AFRICA | A brilliant Nigerian lady named Joy Osesanmi has graduated from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) with a First Class Bachelor’s degree in Geology, finishing with an outstanding CGPA of 4.81.
Her achievement is historic—she recorded the highest CGPA ever attained in the Department of Geology and Geophysics and broke a long-standing departmental record by graduating with a First Class in Applied Geophysics after decades.
Joy's Story and How She Did It
Joy began her academic journey at OAU in 2019, but her path was far from smooth. In her first year, she found herself studying a course she did not love and struggled to give her best.
She finished her 100 level with a CGPA of 4.42, narrowly missing a First Class and even considered rewriting JAMB after falling short of the departmental cutoff mark by 1.2 points. At that stage, she felt she would not graduate.
Everything changed in her second year when a conversation with a trusted senior reshaped her mindset. She realized she had to take responsibility for her situation and intentionally rewrite her academic story.
She committed herself fully, studying tirelessly, paying attention to the smallest details, and often carrying the bulk of group work to protect her performance. That decision marked the beginning of an extraordinary academic rise.
Her effort paid off quickly. By the end of her second year, Joy raised her CGPA to 4.68, officially entering First Class territory. In her third year, she was rechallenged with a question that pushed her limits:
“Do you know what’s better than being the best in your department? Being the best in the entire faculty.”
That challenge reignited her fire. Despite studying one of the most demanding courses at OAU, she refused to accept the belief that a 5.0 GPA was impossible in her department. Instead, she calculated what was required and went all in.
And her result was astonishing: Three semesters of 5.0 GPA, two semesters above 4.9, and over 50 A’s across her courses. By her final year, she recorded a 5.0 and 4.9 GPA, pushing her final CGPA to 4.81.
Although Joy narrowly missed graduating as the Best Student in the Faculty of Science by just 0.02, her outcome was even more historic:
She earned the highest CGPA ever recorded in her department, First First-Class graduate in Applied Geophysics in over a decade, and seven convocation awards.
Joy openly acknowledges that the journey was not easy—marked by sleepless nights, tears, pressure, and perseverance. Through it all, she credits God for faithfulness and strength.
She also expressed heartfelt gratitude to her mother, her supervisor, supportive lecturers, senior colleagues, and friends who stood by her throughout the journey.
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