AFRICA | A brilliant Nigerian man named Olumide Olanimowu has emerged as the Best Graduating Student of his department at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, after earning a bachelors degree in Materials Engineering with an outstanding Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.87 out of 5.00.
His achievement stands out even more remarkably as he was the only student in his graduating set to earn a First Class Honours degree, a rare academic feat in one of Nigeria’s most rigorous engineering programmes.
In recognition of his excellence, Olumide was also inducted as a Graduate Member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE).
Olumide's Story and How He Did It
Olumide’s path to academic excellence was anything but smooth. His secondary school education was marked by instability, as he attended three different schools within five years due to relocation and financial constraints.
He shared on Linkedin that on two occasions, during his second year in Junior school (JSS2) and first year in senior school (SSS 1) he attempted to transfer to a government school without success.
During those periods, he was forced to largely homeschool himself, learning independently while navigating uncertainty and limited resources. These early challenges, however, quietly shaped the discipline and resilience that would later define his university journey.
Against the odds, Olumide gained admission to study Materials Engineering at Obafemi Awolowo University. From his early undergraduate years, his academic consistency became evident.
By the time he graduated, Olumide had not only earned a First Class degree but had also recorded the highest CGPA ever achieved in the history of his department, e merged as the Best Graduating Student in Materials Science and Engineering.
Olumide also won the Best Graduating Student in Production Metallurgy, ranked as the 4th Best Graduating Student in the Faculty of Technology and was placed among the Top 10 graduating students of OAU’s 2024 convocation set.
Throughout his undergraduate programme, Olumide consistently topped his class, earning multiple departmental awards, including the best student in his second, third and fourth year in the department of Material Science Engineering.
These recognitions reflected not just brilliance, but sustained excellence across multiple academic years.
Olumide’s success was also strengthened by key academic scholarships that supported him throughout his studies. He was a recipient of the NNPC/TotalEnergies National Merit Scholarship, Federal Government of Nigeria Scholarship and the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) Scholarship.
These scholarships played a critical role in easing financial pressure and allowing him to fully focus on his academic goals.
Beyond academics, Olumide demonstrated strong leadership qualities. He served as the Class Representative of his cohort from 2018 to 2025, and later as the Electoral Petition Chairman during the 2023/2024 elections of the department’s association.
Reflecting on his journey, Olumide expressed deep gratitude to God for strength and guidance, and to his parents for their unwavering support throughout the years.
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