that comes outside this school. Be focused, determined and run away from complacency.
On a concluding note,I would love to share this quote, "You must never allow a situation of having to lock a stable door after the horses are debuted"

Interviewing crew: Akinkuotu Ibukun and Adeleke Precious