By Alade Adisa
At the 2024 convocation ceremony of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Ogunlana Abiodun Omolara stole the show as she emerged the best graduating student, not only in her department but in the entire university. She graduated with a perfect CGPA of 5.0/5.0 in Aerospace Engineering.
In a world where the average is common, Omolara chose excellence. She didn’t just graduate—she soared.
She emerged as the Best Graduating Student in the Department of Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering; the Best in the College of Engineering, Afe Babalola University; and the Overall Best Graduating Student, Class of 2024.
A CGPA of 5.0 is no small feat. It means straight A’s every semester—no slacking, no slip-ups—just consistency, discipline, and drive. While many ran from the pressure, she walked through it with grace and emerged as one of Nigeria’s brightest young minds.
She now holds the title of GMNSE (Graduate Member, Nigerian Society of Engineers) and is well on her way to becoming one of Africa’s leading aerospace engineers.
Graduating with First Class honours from any university in the world is no easy achievement. It requires earning A grades in all courses and a CGPA of 4.50 and above.
However, some undergraduates break the barrier by attaining a CGPA of 5.0. People in this category are often seen as highly talented, even whiz kids, and are treated with great respect by society.
Universities often try to retain such graduates in their faculties, but the situation in Nigerian public universities has changed.
Those who are not retained—especially in developed countries—are recruited into research and development (R&D) and other critical sectors of the economy.
Other notable perfect score graduates
Omolara’s feat at ABUAD is not the first time someone has graduated with a perfect score, as others have done so before.
The University of Lagos (UNILAG) recorded its first perfect score in the 2014/2015 session, when Ayodele Daniel Dada graduated with a 5.0 CGPA from the Department of Psychology. In appreciation, the university awarded him one million naira, and the then Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila facilitated his appearance before the House on March 22, 2016.
Ayodele, who hails from Ekiti State, was also honoured by the then Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose.
A year later, Miss Taiwo Bukola and Miss Ajoke Omotuyi also graduated with a 5.0 CGPA from UNILAG—in Cell Biology and Genetics, and Systems Engineering, respectively.
Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, produced its first 5.0 CGPA graduate in Miss Motunrayo Ajia in 2018/19 from the Department of Petroleum Engineering. Ewerechukwu Asaka followed in the 2020/21 session from the Department of Computer Engineering.
Lagos State University (LASU) produced its first perfect score graduate, Miss Amina Yusuf, from the Faculty of Law in the 2023 session. She was awarded N10 million by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and offered automatic employment, which she reportedly declined.
What the situation was before
Until Nigeria began experiencing economic difficulties in the late 1980s, First Class graduates were almost guaranteed retention as graduate assistants or offered support to further their education.
Recalling the past, a First Class graduate of the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Pastor Dr. Peter Olayinka Sonaike, said:
“I graduated in 1970 with First Class from the Department of Economics, University of Ife. I was the first person to graduate with First Class in the Faculty of Social Sciences and the only one in the entire university that year. Immediately after graduation, I was appointed Assistant Lecturer.
“A year later, I was sent to Oxford University on sabbatical leave for a doctorate. My four-year postgraduate programme was financed by the UK Technical Assistance Programme and the University of Ife. I also had a scholarship from the Population Council, which I didn’t use.
“At the time, the University of Ife was expanding and needed many lecturers. Brilliant students who graduated with Second Class Upper and above were encouraged to return as graduate assistants or assistant lecturers and were sponsored for postgraduate studies both locally and abroad.
“All arrangements—admission, visa, travel, and reception abroad—were handled by the university and foreign sponsors.
“We were treated as staff on sabbatical leave and given generous allowances. It was a deliberate policy to develop manpower for the university. The sponsorship usually came with a bond to serve the university for a set period.
“Back then, federal universities had full autonomy and were governed by their own councils and senates.”
Where are they now?
Findings by New Daily Prime show that Ayodele, the UNILAG scholar, went to Stanford University in the U.S. in 2019 for further studies in Psychology and is likely still contributing to research there.
Miss Ajia joined Boston Consulting Group in Lagos, later proceeded to the University of Oxford for a master’s in Energy Systems, and is part of the Africa Oxford Initiative.
Miss Asaka, from Igbanke in Edo State, was offered employment by Governor Godwin Obaseki, which she declined. She later won a master’s degree scholarship through the Rhodes Scholarship for West Africa and is currently studying at Oxford University.
Why graduates are no longer retained
Besides the absence of any law mandating universities to employ their First Class graduates, the sheer volume of such graduates has become a challenge.
Speaking on the issue, former Acting Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Dr. Chris Maiyaki, said:
“It is just a convention, not a law, that First Class graduates are taken by universities to serve as a core of their academic programmes. Universities are not compelled to employ them. However, they are encouraged to pursue higher degrees and can be employed if vacancies exist.
“You may attend a convocation and see over 100 First Class graduates. Their distribution may not be even—some departments produce many; others, none.
“If the university wishes to retain any, employment must go through the Governing Council. Where there is no council, the process must go through the NUC, with input from the Federal Character Commission, the Budget Office, and others before approval is granted.”
Also commenting, the National President of the Congress of University Academics (CONUA), Dr. Niyi Sunmonu, said:
“In the past, universities nurtured their best graduates and incentivised them for postgraduate academic training to eventually replace retiring teachers.
“They were sent abroad for further training while their faculty positions were held for them and salaries paid. This fostered loyalty to the Nigerian university system.
“Due to inadequate funding and lack of autonomy, this practice declined. Employment embargoes worsened the situation.
“Now, universities only keep tabs on their best graduates and may contact them if jobs open up—assuming they’re still available.
“Low academic salaries also discourage top graduates from staying.
“To revive our university system, we must improve funding, grant autonomy, and adopt global best practices.”
Parents want them engaged
The National President of the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN), Alhaji Haruna Danjuma, has called on the government to create programmes for engaging First Class graduates.
According to him, with the huge number of vacancies in Nigerian universities, such talented individuals should not be left idle due to poor planning and bureaucracy.
“Government has failed in creating job opportunities for our youth—federal, state, and local levels,” Danjuma said.
“They keep telling us our children should acquire skills and not depend on white-collar jobs. That means the government has failed.
“That’s not what they promised during campaigns. Many involved in cybercrime are graduates with tech skills. Millions are unemployed. These young people are becoming a threat to us because they have nothing to do.”
