“Despite Losing Father So Early”- Nigerian Student Overcame Grief after Father’s Death and Graduated with a First Class Honors

A Nigerian graduate, Iyiola Oladunjoye, shared his inspirational journey of resilience and academic excellence on Twitter. He recounted the loss of his father just days before his second-semester exams and how he persevered through the tragedy to achieve a remarkable feat.

His tweet quickly went viral, receiving thousands of reactions from people who were deeply inspired by his determination and offered heartfelt congratulations on his achievement. Iyiola’s intention was to encourage other students facing difficulties, urging them never to give up and to work diligently toward their goals.

On Twitter, Oladunjoye shared his remarkable journey, saying, “From 3.67 to 4.99 CGPA. Wasn’t in my right frame of mind that second semester. Lost my father a few days before the exam. I just thought to myself; if I eventually drop out due to financial reasons, I must do so in honor (of my father). Few years later, I graduated with a First Class Honors.”

His tweet quickly gained widespread attention, accumulating hundreds of likes, retweets, and comments from individuals deeply touched by his story, extending their congratulations for his remarkable achievement. Oladunjoye earned his degree in Microbiology from the University of Ilorin.

See tweet below

Naijalegit compiled some of the reactions to Oladunjoye’s tweet:

@stephenatolagbe reacted: “This is amazing.”

@iyioladu said: “Thank you. All glory to Allah! And many thanks to everyone who has helped me throughout my journey.”

@marvelwonderz wrote: “Harmattan semester and rain semester? Lmao. But then congratulations.”

@iyioladu commented: “Lol, they actually depicted the realities of Ilorin weather. I later preferred Harmattan semesters to rain. Rain semester to play, Harmattan semester to catch up.”

@abbietayo commented: “This is huge.”