LAUTECH’s Best Grad Who Thanked Tinubu’s NELFUND Reacts to Online Backlash: "I Walked Miles"
- Oladepo Caleb Olugbenga, LAUTECH’s overall best graduating student, has responded to criticism over his public appreciation of NELFUND
- He explained that his academic journey was shaped by deep financial hardship, including growing up in a rural Osun State village
- The graduate recounted how scholarships, peer support, and institutional assistance played key roles in helping him complete his engineering degree
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The 2025 overall best graduating student of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Oladepo Caleb Olugbenga, has responded to criticism that followed his public appreciation of the federal government’s student loan scheme, NELFUND, which he credited for supporting his academic journey.
His initial post praising the initiative triggered mixed reactions online, with some accusing him of overlooking the broader economic hardship many students face.
Source: Twitter
LAUTECH BGS defends NELFUND appreciation statement
Olugbenga, who graduated from the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering with a cumulative grade point average of 4.89, said he felt the need to clarify his position amid growing debate.
He explained that his remarks were not intended as a political endorsement but as recognition of assistance that made his education possible.
He described growing up in a village in Osun State as part of a family of five, where financial constraints defined daily life.
According to him, public schools were the only option available, as even low-cost private education was out of reach. He also recalled a childhood marked by long walks to school and parents who worked multiple informal jobs to sustain the household.
He wrote on X:
"I hail from a village in Osun State, raised in a modest family of five. I attended public primary and secondary schools, not by choice, but because even the most inexpensive private schools were beyond our means."
For nearly a decade before gaining admission into university, he said his family lived without basic comforts such as electricity or television.
Lighting came from lanterns and candles, and access to learning resources remained limited. Despite these conditions, he managed to secure a scholarship that eventually led to his university admission.
Source: Twitter
Gbenga recounts being supported by peers
Olugbenga recounted moments of assistance during his undergraduate studies, including support from peers and lecturers. In his third year, a coursemate who had once benefited from his academic help gifted him his first smartphone, which he still uses.
He also noted that some lecturers provided clothing at different points during his studies.
He said:
"In my third year, a coursemate’s father, someone I had once tutored academically, gifted me my first smartphone which I am still using till now. On several occasions, lecturers, moved by quiet compassion, provided me with clothing. There are many other instances, too numerous to recount."
He said these experiences reinforced his belief that success is often built on a combination of personal effort and external support. According to him, many students navigate higher education through similar acts of quiet assistance that are rarely acknowledged publicly.
Lautech's grad doubles down on his NELFUND appreciation
Addressing the backlash directly, Olugbenga maintained that his praise of NELFUND was based on personal experience rather than political alignment.
He questioned the idea that acknowledging assistance should be interpreted as disregard for broader economic realities affecting students.
He wrote that financial hardship did not define his limits, adding that support systems played a key role in his progress as an engineering student aspiring to academic excellence. He also expressed gratitude to those who contributed to his success, including the student loan initiative.
UniAbuja promises jobs for top graduates,
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the University of Abuja, recently renamed Yakubu Gowon University, has announced a new incentive for academic excellence as it prepares for its combined 29th and 30th convocation ceremonies.
Vice Chancellor Hakeem Fawehinmi disclosed that the institution will offer automatic employment to its best graduating students from the two academic sessions under review.
Source: Legit.ng
