Man Who Wrote UTME 6 Times & Got Rejected by 4 Universities Bags Degree After 12 Years
- A Nigerian graduate opened up to Legit.ng about how he spent six years seeking admission and another six years completing his university degree, totalling 12 years
- He said he wrote the UTME six times, scoring above 200 each time, but failed to secure admission into several universities
- His breakthrough came in 2019 when he gained admission into OAUSTECH and later graduated, married, and became a father
A Nigerian graduate has shared the emotional story behind his 12-year academic journey after earning a university degree and achieving several personal milestones in the same period.
The recent graduate, Hammed Olabanji Oluwaseyi, had earlier celebrated three life-changing moments. He became a graduate, he got married, and also became a father within a space of some months.
Source: Twitter
In an earlier post on his X page, he wrote:
"It took me 12 years to get here, but today I’m grateful to say I made it!
"I didn’t just earn a B.Tech in Applied Physics. I also became a husband to Anjola and a father to Oladade.
"Three milestones. Three blessings.
"Grateful for everything the journey gave me."
See the X post below:
In a follow-up interview with Legit.ng, Oluwaseyi explained the story behind the 12-year journey. He disclosed that he spent six years seeking admission before eventually entering the university.
Graduate speaks after writing UTME six times
Speaking with Legit.ng, Oluwaseyi said he finished secondary school in 2014 but struggled for years to secure admission into a Nigerian university despite performing well in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
According to him, the delay was not due to academic failure.
“Oh. Well I spent six years looking for admission and another six in the university when I eventually got admission. It was a five-year course but strike and COVID added to that time. I finished secondary school in 2014. I’m 29 in May.”
He spoke further:
“I never failed JAMB ever. I wrote it six times. I scored above 200 every single time, with my last two results being 256 and 243.”
How 5-year course took 12 years
The graduate told Legit.ng that he applied to several universities during those years but was unable to secure admission.
Among the institutions he applied to were:
- University of Lagos
- University of Ilorin
- Osun State University
- University of Ibadan
Despite his scores, he said he did not receive admission offers from those schools.
According to him, the situation reflects the challenges many Nigerian students face due to limited spaces in tertiary institutions.
“It’s the Nigerian system. No matter how good you are, there are so many good students that won’t get admission. When you compare the amount of secondary school graduates that write JAMB every year and the capacity of Nigerian tertiary institutions, many students will suffer."
Oluwaseyi added that at the time, he simply considered himself unlucky.
“I guess I was just unlucky… very unlucky. Or better still, a victim of the system.”
Man who wrote UTME 6X gains admission
Oluwaseyi told Legit.ng that his breakthrough eventually came in 2019, when he secured admission into Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH).
Source: Twitter
According to him, the opportunity came unexpectedly when he saw the institution’s post-UTME form online.
“I saw their post-UTME form online randomly because I was desperate. I couldn’t go another year without admission, so I bought the form.”
He said the university ultimately became the institution that changed his story.
“They were the ones that saved me basically.”
While pursuing his degree in Applied Physics, Oluwaseyi said life also brought him other blessings.
He revealed to Legit.ng that he got married in November 2025 and welcomed his first child in December 2025, shortly before completing his studies.
According to him, achieving those milestones alongside his graduation made the long academic struggle worthwhile.
After 12 years of academic struggle, he now celebrates what he calls three major life victories.
UNILAG first-class graduate dies after convocation
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that a graduate of the University of Lagos, UNILAG, who advocated for sickle cell patients, has passed away.
The individual had taken to her social media page to announce her graduation from the university.
In the post she shared on her page, she mentioned the course she studied and her CGPA months before her death.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
