A young lady who initially failed to meet the University of Ibadan (UI) admission cut-off mark has become an online sensation after breaking a family record and successfully earning a degree in a major field.
Background of the Achievement
In her family, none of her older siblings pursued higher education, as they all stopped after secondary school. Determined to change this narrative, she sat for the WAEC exam but encountered issues with her results. Fortunately, the NECO exam she took helped her overcome that hurdle. However, she still could not secure admission to study her desired course at UI because she did not meet the cut-off mark.
LinkedIn Post Reveals Journey
On LinkedIn, Rofiat Oyebode shared her story: 'What If Nobody Has Done This Before? For a long time, one question dominated my mind: What if I'm the first? Growing up, I faced a significant roadblock. None of my older siblings had pursued education beyond secondary school. In my environment, there was no blueprint for what I wanted to achieve.'
She continued: 'Determination and drive can take you far, but when the people meant to fuel your passion don't understand your why, the journey becomes lonely. I was terrified of being judged for wanting something different. But I took the leap anyway.'
Obstacles Overcome
Rofiat outlined the hurdles she faced: 'The First Hurdle: My WAEC results didn't reflect my effort. Fortunately, NECO was my saving grace. The Second Hurdle: I missed the JAMB cut-off for the University of Ibadan on my first try.'
Despite these setbacks, she prepared for another exam and eventually gained admission into UI. She earned a degree in Communication and Language Arts Education. She wrote: 'The Pressure: I was told to settle, which means to go to a polytechnic or an affiliated school. But I had a vision. I believed that if I was going to break a family cycle, I should do it at the First and Best. I refused to settle, sat for the exams again, and stayed true to my goal.'
Lessons from Her Story
After breaking the family record, she shared lessons: 'Being the last born didn't mean I had to follow the existing pattern. You don't have to be dogmatic just because those before you followed a specific path. You can be the dynamism that your family or industry needs. If nobody has done it before, it just means you are the proponent. Being the first makes all the difference in the world.'
Public Reactions
Many people reacted to her story. Hannat Salawu said: 'I applaud your resilience and wish you the very best in your future endeavours. Baarokallah feeh.' Tunji OWOSENI commented: 'BaarakaLlaahu fiihi wa alaiki. Congratulations.' Kafilat Kareem noted: 'Your Resilience is admirable. Allahumo Baarik sis.'
Similar Stories of Perseverance
In a related story, Legit.ng reported that UI offered admission to a young lady after she spent about five years trying to gain entry through UTME. She shared her excitement online after finally getting into her dream institution. She wrote JAMB more than once after secondary school and never gave up until she secured admission.
Another Aspirant's Experience
Meanwhile, a UI aspirant who missed the 2025 admission cut-off mark by three points shared her experience online. She posted her 2026 UTME score and asked for advice. She scored 314 in her previous JAMB exam but missed admission by a small margin. This year, she wrote again and scored 317.
