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Meet Blessing Adewuyi, UNILAG’s best student in Chemical Engineering with 4.86CGPA

Success StoriesNigerian Success
By SR Staff
Mother and Daughter, Inez Phillips Durham and Jeniffer Durham makes history as first parent-child duo to earn PhD in Psychology at Rutgers University in the United States. The mother -duo journey at Rutgers universit began with the mother. 91-year-old Inez first arrived on campus in 1953 to attend the New Jersey College for Women, Rutgers’ women’s college at the time (the university became fully coeducational in 1972). She was the only Black student at the college in her class and wasn’t assigned a roommate. “Nothing was put in writing, but I knew why,” she said while speaking to Rutgers for a recent interview. “My attitude was: If you were given a lemon, you make lemonade.” Inez eventually became class president and went on to receive her bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1957. She then returned to the university to earn her master’s in social work in 1961 and returned again for her doctorate of psychology from Rutgers Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology (GSAPP) in 1984. And she did it all as a single mother. She lost her hiusband in 1971 abd she was left alone with her kid. so she worked as a psychotherapist, a school social worker and a tennis instructor while pursuing her doctorate — and raising her daughter, Jennifer. “I did it by the grace of God,” Inez said while speaking to the university. “I prayed every day for the determination to get that degree. It wasn’t easy, but we managed. I say ‘we’ because Jennifer had to be more independent.” Inez and Jennifer could often be seen in the medical science library, with Inez working on her dissertation while Jennifer did her homework. “We had a unique relationship starting when my dad passed away. I was with her a lot,” Jennifer, who describes her dynamic with her mom as “mother-sister,” told the university. “When I had off from school, I went to work with her. She was my first role model really of what a leader was,” she added. Jennifer eventually decided to go for her Ph.D. from the School of Applied and Professional Psychology as well, earning the degree in 1992 — eight years after her mother. “Jennifer and I were the first parent-child to graduate from GSAPP. I’m very proud of that,” Inez said.  Jennifer eventually decided to go for her Ph.D. from the School of Applied and Professional Psychology as well, earning the degree in 1992 — eight years after her mother. “Jennifer and I were the first parent-child to graduate from GSAPP. I’m very proud of that,” Inez said. 

A brilliant Nigerian lady named Blessing Adewuyi has graduated from the University of Lagos with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, earning an outstanding 4.86/5.00 cumulative grade point average.

Her exceptional academic performance earned her multiple top honors, including Best Graduating Student, Department of Chemical Engineering, and Best graduating Female Student in the Faculty of Engineering.

Blessing's Story and How She Did It

Blessing’s journey reflects steady growth and determination. She began her first year with a Second Class Upper (4.43 GPA). By the second semester of that same year, she had improved to a First Class standing.

 And Blessing maintained the distinction consistently until graduation. In a male-dominated field, she rose above hundreds of classmates to emerge as the overall best in her department and the top female student in her faculty.

Upon graduation, Blessing was formally inducted as an engineer and admitted as a Graduate Member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers — a significant professional milestone marking the beginning of her engineering career.

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During her convocation ceremony, she received several prestigious awards, including HOD’s Prize for Best All-Round Performance in Chemical Engineering and Professor Ayo Ogunye Prize for Best Student in Chemical Engineering

Also, she recieved Professor Emeritus Willis Harmon Ray Prize for Best Student in Chemical Reaction Engineering, the ECPM Engineers Award for Best Graduating Student in Chemical Engineering, and the ECPM Engineers Award for Best Female Graduating Student.

These honors reflect not only academic brilliance but consistency, discipline, and excellence across multiple areas of study.

Her degree took seven years to complete, extended by COVID-19 disruptions, ASUU strikes, and other challenges that tested her patience and resolve.

Reflecting on the journey, she shared that growth is not always linear. The obstacles she faced strengthened her character and deepened her resilience.

Blessing expressed gratitude to God for sustaining her throughout every season and thanked her parents, siblings, friends, course mates, and mentors for their unwavering support.

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