Daily revision, flexibility and a determination to overcome financial difficulties helped Francis Olusegun graduate from the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) with a perfect 5.00 Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA), earning the title of best graduating student for the 2025/2026 academic session.
Olusegun, a Mathematics graduate, said he began to believe that a perfect CGPA was possible after seeing his results in his first year.
In an interview published by the University of Ilorin’s Union of Campus Journalists on October 20, he said he had long aspired to become the best graduating student wherever he found himself and decided to work towards the goal.
“I began to imagine graduating with a 5.00 CGPA after seeing my 100-level results. That was when the thought came to me that we could actually break the record,” he said.
He attributed his achievement to self-belief, consistency and the ability to adjust his study methods when they stopped producing results.
“Maintaining a perfect CGPA is not easy, but the first thing is that I had already won in my mind. Even before I started reading or doing anything, I had already won in my mind,” he said.
Rather than follow a rigid timetable, Olusegun said he remained flexible with his study routine and revised lessons on the same day they were taught.
He also conducted additional research to understand difficult concepts, while paying close attention to continuous assessment scores because they contributed to his final grades.
“Once I do well in a test, I know that the major task left is the examination. I also aim for more than 70 per cent, so even if I eventually score 75, I am still comfortable with the result,” he said.
Olusegun acknowledged that social media sometimes distracted him, but said he deliberately limited its use to protect his academic focus. He also sacrificed some personal pleasures to concentrate on his long-term ambitions.
Despite his academic success, the graduate said his university years were marked by financial challenges and difficult moments. He recalled that his phone became faulty during his first year and could not be repaired until after his first-semester examinations.
A friend eventually lent him another phone, which he used for reading and practice.
He said he also sought help from people whenever he struggled financially, adding that asking for assistance was preferable to allowing difficult circumstances to derail his education.
“I believe there is no excuse for failure. If there is something I cannot handle on my own, I look for a way to get the help I need rather than allow the situation to stop me from achieving my goals,” he said.
Olusegun said he largely motivated himself because his parents, who were not formally educated, did not constantly push him academically.
He, however, acknowledged the contributions of his parents, church members, friends and former students of his department, who offered financial support, encouragement and academic guidance.
His interest in Mathematics, he said, began in primary school and influenced his decision to study the subject despite its demanding and abstract nature.
Olusegun said earning a perfect CGPA had strengthened his confidence and encouraged him to pursue further academic goals.
“It means a lot to me. It shows me that I can do more and that this is only the beginning of my greatness,” he said.
He added that he had consistently been the best graduating student from primary school through university and was the first person in his immediate family to earn a first-class degree.
The graduate said he was considering either a master’s degree or proceeding directly to a PhD, with research as his main interest.
He is particularly interested in mathematical biology and how mathematical models can help predict infectious diseases, support public health agencies and improve the use of available resources.
Olusegun also expressed interest in combining Mathematics with emerging technologies, especially artificial intelligence, to address public health and epidemiological challenges.
The University of Ilorin held its 41st convocation ceremony for the 2025/2026 academic session from October 21 to 23, with 16,152 graduands expected to receive degrees and other academic qualifications. Of the total, 365 were graduating with first-class honours.
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