“JAMB Exam Changed My Destiny”: First Class Graduate Shares How He Got into University

“JAMB Exam Changed My Destiny”: First Class Graduate Shares How He Got into University

  • A Nigerian man got into university a year early by taking a JAMB exam with his sister in 1998
  • He learned to believe in himself and take risks when opportunities arise and he eventually graduated with first class
  • He encouraged other young Nigerians to not let fear or doubt stop them from pursuing their dream

Michael Taiwo, a Nigerian man who graduated with first class has shared his inspiring story of how he got into university a year earlier than expected by seizing an opportunity that came his way unexpectedly.

The man said he accompanied his elder sister to the Post Office in late 1998 to purchase her university-entrance exam (JAMB) registration form.

Photo of Michael Taiwo
He recounts an episode in his life. Photo credit: Michael Taiwo/LinkedIn
Source: Original

After she obtained her form, she found out there was enough money left to buy one more. She turned to him and asked if he wanted to get one too.

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At first, he said:

“Wait! What? Me? I am not ready. I am just starting my S.S.2. Why did I agree to follow her here? But then she gave me a “come on” look. That was how I bought the form that eventually landed me in the university – a year ahead of schedule. The experience taught me not to ever gree for timidity again.”

Taiwo said the experience taught him to always believe in himself and take risks when opportunities present themselves.

He advised the young ones with the following words:

“Don’t let timidity govern your steps. No gree for am. Every great achiever you admire today dared to leap when the ground beneath them seemed uncertain. You love them because they chose not to be shackled by hesitancy. They chose to act, even when they felt unprepared. Life, in its beautiful complexity, seldom offers perfect moments of readiness. Opportunities don’t wait for our fears to subside. They demand action, courage, and sometimes a leap of faith.”

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He urged other young Nigerians to follow his example and not let fear or doubt stop them from pursuing their dreams. He said there is no perfect time to start anything, and the only way to succeed is to try.

Speaking briefly with Ajayi Folarin, a postgraduate student at the University of Sunderland who bagged first class in his undergraduate degree, he indicated that he got into school in similar fashion. He then went on to advise students on how to achieve academic excellence.

He told Legit.ng:

"It is not always easy. It won’t come cheap. I am not where I want to be, but I know with God, I am on the right path. As a student of knowledge, you have to be ready for challenges and be prepared to face them with your full strength."

See his X post below:

First class graduate follows father’s advice

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that a young Nigerian woman, had a successful undergraduate degree in communications, graduating with a first class.

Pursuing a master’s degree in the same field would be easy and enjoyable.

However, her father advised her to consider a more technical and diverse course that would give her an edge in the job market.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Basit Jamiu avatar

Basit Jamiu (Editor) Basit Jamiu is a journalist with more than five years of experience. He is a current affairs and politics editor at Legit.ng. He holds a bachelor's degree from Ekiti State University (2018). Basit previously worked as a staff writer at Ikeja Bird (2022), Associate Editor at Prime Progress (2022), and Staff Writer at The Movee (2018). He is a 2024 Open Climate Fellow (West Africa), 2023 MTN Media Fellow, OCRP Fellow at ICIR, and Accountability Fellow at CJID. Email: basit.jamiu@corp.legit.ng.