A young Nigerian man, Clinton Atanda, has inspired many after sharing his remarkable journey from working as a bricklayer to graduating with a first-class degree in law from the University of Ibadan. His story, which he detailed on LinkedIn, highlights his struggles with the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and the menial jobs he undertook before finally gaining admission.
From Struggles to Success
Clinton Atanda revealed that he wrote the UTME and post-UTME twice before securing admission to study law at the prestigious University of Ibadan. In his LinkedIn post, he recounted how he wept after completing his final exam, overwhelmed by the journey that had brought him to that point. He described himself as one of the dullest students in secondary school, struggling even with basic English. However, a turning point came when he saw his WAEC results, filled with F9s. That night, he vowed to become the best he could be.
He became the top student in English at a tutorial centre in Ibadan and scored over 300 in the UTME and above 70% in the UI PUTME on his second attempt. He gained admission to study law with a margin of over four points above the cut-off mark.
Menial Jobs and Determination
Atanda came from an average family of 13, which forced him to work from a young age. He attended a public school and rarely bought textbooks. As a financially unstable secondary school graduate, he took on various menial jobs, including working as a bricklaying labourer, a POS and accessories sales boy, and a sales boy at a supermarket even after being offered admission. He needed to save money to survive in university.
His story has drawn widespread congratulations on social media, with many praising his resilience and determination. Atanda also secured several scholarships during his studies, further cementing his academic success.
Broader Context
This inspiring story echoes similar tales of triumph over adversity in Nigerian universities. In a related story, the best graduating student of Lagos State University (LASU) also shared her admission struggles and future goals in an interview with Legit.ng. These narratives highlight the challenges many students face and the perseverance required to achieve academic excellence.
