AFRICA | A brilliant Nigerian lady named Oyinkansola Olapade has achieved remarkable success despite facing setbacks and challenges during the course of her studies.
After being denied admission to study Law at her first two choices of universities, Oyinkansola fought her way back and has now graduated from Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) with a remarkable 4.53/5.00 first-class degree in Law(LLB).
Oyinkansola's Story and How She Did It
Oyinkansola’s journey to becoming a first-class graduate was not a smooth one. She initially wanted to study Law at the University of Ibadan, but a missing document upload cost her the admission.
Still determined, she tried again at the University of Lagos, this time with a strong JAMB score of 281. Unfortunately, she was offered another course instead of Law, which left her discouraged and contemplating studying English instead.
Her mother encouraged her to give Law another try, leading her to apply to OOU. But another challenge came again: during the COVID-19 pandemic, Oyinkansola faced technical issues while attempting the Post-UTME exam from home.
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Despite all efforts, she got logged out after answering just seven questions. “I began to wonder if university was meant for me,” she said, recalling the moment she almost gave up.
Fortunately, the timely intervention of her uncle and the kindness of an ICT staff member at OOU gave her another chance. She retook the exam and passed successfully.
Oyinkansola finally gained admission to OOU in 2021. When she resumed, her initial goal was just to “graduate decently” which changed with the tide. time. Her first semester GPA was 3.52, which stood as a wake-up call for her.
“That was when I realised I wasn’t as nonchalant about academics as I thought,” she admitted.
In her second semester, she improved slightly but still did not see a first-class degree as a possibility. Everything changed when she took Law of Contract, a course students often feared.
Although she wrote the exam doubting herself, she poured her heart into the paper having prepared well for it, and scored an A. This moment ignited a new fire within her.
Oyinkansola started believing in her ability to excel. By her second year, she had overcome her self-doubt and had figured out reading methods to pass, and by her third year, she had developed a passion for Criminal Law and Commercial Law, scoring consistently high grades.
In her fourth year, Oyinkansola faced one of her biggest academic challenges when she received a D (47%) in Law of Evidence, which threatened her first-class dreams.
Rather than give up, she appealed the result. After a tense waiting period, it was confirmed that her Continuous Assessment (CA) score had not been recorded. This vindication motivated her to work and read harder.
Her hard work paid off as she recorded her first 5.0 GPA the following semester. Even when she faced emotional challenges, Oyinkansola turned her pain into motivation.
She prayed, worked strategically with friends, and sought mentorship from senior colleagues who generously shared their notes and guidance.
In her final year, she achieved another 5.0 GPA, which rounded up her Cumulative grade point to 4.53, finalising her first-class law degree.
“Looking back, I realise university was the most challenging path I have had to walk. But it taught me resilience, perseverance, and the importance of staying positive. You don’t have to start well to end well, you just have to keep going,” she said.
Oyinkansola credits her success to God, her family, her friends, and her mentors whose guidance helped her stay focused.
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