My Assumptions About the North Changed When I Left Bayelsa for Adamawa — Okalizibe, AUN First-Class Law Graduate

By John Ogunsemore

Bayelsa-born Queen Ebitenye Okalizibe has graduated with first-class honours in Law from the prestigious American University of Nigeria in Yola, Adamawa State.

As a result, Miss Ebitenye was among the numerous students who took part in the school’s 2026 convocation ceremony and recently graduated with an impressive CGPA of 3.6/4.0.

Speaking on her academic journey, Ebitenye narrated that having spent her whole life in Bayelsa, she struggled with having to move up north for schooling.

She said her assumptions about the northern region of Nigeria completely changed after she was welcomed with “warmth and kindness,” describing the people as “generous” and “hospitable.”

She said, “I spent my entire life in Bayelsa, so leaving home to study in Adamawa State was not just a change of location; it was a step into something completely unfamiliar.

“I have just graduated with a University Honors (3.6/4.0). As much as this sounds like an academic statement, for me, it tells a much deeper story.

“When I first decided to come to Adamawa, I carried the usual assumptions many of us have about the North. I thought I knew what to expect. But almost immediately, I realized how wrong I was.

“I was welcomed with a level of warmth and kindness that genuinely surprised me. The people were open, generous, and deeply hospitable.

“That experience alone shifted something in me. It taught me that reality is often far more nuanced than perception.”

The 20-year-old Ebitenye explained that the journey was tough as the grading system was “as demanding as it gets.

“A was 90 to 100, B was 80 to 89, C was 70 to 79, and anything below meant repeating the course. There was no room for complacency.

“Every test, every exam, every submission required focus and consistency. It was challenging, sometimes exhausting, but it pushed me to become more disciplined than I have ever been,” she explained.

The exceptional young graduate who hails from Nembe and Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State further narrated that the difficulty of her academic journey was partly caused by the death of her father, HRH Chief Okali Aku, just before she gained admission into the university, having to deal with the emotional stress that comes with grief.

She, however, expressed gratitude to her mother for strength and support, as well as her siblings for being constant sources of support and encouragement.

According to her, “My mother, Modline Amos, has been my anchor. Her strength and support made it possible for me to keep going, even on the days it felt overwhelming.

“My siblings, Becky and Prince, have also been a constant source of encouragement and love. I truly appreciate my brothers, Edison and Destiny, and my older sister, Tutu.

She equally thanked the former lawmaker representing Brass-Nembe Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Israel Sunny-Goli, who she described as her uncle and father figure for his immense support, especially during her final year.

Ebitenye noted that her academic journey has been more than just earning a degree, explaining that, “It has been about growth, unlearning, resilience, and finding joy in unexpected places.

(Daily Sun)