- Francis Joseph Olusegun, the University of Ilorin's overall best graduating student, opened up about the early academic struggles that shaped his journey
- Olusegun scored 225 in his first JAMB attempt in 2021, a score he felt did not reflect his true potential at the time
- The ASUU strike that disrupted his early university experience pushed his graduation timeline by a year, but he still achieved a 5.0/5.0 CGPA
Francis Joseph Olusegun, the overall best graduating student at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), turned heads on social media after sharing the full story behind his academic rise — including a JAMB score that few would associate with a graduate who achieved a perfect CGPA.
In a post shared on X on October 24, 2026, Olusegun, who goes by @francis_themath, revealed that he scored 225 in his first JAMB attempt in 2021 while in SS2.
Source: Twitter
Despite that score, he secured admission into UNILORIN — and went on to graduate as the institution's overall best student with a 5.0/5.0 CGPA.
UNILORIN: From JAMB 225 to perfect CGPA
Olusegun had already established a pattern of excellence before entering university. He was the best graduating student in both primary and secondary school, and he carried that determination with him when he sat JAMB, WAEC, and NECO simultaneously in SS2.
The 225 he scored, however, left him feeling he had more to give.
"Sometimes, I wonder what my JAMB score would have been if I'd taken it again that year. I felt I could have scored at least 280+," he wrote on X.
The ASUU strike that followed disrupted his transition into university life and sent him back to secondary school to complete his SS3 year. He used that extra time productively, sitting another WAEC examination and earning one A, five Bs, and three Cs.
UNILORIN: The vision that became reality
When Olusegun eventually settled into UNILORIN, he set his sights on something ambitious. After learning that a 5.0 CGPA was possible, he committed fully to the goal.
The dream he had held since secondary school — becoming the overall best graduating student — had always included a first-class, and he refused to let the target slip.
"I gave it my best, and God did the rest," he wrote.
He had initially imagined achieving the milestone at 20. The strike pushed that timeline by a year, and he graduated at 21 instead. The delay, as he reflected on it, changed only the timing — not the outcome.
"The timing was different from what I imagined, but the vision became reality," Olusegun said.
See Francis Olusegun's original tweet below:
Nigerians react to the UNILORIN graduate's story
The post drew warm responses from X users who celebrated his achievement.
@osethetrader said:
"Congratulations e no easy at all 🥳."
@AONurudeen said:
"Impressive. Congratulations scholar."
@Abdulrazaq_47 said:
"Congratulations scholar."
Legit.ng reported that a brother and sister had bagged first-class degrees from UNILORIN with different CGPAs.
In a related story, Legit.ng reported that UNILORIN had awarded a second PhD to a woman who has two bachelor's and two master's degrees.
What UNILORIN's overall best student graduated with
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Francis Olusegun had earned a first-class degree in Mathematics with a perfect CGPA to emerge as UNILORIN's overall best graduating student.
Olusegun credited his achievement to self-belief, consistency, adaptability and a firm determination to succeed.
As reported by The Punch, he stated this during an interview with the Union of Campus Journalists at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State.
Source: Legit.ng