University of Ibadan Law Student Who Repeated Primary School, Wrote UTME 4 Times Bags First Class
4 min read
- A young man who once called a dullard celebrated completing his studies at the University of Ibadan from the department of law
- He shared his academic struggle, including how he went to primary school twice and wrote UTME four times before gaining admission
- His story triggered reactions on Facebook, as many people congratulated the law graduate on his academic feat
A Nigerian man, Saleem Oyeleke, signed out of the University of Ibadan (UI) with a bachelor’s degree in Law.
Celebrating his academic feat on Facebook, an excited Saleem shared how he graduated with a first class, despite having a tough academic journey.
Source: Facebook
From dullard to UI first-class law degree
Identified on Facebook as Oyeleke Tunji Equity, the young man gave a breakdown of how he repeated primary school and wrote the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination four times.
His Facebook post read:
"THE "DULLARD" THEY KNEW IS NOW A FIRST CLASS LAW GRADUATE
"The labels people give you are their limits, not yours. I was labeled a "dullard," but I chose to write my own definition. Following the LinkedIn mantra, I am glad to announce that I graduated with a first-class grade from the Faculty of Law, University of Ibadan. But this is truly not the only part of the story; it’s how I ended up here.
"If anyone had prophesied some years ago that I would eventually bag an LL.B. degree, I would have dismissed that prophecy. Not because the vision might not be true, but because the past was gloomy and the future wasn’t clear.
"How I attended primary school twice is a testament to this: from primary 6 at ADC Oke-Ada (while about to enroll in JSS 1) to primary 2 at Adonai Private School Ikire, where I was remolded. This wasn’t the real problem; how do you explain to the world that a student going to JSS 1 cannot pen down his name on paper? That was me!
"The trajectory didn’t end there. But I’m not here to bore you with the step-by-step stories. Perhaps, this isn’t a practical class where you skip processes. Fast forward: owing to my background, I enrolled in Ayedaade Grammar School Ikire, where we continued the journey.
"Though the dream wasn’t yet clear, the zeal to succeed was there. It was during this period that I started learning aluminum work as an apprentice, where I completed my training about ten years ago.
"Getting to study law didn’t come easily; I wrote UTME four consecutive times before God made the last one (2019) a success. Upon resumption, fears and uneasiness set in. I could not easily find my bearings. Everything looked gloomy. But whenever I remembered where I was coming from, I gripped my girdle and stayed focused on my dream.
"First class? How? This wasn’t a day or a year’s job. It was an accumulation of years of dedication, perseverance, and untold stories. There was a time after 100 level that I contemplated whether law was meant for people like me. I doubted if I would graduate because my results were not favorable.
"But whenever I thought about home and my background, I stayed awake and kept pushing. In essence, my background is the real motivation that keeps me on track. The epic side? I had all grades attainable from A to D, except F (carryover) before it ended here.
"My sincere gratitude goes to God and to those who made this achievement possible: my parents, family, friends, and well-wishers. I’m forever grateful. This feat couldn’t have been attained without your consistent support and love.
"To my listeners: as far as you can dream it, you can live it. Your background shouldn’t be a setback. With zeal and determination, we will overcome the obstacles that our backgrounds might have set.
"On this note, I look forward to what the future holds. I'm open to collaboration, internships, and opportunities at any corporate parastatal.
"RE-Introducing: OYELEKE, SALEEM TUNJI . LL.B. (IBADAN) FIRST CLASS HONOURS."
Source: Facebook
Netizens celebrate UI first class graduate
Yusuf Olamilekan William said:
"This is the Lord's doing. Congratulations my guy. I'm proud of you."
Oyeleke Ismail said:
"What an interesting story my brother. Thank God for everything."
Maruf Taiwo Excellent said:
"Congratulations genius. I want to be like you when I grow up."
In a related story, UNILAG's best graduating student shared how he was rejected by the University of Ibadan, while another graduate staged a one-man protest over unemployment.
LASU BGS shares admission experience
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the Lagos State University's (LASU) best graduating student opened up about her admission experience.
In an insightful interview with Legit.ng, the young lady shared her admission struggle, experience in school, and future goals.
Source: Legit.ng
Tags:
