24/08/2025
My Journey: A Testament to Resilience, Determination and Dedication
In 2011, I graduated from Surulere Secondary School as a young, aspiring and inspired student of knowledge, who always aimed for the peak and would never say die even in dire need. It was indeed a great moment and experience being the physics laboratory prefect. A post assigned based on merit and academic excellence. I remember vividly that my able physics teacher, now a Dr. in the person of Dr Bakar, who sagaciously impacted and imparted us with knowledge and as well prepared us for days ahead with his outstanding ways of teaching and mentoring.
Oga was indeed a sui generis. He, on one unforgettable day, described me as โa student who diligently does his things.โ it was an amazing moment that day in one of his physics classes and the moment etched in my memory till date.
Interestingly, while in SS2 in the year 2010, I sat for NECO (GCE) though I was to write WAEC (GCE) due to the fact that WAEC is a West African examination body and its certificate can be used beyond west Africa unlike NECO. besides, my friends opted for WAEC (GCE).
However, when I discussed it with my Dad, now lateโmay Allah be pleased with him and keep showering His mercy on him. He consulted one of my brothers, who convinced Dad that I should take NECO (GCE) instead.
I sat for it, the result came out and wasnโt impressive as NECO back in the days was tough with grading where the highest grade one could find was C4 and below. Anyways, I pressed on.
In 2011, while in SS3 in Surulere Senior Secondary School, I sat for WAEC as a school candidate and ultimately, result came out and it was good overall but unfortunately, I had D7 in mathematics which knocked knee the fundamentals right of the result.
After graduation, life after school began, but then Iโm still personate about the journey of knowledge. that being said, I took the 2011 GCE just after WAEC. I wrote all exams perfectly as I prepared so excellently, only to have the result withheld. What an unfortunate experience! Why withheld my result, I queried.
With the above narration, I had written 3 external examinations in between 2010-2011. All right, in the year 2012 just after my hope was put to rest by WAEC as the much anticipated result was withheld, I didnโt say die nor give up but I buckled down and I decided to enroll with the great citadel of learning (Darul Falaah Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies, Amukoko) as I had always had the yearn and passion to study Arabic and Islamic studies rigorously.
So, I joined Dar, started from JSS1 and after a while WAEC (GCE) form came out and I obtained it. By this time, I had started madrasah; as a JSS1 student of Arabic and Islamic studies. besides going to madrasah, I was also preparing for the forthcoming GCE. To God be the glory, I cleared all subjects this time right in my first year in madrasah.
The thought became shattered and as you would think of itโthe next step is taking JAMB? No, reason is I have found my new studies interesting and I wanted more. so, I was like Doxology! OLevel has been secured and now I can face this new path of learning to at least JSS3.
Day in, day out and everything worked so well in madrasah that I became the Nakeeb of my set back to back from JSS1-3. With this, the passion for senior classes took over my heart and thatโs how I spent 6 good years after secondary school in the pursuit of Arabic and Islamic knowledge and I graduated with EXCELLENCE.
Altogether, I spent 12 years in secondary school; 6 in conventional school and 6 in madrasah.
In 2017, I was then in SS3 in madrasah. I took JAMB form choosing UNILORIN as the first choice, and I started preparing for it. How amazing it was, getting back to prepare for JAMB as a science student who had spent 6 years in the pursuit of Arabic and Islamic studies!
Alas, the day of exam came and I sat for it; a CBT based examination with a book titled last days at Forcados high school. Undoubtedly, It has been a very long time with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. Adab, Balฤgha, Maqamah, UsuluFiqh, Tefsir, Sirah, Nahw, Sorfu etc had taken their place. However, I tried my best preparing for the exam and when the result came out I had a total score of 236 with Use of English taking the lowest mark (40). It wasnโt my fault, it was just that I was a science student. I had 236 and my course of choice was pegged at 220 or 230 as cut off, wasnโt that amazing! But then, there is a post UTME examination put in place by the better by far university to further test and screen out candidates as the institution is the most sought after university that year and years after.
The post UTME was majorly English, with few mathematical and general questions. Unfortunately, I scored exactly the same mark in the post UTME as I did in JAMB which jeopardized my chance of Admission as candidate must score a minimum of 50 to be considered for admission. I was sadly pained and bitterly disappointed and I questioned why I couldnโt make it to an average of the total score. The simple answer is that science students donโt take English seriously.
As God would have it planned, in JAMB, I chose Kwara State Polytechnic as third choice, though at first I was skeptical about going to the school due to news from north and south about the school but then, my Dad and Mum persuaded and advised I should go for it and later I would do direct entry.
So, I resumed in January, precisely 18th, though school had resumed since November. Ha, I resumed to the time of test, first day in school I wrote a test for classes I didnโt attend. My heart almost ran out of my chest but I didnโt say die. Reading was tough a bit, it took me translating to Arabic before I could properly assimilate.
After all, first semester exam came, I did my best and after the second semester ND1 exam result was out and I made 3.14 of 4.00 thatโs an UPPER and itโs cool. At the end of ND2 I made it up to 3.40 of 4.00 and thatโs how a distinct student swam in the ocean of UPPER .
That time, I had given Queenโs language its due that people mistook my course of study as English Engineering instead of Electrical/Electronics Engineering. Dr GAB gave us a platform to learn, unlearn and relearn and it indeed shaped my English language skills and grammatical abilities.
I partook in grammar quiz hosted by GAB English Language Lab which consisted of more than 100 students of English language and related course and I emerged as the first runner up even as the only Engineering student in the contest.
I remembered Invisible teacher and Jamb A-Z use of English, both by Dele Ashade became my all time favorites too.
In 2020, I took both HND and DE form with a determination of running both simultaneously. However, to my advantage HND admission came in first and I had finished HND1, first semester before University of Ilorinโs admission came in. I really knew once I started both program I wonโt be so balanced to dot all Iโs and cross all Tโs. So, I seized the lateness in UNILORIN admission as a great opportunity and read like a working clock. Sometimes, I will only sleep for 20 minutes and the alarm became my co-reader using it to schedule my wake up time and at the sound of it, I would jump up and continue reading. it did excellently pay off.
By HND1, second semester, UNILORIN first semester had begun and it was now a tough and taxing task of intellectual; physically, mentally, emotionally and financially. I would ply Tanke Okeodo (university of Ilorin) and the old campus of the school (Kwara State Polytechnic Mini Campus) in Agbooba area, most times on a daily basis.
I routined this for 200L first and second semester alongside HND1 second semester and HND2 first semester. On some occasions, I had to write two different school exams daily. It was tough!
Fortunately, as they say โsome situations are blessings in disguiseโ. ASUU strike was one for me, it came and by then I was already in my last semester in HND2. Since the strike was ongoing, I was able to resume fully back to Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin and focus more on it. And it was with the help of ASUU strike that I was able to make my CGPA to 3.60 of 4.00 that earned me not only a DISTINCTION but also the BEST GRADUATING STUDENT of the Department of Electrical/Electronics Engineering (Power and Machine Option) and overall in the Department.
You think Iโm now free right? No! At the time of the strike, I also went to the 21 days NYSC camping, it was another amazing experience. Meeting people from different part of the country and of different backgrounds.
I left camp and days later, I resumed 300L at the university. Now, itโs another journey of double struggle, merging service year and its demands with 300L. Oh, I didnโt mention my course of study in the university, I chose Electrical/Electronics Engineering but I was offered Computer Engineering.
So, it was hectic and herculean. It was tough and rough but Allahโs grace was and is sufficient.
In the journey, there were many ups and downs, they were many times I felt down but I still buckled down. I lost my Dad when I was home for first semester ND1 holiday and it was so disheartening and heartbreaking ever since but then, itโs worthy of praise that his boy who heโs proud of while he lived here before he left here for hereafter is now an ND, HND, and BEng holder. Indeed, his good deeds really paved the ways for me in many occasions.
Ultimately, I rounded off my Computer Engineering program from the Better by Far University; University of Ilorin, as a Distinct Graduate who again swam in the ocean of UPPER. Walhamdulilah.๐
M.A. Afolabi
ALFA, ND, HND Electrical/Electronics Engineering
BEng, Computer Engineering
