“As the first person in my family to attend university, I understood the sacrifices my parents made” – Olamilekun, UNILORIN first class graduate

My Head of Department, Level Adviser, supervisor and guardian, Dr A. O. Otuoze, always advised me to avoid excuses and complaints and to treat stress and hardship as normal.

That advice changed my outlook. I stopped labelling courses as difficult, although there is no easy course at the Better by Far university.

I enjoyed calculation-based courses most, while theory-based courses required more time and patience.

The experience was demanding but rewarding. UNILORIN taught me discipline, resilience and how to perform under pressure.

You Did Not Just Graduate With a First Class, You Emerged As the Faculty Best Graduating Student, Did you See That Coming?

Glory be to God. From the beginning, I believed I would graduate with First Class Honours. It was my goal, and I worked towards it.

However, I never imagined becoming the best student in my class, let alone across the entire Faculty of Engineering and Technology.

I have consistently performed at the top in the schools I attended, but I never set out specifically to be the best. I focused on doing my work well and did not think much about the distinction until the end.

Finishing as the faculty’s Best Graduating Student is an honour I deeply appreciate. It is the first time in my academic life that I did not finish as the best in the entire school, partly because UNILORIN is a very large university.

However, being the best in a faculty with more than 680 graduating students is something I will always cherish.

It means even more when I remember where I started. After losing my first admission opportunity, my parents and others advised me to attend a college of education or polytechnic.

I told them I would rather wait a year than attend an institution I did not want to attend. I waited, tried again and am grateful I did.

What Challenges Did You Face During Your Academic Journey?

The biggest challenge was finance. In 100 level, I had no money, and neither did my parents. They paid my school fees, while I paid my acceptance and hostel fees myself.

For feeding and other daily needs, I relied on a friend, Bello Habeeb Omotosho, who supported me financially when I had nothing. I will always be grateful to him.

Losing my first admission in 2019 was another challenge. Watching others move forward while I remained at home for a year was painful, but the experience taught me patience and strengthened my determination.

Some academic results also disappointed me. One was GNS 311, a course whose results shocked the school at the time.

I expected a B but received a C. Another was ELE 473, Power Transmission Line Characteristics, where I scored 67 despite expecting much higher.

I was also unhappy with some B grades in 200 level because they affected my CGPA. Nevertheless, I moved on.

Balancing leadership positions, research, football and a demanding engineering programme was another challenge. It required discipline, sacrifice and effective management of my time.

What Kept You Going Despite These Challenges?

My background kept me going. As the first person in my family to attend university, I understood the sacrifices my parents made.

My father drives a bus, and my mother sells pap. Whenever I felt tired, I remembered that I was not studying for myself alone.

I wanted to become an example to younger people from similar backgrounds and show them that where they come from does not determine how far they can go.

My faith in God and the guidance of my mentors also sustained me. Dr Otuoze’s advice to avoid excuses and complaints and treat hardship as normal became part of my mindset.

I live by two principles: “No Complaint, No Excuse and No B” and “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.”

I am grateful to Dr Otuoze and the lecturers in my department, including Dr O. S. Zakariyya, Dr S. A. Olayanju and Dr I. A. Omeiza.

I also appreciate my friends, particularly Bello Habeeb Omotosho, Abdulrasaq Hammed and Akanbi Muhammed, who supported me throughout the journey. I did not achieve this alone.

What Advice Do You Have For African Undergraduates Pursuing Academic Excellence?

First, start where you are. You do not have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great. Many students wait for perfect conditions, sufficient money or the right time. I started with little and built my progress step by step.

Second, stop making excuses and complaining. There will always be challenges involving finances, workload or difficult lecturers, but complaining does not change your results. Treat hardship as part of the journey and keep moving.

Third, understand your strengths and work on your weaknesses. I did not follow a fixed reading timetable.

I enjoyed calculation-based courses and understood them quickly, so I devoted more effort to theory courses, which I found more demanding. Understand how you learn best and build your strategy around it.

Fourth, do not allow one disappointing result to define you. I received a C and some B grades that hurt me, but I refused to let them stop me. A setback is not the end of your story.

Fifth, maintain a balanced life. I love football, and it helped me stay healthy and focused. In fact, I was the winner of the UNILORIN 2026 marathon. Academic excellence does not require you to abandon everything else.

Finally, remember why you started. If you come from a humble background, let it motivate rather than limit you.

Your background is not a barrier; it can become your strongest reason to succeed. Put God first, respect your mentors, value genuine friends and never give up.

Olamilekan’s journey demonstrates that academic excellence can emerge from determination, practical experience, resilience and the willingness to keep progressing despite difficult circumstances.

From learning automotive electrical work as a teenager to graduating with First Class Honours and earning recognition across his faculty, he has shown how early curiosity can develop into academic achievement.

His story also highlights the importance of support systems, mentorship and persistence.

As he prepares for postgraduate studies and continues his research, his experience offers a reminder to students that difficult beginnings need not determine their destinations.