A Nigerian lady pursuing her master's degree at the University of Ibadan has shared her inspiring journey of balancing academic studies with a banking career. Opeyemi Oyenekan, a master's student in Mathematics, revealed how she secured a position at United Bank for Africa (UBA) while simultaneously pursuing her postgraduate education.
How It All Began
In 2024, Opeyemi was completing her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program while applying for various opportunities, including the UBA Graduate Management Accelerated Programme (GMAP). At the same time, she received admission to the University of Ibadan for a Master's in Mathematics. Determined not to remain idle after NYSC, she embraced both challenges simultaneously.
In her own words, she stated, "I didn't plan it this way, but I found myself doing a Master's degree and starting a banking career at the same time." She recalled writing the first stage of the UBA assessment without owning a laptop. In October 2024, three months into her master's program, she received acceptance into the UBA Banking School, resuming on November 1 while preparing for her first semester exams.
Balancing Act and Challenges
Juggling a demanding postgraduate program and a full-time job was no easy feat. Opeyemi described the experience as overwhelming at times, moving from work to classes, assignments, and research. Despite considering quitting, she persevered. In March 2026, she marked one year as a full-time staff member at UBA and defended her master's research in Mathematics. Around the same period, her research on Conditional Value at Risk (CVaR), a financial risk measure used in managing extreme investment losses, was published in an academic journal.
Gratitude and Reflection
Opeyemi expressed gratitude to her coursemates, friends, family, supervisor, lecturers, colleagues, and her boss for their unwavering support. She also thanked God for the strength to keep going. Reflecting on her journey, she said, "Looking back, I'm glad I didn't give up."
In related news, a UNILAG best graduating student shared how he was rejected by the University of Ibadan, while another graduate staged a one-man protest over unemployment. Additionally, the Lagos State University (LASU) best graduating student opened up about her admission experience in an interview with Legit.ng.
