At the first stance you may take this lanky lad, Teliku Nigussie Hailu, for someone who has got nothing to do with education! But when you scroll down into his heart; you would stumble upon the smoldering desire to make it big in life lying locked in there, waiting to be unlocked.

And this academic year 2013-14, at Arba Minch University, he successfully unleashed it by attaining 3.96 out of 4 GPA in Civil Engineering, thus topping the table in entire university.
On what inspired him to go for engineering, he said, ‘‘When I discovered, I have had great penchant for subjects like physics, mathematics and mechanics, therefore, I thought I would be hit in Civil Engineering.’’
Answering the query, how he could make it, whether he had a pre-planned study schedule, he said, ‘‘Actually, I didn’t have good schedule, yet on an average I used to study 25 hours a week; means three hours a day which was sufficient. But specially, I would upscale the timings two weeks prior to the exam; I studied four hours a day.
He further adds, after studying three to four hours a day, whenever, wherever and whatever I would be doing, I would keep revising and rehearsing those contents in my mind. This practice would get whatever I read firmly itched on my mind thus understanding the topic in right perspective, and it yielded desired results.’’
His favorite subjects were, Structural Engineering, including mechanics, strength of materials, theory of structures–I & II, rain-forced concrete structure-I & II and Steel & Timber Structure, in which he got A+. Subjects like introductory theory, though weren’t tough but didn’t fascinate him, therefore, he got less marks compared to other subjects.
His next course of action is to go for Masters in Structural Engineering from European nations, because the way structural parts are assembled together, attracts him, and this region being the basin area, he feels there is amazing opportunities to prove one’s caliber.
He is a voracious reader, and till date he has read, many biographies, fictions, books on written English and self-development. The most important ones are US President Barrack Obama’s biography - ‘Dreams from my Father,’ African legend Nelson Mandel’s - Long walk to Freedom and Conversations with Myself and Ben Carson’s - Gifted Hands etc. He also watches English movies and play soccer.
When asked to attribute the credit of his success, pat came the answer, ‘‘It’s because of my primary school’s English teacher Ms Aynalem Mengistu. When she noticed, I wasn’t good in English, she always wanted me to do better and helped to do my job.
Whenever she would find me failing to do assignment, she would punish by giving me more works and finally used to mildly hit on my palm with a small cane, because she wanted me to fare well in life.
‘‘In AMU, my best teachers are Muluken M, who has left for higher studies abroad and present Civil Engineering department head, Adonias Dechasa, whom he called very forthcoming and helpful.’’
He hailed from a non-descript woreda Ada in Oromia region. His father Nigussie Hailu is a guard in one of the government offices, mother Magna a household and his eldest brother is still studying.
He got his schooling done in Afan Oromo language; he said, ‘‘I attended three schools in Ada Bishoftu Preparatory School. In his Std. XII he had secured 92 percent mark and in Ethiopian Higher Education Entrance Examination over 80 percent.
Above all, he is proud of his mother Magna whose efforts has brought him to the place where he is, he said,  ‘‘Though, she is illiterate, but she is solely responsible for everything I got and would get in life,’’ he maintained.
By Philips Joseph