UNILORIN Student Josiah Ayeni Who Quit School Twice Breaks Departmental Record, Bags First Class
- Josiah Ehis Ayeni, a University of Ilorin graduate, announced his first-class result on X after a 14-year academic journey
- Ayeni dropped out of secondary school twice before eventually making it to university and completing his degree
- According to him, he became the first student in 50 years to earn a first-class in his department at UNILORIN
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Josiah Ehis Ayeni, a fresh graduate of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), has taken social media by storm after revealing that he bagged a first-class degree in History and International Studies, claiming he became the first student to do so in the department's 50-year history.
What makes his achievement even more remarkable is the road he took to get there.
Source: Twitter
Ayeni dropped out of secondary school not once but twice before eventually finding his footing and making it into university. While his peers completed their degrees in roughly 10 years, his own journey from secondary school to graduation spanned 14 years.
From double dropout to degree record-breaker
In a post shared on X on September 6, 2026, Ayeni opened up about the length and difficulty of the road behind him, crediting God for seeing him through to a milestone that nobody in his department had achieved in half a century.
"Took my mates 10 years, but took me 14 years. But guess what," he wrote, adding that he had made history in History.
The post resonated deeply with many Nigerians online, particularly given the country's ongoing conversation around academic struggles, late starters, and the real cost of perseverance in a system where setbacks can easily become permanent.
His story is a particularly striking one in the context of Nigerian higher education, where second chances are not always easy to come by, and the pressure to keep pace with peers can be overwhelming. Ayeni did not simply catch up with his contemporaries; he surpassed every student who had ever passed through his department before him.
See Josiah Ayeni's post that sparked the celebration:
Netizens celebrate UNILORIN graduate
The post drew a wave of congratulations from users across the platform.
@dexterweb3yap said:
"Congratulations, success all the way."
@bernardcreasy said:
"Congratulations to you, Boss Man."
@_onlyoneola said:
"Congratulations Edo wizard. 🪄"
In a related story, Legit.ng reported that a UNILORIN student had celebrated acquiring a degree in Pharmacy.
UNILORIN student bags first class in Mathematics
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a UNILORIN student named Olusegun had celebrated bagging a first class in Mathematics.
Writing on the platform, Olusegun confirmed that the graduating list had been released and that his name appeared among those recognised for first-class honours in Mathematics.
He described the moment as something he and those close to him had long been waiting for, expressing deep gratitude through a faith-filled message.
Source: Legit.ng
