A Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) graduate has shared a touching story after achieving an excellent academic result. The young graduate worked as a manual labourer, carrying bags of cement to self-finance his university education. He spoke about how he was able to accomplish such a feat despite his background, sparking applause from many.
Agbalaya Jubril Ayomide, a Nigerian graduate, shared an emotional story on TikTok about how he overcame financial hardship to emerge as the second overall best graduating student at LAUTECH. The BSc Economics graduate revealed that he worked as a manual labourer, carrying cement bags to fund his education from secondary school through university.
Ayomide shared photos from his time working on construction sites alongside pictures of his graduation gown and the numerous awards he received. He also revealed that he was once a welding apprentice but left that career in May 2019. From then on, he started carrying cement to finance his studies.
Ayomide said: 'Tears of joy filled my eyes when I was honoured as the Second Overall Best Graduating Student in the University. The weight of my struggles since October 2018, and being a first-generation university student came rushing back to my mind. In May 2019, I chose to leave my welding apprenticeship and started carrying cement to finance my education from high school through university, even when my parents doubted me because of my two older siblings' struggles in their own education. With a meagre daily wage, I fought relentlessly to finance my education.'
The first-generation graduate stated that to cope with his studies, he mingled with medical students who motivated him to read for an average of 19 hours per day throughout his undergraduate years. He added that immediately after his exams each semester, he took a bus to Ibadan to work and raise funds for the next semester.
Ayomide eventually graduated with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.86 out of 5.0, breaking the highest academic records ever recorded in both his department and faculty. He also served as his department's president and as a member of the Student Caretaker Committee in 2025, culminating in five major university awards on his graduation day.
He said: 'I served as: 1. President of My Department 2. Member of the Student Caretaker Committee 2025 3. Graduated with the highest CGPA ever recorded in both my department and faculty 4. Received multiple awards for academic excellence and leadership impact. Today, I received five major awards across my faculty and at the University level, and I am proud of myself...'
Meanwhile, a graduate of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) who gained admission while her mates were graduating trended online as she finished with a first-class degree and set a new record in her family.
