Francis Olusegun, a Mathematics graduate of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), has emerged as the institution’s best graduating student for the 2025/2026 academic session, finishing with a perfect 5.00 cumulative grade point average (CGPA) across four academic sessions and eight semesters.
Olusegun said discipline, consistency and clear goal-setting drove the feat, adding that he was largely his own source of motivation because his parents are not educated and did not constantly push him academically.
“My parents are not educated, so I cannot say that somebody was constantly pushing me academically. I pushed myself because I knew what I wanted to achieve,” he said.
Olusegun said he had always wanted to be the overall best graduating student wherever he found himself, but the idea of a perfect CGPA took shape after his 100-level results.
“I began to imagine graduating with a 5.00 CGPA after seeing my 100-level results. That was when the thought came to me that we could actually break the record,” he said.
He said his choice of course was driven by a love for Mathematics that began in primary school. “There is a connection between me and Mathematics, and that made it easy for me to choose it,” he said.
Flexibility, consistency and test scores
Rather than follow a rigid timetable, Olusegun said he adjusted his study approach whenever a method stopped working. He added that he revised each day’s lessons the same day, researched difficult topics and used available tools to break down complex concepts.
“Maintaining a perfect CGPA is not easy, but the first thing is that I had already won in my mind,” he said.
He also said he paid close attention to continuous assessment because test and examination scores together determine final grades, and that he aimed for above 70 per cent in each course. “Once I do well in a test, I know that the major task left is the examination,” he said.
Read also: BUA Group’s listed units hit $17bn valuation as chairman calls for FX, capital reforms
On handling pressure, he said he stays calm and focuses on solutions. On fatigue, he said, “When I am tired, I rest. There is no point in giving up simply because I am tired or overwhelmed.”
Distractions, sacrifices and financial hurdles
Olusegun admitted that social media could be a distraction, and said he periodically stayed off it. The main thing he gave up, he said, was pleasure, as he restricted himself to activities that aligned with the person he wanted to become.
His journey was not without setbacks. In 100 level, his phone developed a fault he could not fix until after his first-semester examinations, a period he described as very difficult. A friend lent him a spare phone for reading and practice.
Financial constraints also featured. Olusegun said he sought help from people whenever he lacked money or basic items such as foodstuffs. “I believe there is no excuse for failure. If there is something I cannot handle on my own, I look for a way to get the help I need,” he said.
He credited his parents, church members, friends, and alumni of the Department of Mathematics, some of whom offered financial help while others gave advice and encouragement. He said he often consulted past graduates of the department when he faced academic challenges.
Charles Ogwo is a proactive journalist, driving education, and business innovations for over 10 years. He leads initiatives leveraging tech to enhance storytelling and build topnotch performing team. Charles is passionate about harnessing technology to inform, engage and empower communities.
