Meet Maryam Oso, UNILAG’s best-graduating student in Law who earned 4.61CGPA

Determined to maintain a First-Class standing, she dedicated the remainder of her academic years to consistent improvement.

In her fourth year, after the academic broadsheet was released, she realized she had a real chance of graduating as the best student in her faculty. That realization deepened her focus and strengthened her resolve to finish strong,  which she did.

To achieve this, Maryam maintained a structured and disciplined daily routine. She would wake early for one to two hours of revision or past question practice, then, after her prayers (Saalat), she proceeded to spend most of her day in the Law Library reading, making notes, and reviewing law reports

Also, she made it a duty to never miss lectures, tutorials, and study groups, and once she is back home by 5.pm, the additional hours of the day are left for her assignments and revision.

Her consistency turned small daily efforts into cumulative academic excellence.  Beyond academics, Maryam managed multiple responsibilities.

She ran a retail business, worked as a freelance fashion illustrator, meeting client deadlines, and volunteered in leadership and internship roles.

At times, the pressure led to burnout. To cope, she adopted strategic time management practices, including daily to-do lists and task prioritization. She learned to sacrifice certain social engagements and limit extracurricular commitments to protect her academic momentum.

“As an introvert, sacrificing my social life was not too difficult,” she shared. “But I made sure to create time for painting, drawing, reading non-legal books, and watching my favorite shows to avoid burnout.”

Maryam attributes her success to Allah, as well as the steadfast support of her family and close friends. She maintained a tight circle of study partners who shared similar academic goals, reinforcing her commitment to excellence.

Her journey earned her 13 awards and recognitions, alongside several leadership roles that further strengthened her character and sense of responsibility.

“This academic milestone is my biggest indicator of hope, growth, and career trajectory,” she said. “It validates my belief in the realization of my long- and short-term goals, as Allah wills.”

Looking ahead, Maryam aspires to make impactful contributions to the legal profession and scholarship, both domestically and internationally. Her interests lie particularly in corporate governance and sustainability, whether in legal practice or academia.

To students who aspire to achieve similar success, Maryam urges them to identify their goal from the outset and work towards it.

“Identify your academic goal with clarity and personalize your journey. To be excellent is to be exceptional,  and excellence is the result of consistent habits combined with discipline,” she said.