University of Ibadan Graduate Who Gained Admission in 2021 Breaks Family Record, Shares Milestone
- A Nigerian man became the first person in his family to gain admission into a university, with no relative to guide him through the process
- Onakoya failed his first UTME attempt in 2018 before trying again in 2019 and eventually securing a place at the University of Ibadan
- He graduated with a good grade, completing a journey he described as navigating without a blueprint
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Fawaz Onakoya, a University of Ibadan graduate, has shared the inspiring story of how he became the first person in his family to attend and complete university, graduating with a Second Class Upper in Philosophy in 2025.
Onakoya posted on LinkedIn on 18 August 2026, reflecting on a matriculation photograph from 2021 that prompted him to look back on just how unlikely his university journey once seemed.
Source: UGC
University of Ibadan graduate breaks family record
According to the UI graduate, growing up, he had no family member who had gone through the university admissions process before him, so no one could tell him which school to apply to, what milestones to expect, or how to navigate student life.
His path to the University of Ibadan began at a JAMB registration centre, where an official first suggested the institution to him. At that point, Onakoya only knew that he wanted to study History. His first UTME attempt in 2018 fell just short of the required cut-off score. He returned the following year, sat the examination again, and secured admission, eventually taking his seat at the 2021 matriculation ceremony.
UI student bags degree in Philosophy
Four years after matriculation, Onakoya completed his degree in Philosophy with a Second Class Upper, becoming the first university graduate in his family's history.
Writing about his experience in his LinkedIn post, he said:
"I recently found this photograph from my matriculation at the University of Ibadan in 2021."
"Looking at it now, I can't help but think about how unlikely that moment once felt. I was the first person in my family to gain admission into a university. The funny thing is, I didn't even grow up knowing exactly which university I wanted to attend. When I went to register for JAMB, it was actually an official at the registration centre who first mentioned the University of Ibadan to me. I had only known that I wanted to study History."
"My first UTME attempt in 2018 fell short of the cut-off by about 0.8. I tried again in 2019, gained admission, and eventually found myself sitting in that matriculation ceremony. There was no blueprint. No one in my family had gone through the process before. There was no one to constantly tell me what decision to make, what milestone came next, or how university was supposed to work. My parents supported me in the ways they could, trusted my decisions, and stood behind me. But much of the navigation was mine. And somehow, I found my way."
"Four years later, in 2025, I graduated with a Second Class Upper in Philosophy, becoming the first university graduate in my family. Looking back, I think being the first is less about having everything figured out and more about having the courage to keep figuring things out as you go."
"Perhaps that is the lesson I carry from this journey: you don't always need a blueprint before you begin. Sometimes, you just need to take the next step, make the best decision you can with what you know, and trust yourself enough to keep moving."
"If you're currently walking a path no one around you has walked before, don't let the absence of a roadmap convince you that you cannot get there. You may be the one creating the roadmap for those who come after you."
"Alhamdulillah for the journey so far✨"
UI graduate bags first-class in unwanted course
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that a young lady gained admission to the University of Ibadan hoping to study Law, but was placed in a different department.
The UI graduate had initially planned to switch to Law in her second year, but something unexpected happened as she settled into her new department.
Source: Legit.ng
