The University of Ilorin officially signed out Rahmat Olajumoke Aliyu on 16 July 2026, ten years after she first sat for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board examination. The ten-year span from her first JAMB exam to her final sign-out covers one of the most determined educational pursuits in recent memory. Her journey from a rejected applicant to a graduate of UNILORIN is one of persistence and defiance against doubt.
In a Facebook post shared on 17 July 2026, Rahmat recounted the long road to graduation. She completed secondary school in 2016 with a desire to study Nursing, and chose UNILORIN as her preferred institution. Her JAMB score that year was 256, a mark that many would consider promising. Yet no admission was granted.
She tried again in 2017 and scored 245. In 2018, she scored 242. Both years, the result was the same: no admission from UNILORIN.
A Father's Refusal That Delayed the Dream
In 2018, an alternative emerged. Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria offered her admission through a screening exercise. Rahmat, filled with hope, prepared to take up the offer. But her father objected. She argued, but ultimately had to respect his decision and let the offer slip away. Rahmat described this as one of the biggest disappointments of her academic pursuit.
That setback did not stop her. She enrolled at Kwara State College of Education and graduated in 2021. Soon after, she applied for Direct Entry admission into UNILORIN. The university offered her a place in Adult and Primary Education, a course she believed did not match her goals. Again, she declined.
Teaching Years That Built Character
Between January 2022 and November 2023, Rahmat worked in classrooms. She first taught at Hassanat Islamic College as a secondary school teacher, then moved to Offspring Ilm School as a preschool teacher. She described these years as a period that strengthened her patience, leadership and sense of purpose.
In August 2023, Rahmat finally received the news she had been waiting for. UNILORIN offered her admission through Direct Entry to study Biology Education. She resumed in January 2024 and matriculated on 14 February 2024. Two and a half years later, on 16 July 2026, she signed out, bringing her undergraduate studies to an official close.
'Your Words Didn't Stop Me'
In her graduation announcement, Rahmat took the opportunity to respond to those who had doubted her. Some people told her family that investing in her education was a waste. Others evaluated her worth based on whether she was married. Her response was firm: "Your words didn't stop me. They reminded me why I had to keep going."
She made it clear that signing out is not the end of her aspirations. She still plans to become a professor, contribute to research, and inspire younger girls to believe in their own journeys.
Congratulatory Messages Pour In
The Facebook post, which moved thousands online, drew warm reactions. Abdulkadir Ayigoro Alabi wrote, "Congratulations." Babatunde Ganiyu commented, "Congratulations. Favour market o." Aminat Olajumoke Bashir said, "Alhamdullilah congratulations to you."
The story adds to a chain of UNILORIN achievements recently reported. One graduate emerged as the best student at the Nigerian Law School, while another bagged an architecture degree in 2019 and went on to start his master's programme at the University of Ibadan in 2025.
Rahmat's story is a reminder that the road to a degree is rarely straight. For her, three JAMB attempts, a father's refusal, and two years of teaching were not obstacles that ended her ambitions. They were chapters that shaped the graduate she became.
