- Abraham Edidion Edem spent stretches of his secondary school years out of class due to unpaid fees, and later had a four-year break before university
- On his way to the University of Ilorin in December 2022, Abraham confronted a wave of doubt about whether he could survive university without financial support
- Despite those fears, Abraham graduated from the Department of Business Administration holding two scholarships and a long list of leadership roles
Abraham Edidion Edem, a Business Administration graduate of the University of Ilorin, Nigeria, captured widespread attention on LinkedIn in October 2026 after sharing the financial hardships that nearly derailed his education before he eventually graduated with two scholarships and a string of accomplishments.
Abraham recalled being turned away from school repeatedly during his secondary school years because his family could not keep up with fees.
Source: UGC
The situation eventually became severe enough that he stopped attending school entirely for roughly two years. After completing his WAEC, a further four years passed before he was able to make his way to university.
Moment of Doubt on the Road to Unilorin
It was during that journey to Ilorin in December 2022 that Abraham experienced what he described as a defining psychological moment. Somewhere around Ogbomoso, Oyo State, doubts crowded his mind as he considered that he was travelling to an unfamiliar place, alone, with no guaranteed source of money for fees or upkeep.
He wrote that the questions felt relentless: who would he call when he needed money, and where would the next school fees come from?
Rather than turn back, he pressed on.
Graduating With Leadership Roles and Scholarships
By the time Abraham completed his degree, the contrast with where he had started was striking. He served as Class Governor across his first three years of study, rose to Faculty President in his fourth year, and held secretarial positions in both his departmental association and his departmental Christian fellowship. He also served as a Senator on the Faculty Students Representative Council.
Beyond leadership, he worked as a manager at two organisations, Livingstone Homes and Tenancy and The Orchards Online Tutoring, and took on a senior analyst role within the Management Consulting Division of The Investment Society. He co-founded a community initiative called The Smile Outreach and volunteered with Plogging Nigeria.
Academically, Abraham maintained a top-three CGPA position from his first year through to graduation, received two scholarships, and was recognised four times among the 50 Most Reputable Students in his department. He also obtained an Associate Accounting Technician qualification and is working towards becoming an Associate Chartered Accountant.
Reflecting on the journey, Abraham wrote that God taught him, through repeated moments of pressure, to simply breathe and keep going. He credited his family, friends, and colleagues for their support, and closed his post with congratulations to all graduating students at the University of Ilorin.
Classmates and Connections Celebrate Abraham
Abdulgafar Abdulkadri said:
"Congratulations champ."
Opelusi Olamide said:
"Congratulations, Abraham. More wins."
In a related story, UNILAG's best graduating student shared how he was rejected by the University of Ibadan, while another graduate staged a one-man protest over unemployment.
LASU BGS shares admission experience
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the Lagos State University's (LASU) best graduating student opened up about her admission experience.
In an insightful interview with Legit.ng, the young lady shared her admission struggle, experience in school, and future goals.
Source: Legit.ng