FUTA Graduate Who Overcame Failing Course in Year 2 to Bag First Class Shares Her Story
- Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) graduate Omotola Olasanmi is the poster girl for the popular "never give up" motivational saying
- The young lady, a trained fashion designer, recently bagged a first class honours degree in food science and technology after overcoming a year two carryover setback
- In this exclusive interview with Legit.ng, the now-virtual assistant opened up about how she turned things around despite being told to give up
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Omotola Olasanmi, a fresh graduate of FUTA, who recently celebrated acquiring a first class degree from the federal varsity, has admitted that she almost gave up on her pursuit of the highest honours degree.
This is because she started with a 3.65 cumulative grade point average (CGPA) and failed a course in her 200-level class.
Source: Twitter
Omotola, a trained fashion designer, bared it all in an exclusive interview with Legit.ng, detailing how she was told to give up, how she "fought back", and her study hacks that helped turn things around.
FUTA graduate shares her journey to first class
Omotola told Legit.ng that she felt like her world collapsed when she saw she failed a course in year two.
The young lady said she had big dreams of graduating from university with a first-class degree, so the carryover was a clog in the wheel of her aspiration.
"Coming into FUTA, I had big dreams of graduating with a first-class degree. My dad often talked about how many opportunities a first-class degree could open, and I was determined to make him proud. I promised myself I would do whatever it took study hard, push through challenges, and achieve that goal.
"In my first year, I worked hard, but by the end of 200 level, I had a carryover. When I saw my results, my world felt like it collapsed. I cried endlessly, thinking I had failed not just myself but also the dreams I’d built. My CGPA was 3.65 at the time, and someone even told me to give up on the idea of a first class. it was "impossible." That broke me even more."
Amid the setback of the carryover, Omotola said her sister was a great support system, and her words fueled her pursuit of a first class degree.
"Thankfully, my sister encouraged me. She reminded me of my potential and told me that I could still make it if I kept pushing.
"Her words reignited a spark in me, and I decided to fight back. I started reading late into the night, sometimes for up to 8 hours. I organized reading groups, attended extra tutorials, and surrounded myself with brilliant friends who inspired me. People teased me for being so serious about my books, but I didn’t care, I had a goal to chase."
There were times Omotola doubted herself, but her dream was bigger than her fears. She disclosed how she accepted what felt like her reality at one point and told herself to settle for a 2:1. She told herself that maybe first class just wasn’t for her.
"But deep down, I couldn’t let go of the dream completely. I kept working hard, pushing myself, and taking it one step at a time.
"In the end, all the late nights, struggles, and determination paid off. I not only overcame my challenges but graduated with a first-class degree—a moment that felt almost unreal. Looking back, the journey wasn’t easy, but it taught me resilience, the power of belief, and the importance of never giving up, even when the odds seem stacked against you."
FUTA graduate elaborates on course she failed
Legit.ng asked Omotola about the course she failed in year two and why she did not pass.
Omotola, now a virtual assistant and online community manager, vividly recalled the day she learnt about the carryover.
"I had a carryover in 200 level, it was a course called Animal Production and Health. I’ll never forget the day I saw my result and saw a zero. It didn’t make sense. The course was a Computer-Based Test with only objective questions, and I knew I couldn’t have failed every single question. I had answered them carefully, so seeing that result felt like a punch in the gut.
"At first, I thought it was a mistake. I wasn’t the only one who failed, several of us had the same issue, and we couldn’t believe it. I knew something was wrong because it’s almost impossible to score zero on a multiple-choice test. We approached the department, wrote letters, and appealed for them to review the results. We hoped they would at least check to see if the system had made an error. But time went on, and there was no response."
Omotola stated that she and her colleagues were discouraged as they tried to resolve the issue to no avail. After unsuccessfully trying, they resolved to retake the course, and Omotola admitted it was humbling.
"It was frustrating and discouraging. We tried everything we could to resolve the situation, but eventually, we got tired. It felt like no one was listening, and we had no choice but to retake the course. Having to redo that course felt like a failure, even though it wasn’t entirely in my control.
"That experience taught me a lot about resilience and perseverance. It reminded me that sometimes life throws challenges your way, even when you’ve done everything right. Instead of letting it break me, I decided to use it as fuel to work even harder.
"Retaking the course was humbling, but it also strengthened my resolve to keep pushing forward, no matter what obstacles came my way. In the end, it became just another chapter in my story of overcoming adversity."
FUTA first class graduate shares her study hacks
Beyond taking extra tutorials and late-night studying, Legit.ng quizzed Omotola about other things she did to improve her academic performance.
The first class graduate, who finished with a 4.59 CGPA, said she had to change her circle and began rolling with the brilliant students in class.
"The first thing I did was change my circle. I started moving with the brilliant ones, the friends who inspired me with their focus and determination. They became my biggest motivation constantly reminding me that I could do it if I just kept pushing.
"They didn’t just encourage me, they prayed with me and for me. Those moments of prayer and encouragement became a lifeline, especially during the toughest times."
Omotola added that she became more prayerful and coined a phrase which was like a guiding watchword to her.
"Praying became the most important factor in my journey. I grew closer to God and came up with a phrase that became my motto: "Pray as much as you read."
"I believed that no matter how hard I studied, I needed divine help to see me through. So I made prayer a constant part of my routine, alongside my studies. It gave me peace, strength, and the courage to keep going when the odds felt stacked against me.
"By the time I entered my final semester, my friends and I were praying and pushing together. They refused to let me give up, and their belief in me fueled my own determination. They kept saying, “You can do it,” and somehow, I started to believe it too."
From someone who almost gave up on getting first class, Omotola's belief grew, which was immediately reflected in her grades.
"That shift changing my circle, relying on God, and leaning on the power of prayer was what truly turned things around for me. It wasn’t just about studying harder; it was about finding hope, faith, and a community that carried me through to the finish line.
"By the time I graduated, I had gone from doubting myself to achieving the first-class degree I once thought was impossible. Looking back, it was both the work I put in and the prayers I leaned on that made all the difference," she added.
FUTA graduate bags first class in style
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a FUTA graduate who maintained a 5.0 CGPA five times had bagged a first class.
The lady who studied metallurgical and materials engineering said she finished in the top 2% of her class.
She celebrated herself on X with lovely pictures in which she donned her graduation gown. Her post went viral.
Proofreading by Nkem Ikeke, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.
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Source: Legit.ng
