We needed no one to tell us that this man was the lecturer we were waiting for. He was in his early thirties and introduced himself as Dr Adekola Cole. He looked like a sporty young man and it was quite unbelievable that he was alreaady a doctor of philosophy. He seemed like a serious man, which was typical of Nigerian lecturers, but he was friendly and always ready to help.

He did his best to make us feel at ease and he gave all those moral lectures about higher institution but in a laidback and easy way to understand. He introduced the course in a dramatic way and his lecture delivery was superb.

I prayed inwardly, “God, please let all other lecturers be like this.” I was blinded by the first impression.

He delved into the first topic with fluent English and he was not embarassed by his Nigerian intonation and his Yoruba dialect. I couldn’t believe there was still an African who wanted to be natural and wasn’t ashamed of his background. Dr Cole said he could deliver the course in any of the three major Nigerian languages but the curriculum didn’t allow that. That left everybody spellbound. Was this man an angel or an African man?

I later got to know him and coincidentally, he was from my town. His life was a mystery I couldn’t unravel. His father was a Professor of English language and his mother was a news editor for Voice of Nigeria. I couldn’t figure out how someone with such a strong English language background could also fluently speak the Yoruba language.

Dr Cole was a natural teacher, he lectures were extraordinary. I later got to adore him, I couldn’t explain this, but maybe it was because of the first impression he left that day. He made my day and if first impressions hold true, then I am on a fruitful journey in varsity.

After he exhausted the planned topic for the day, he engaged us in a little evalution to know us more. Some of my mates tried to answer his questions to enter into his ‘White Book.’ I never stressed myself to participate since almost all of the questions he asked were child’s play to me. All in all, I concluded that day that Dr Cole is a versatile lecturer, he knew things that weren’t in his line.

I wasn’t amazed when I heard he was on his way to become a Professor, I just like to address him as the ‘Youngest Nigerian Prof.’

Tell us: What is your impression of Abdul’s first day at varsity so far?