University of Ibadan's Top Engineering Graduate Shares Unexpected Academic Journey
Hammed Abdullah, the best graduating student from the Faculty of Technology at the University of Ibadan, has revealed that he never intended to study electrical and electronics engineering, the very course where he achieved remarkable academic success with a cumulative grade point average of 3.97 out of 4.0.
From Chemical Engineering Aspirations to Electrical Engineering Excellence
The 22-year-old scholar from Osun State, who grew up in Ede, shared his unexpected academic path in a detailed interview. Abdullah explained that throughout secondary school, he had always wanted to study chemical engineering due to his passion for chemistry. His participation in the International Physics Olympiad in Lisbon in 2018, where he represented Nigeria, began shifting perceptions toward physics-related fields among those around him.
"Truthfully, Electrical Engineering was never the plan," Abdullah confessed. "I had always wanted to study Chemical Engineering as I loved Chemistry all through secondary school."
The turning point came during his JAMB registration when he discovered that the University of Ibadan does not offer chemical engineering. In a spontaneous decision that would shape his academic future, Abdullah told the person assisting him to select any engineering course, leading to the choice of electrical and electronic engineering.
Academic Journey and Admission Process
Abdullah's path to university began earlier than most students. He wrote the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination privately in 2018 while still in SS2, then completed the main WAEC in 2019. Due to delays in receiving his WAEC results, he processed his university admission using his GCE results.
During the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination organized by JAMB in 2019, Abdullah scored an impressive 298. He also wrote the Post-UTME that same year, achieving 74 out of 100, which secured his admission to study Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Ibadan.
Study Philosophy and Academic Approach
When asked about his study secrets that led to his exceptional performance, Abdullah emphasized that he never chased grades but focused instead on deep understanding.
"I think the biggest thing was my mindset. I never chased grades, I chased understanding," he explained. "My approach was simple: understand every course deeply enough that I could walk into an exam hall and teach it to a one-year-old. If I could do that, I knew I was ready."
Abdullah highlighted the importance of teaching others as a method to deepen his own understanding, viewing academics as collaborative rather than competitive. He utilized all available resources including textbooks, online materials, past questions, and peer knowledge, approaching learning with humility and without ego.
University Experience and Future Plans
The young scholar chose the University of Ibadan because he wanted to be in an environment with some of the brightest minds in Nigeria. While UI was not his initial intention, the institution's reputation as "the first and the best" ultimately influenced his decision.
"As for whether it met my expectations, UI exceeded them in some ways and humbled me in others," Abdullah reflected. "The academic pressure was real, the strikes and delays tested our patience, but being surrounded by brilliant people and great lecturers was everything I hoped for and more."
Regarding his future, Abdullah is actively exploring opportunities in the engineering industry while also developing his software engineering skills in Golang programming language.
"I will not be writing off any software engineering opportunities that come my way either," he stated. "The goal is to keep growing professionally and contribute meaningfully wherever I find myself."
Abdullah expressed gratitude for his parents' support throughout his academic journey, noting that their trust in his abilities meant everything to him. His story serves as an inspiring example of how unexpected academic paths can lead to remarkable achievements when approached with dedication and the right mindset.
