UNILAG Graduate's Inspiring Journey from Tragedy to Academic Excellence
Sheu Tijani Lawal, a recent graduate of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), has captured public attention by sharing his remarkable story of perseverance through immense personal loss and academic challenges. The young man, who once doubted his ability to attend university, ultimately achieved a first-class degree in Actuarial Science, demonstrating extraordinary resilience.
Early Struggles and Family Tragedy
Lawal's journey began with significant obstacles during his secondary school years. He described himself as a struggling student in junior secondary school who remained silent when teachers asked about university aspirations. "I didn't see myself as university material," he confessed in a viral LinkedIn post, citing both academic difficulties and his family's financial constraints.
The situation became dramatically more challenging when Lawal lost his mother during his JSS2 year, followed by his father's passing in 2017, just as he was preparing for his first university admission attempt. These devastating losses forced him to reconsider his life path and develop practical survival strategies.
Multiple JAMB Attempts and Self-Sponsorship
Determined to create a better future, Lawal took proactive steps by learning tailoring as a practical skill before pursuing higher education. He then embarked on what would become a three-year journey through the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination process.
His JAMB scores across three attempts were:
- 2017: 238
- 2018: 232
- 2019: 272
Lawal initially aimed to study at Kwara State University (KWASU) but switched to the University of Ilorin due to non-indigene fees. Tragically, he lost his father just three days before UNILORIN's post-UTME examination. Despite this emotional blow, he proceeded with the test but was not admitted to study Economics.
Admission to UNILAG and Academic Challenges
With family concerns about distant education, Lawal redirected his focus to the University of Lagos. In 2019, he sponsored himself for both JAMB and post-UTME examinations, scoring 272 and 22/30 respectively. This effort finally secured his admission to study Actuarial Science at UNILAG.
His university journey proved equally challenging. During his first year, Lawal lost two siblings and faced the demolition of his family home. These compounded tragedies resulted in a first-year GPA of 3.33. "My first year was extremely rough," he recalled, "but I knew I could do better."
Remarkable Academic Achievement
Through sheer determination, Lawal transformed his academic performance while balancing work and studies, including participation in UNILAG's Work-Study programme. His perseverance paid off spectacularly, with his semester GPA rising to 4.59 at its peak.
Despite the additional challenges of ASUU strikes and the COVID-19 pandemic, which extended his four-year program to six years, Lawal graduated with an impressive final CGPA of 4.15/5.0, earning a Second Class Upper Division in Actuarial Science.
Beyond Academics: Campus Involvement
Lawal's university experience extended beyond classroom achievements. He actively participated in symposiums and departmental activities, co-heading the welfare unit for the Career Expo and SEP program during his final year. He expressed gratitude to several individuals who supported his journey, including Fifehanmi Otun, Adebiyi Adebisi, and Sheu Bolaji.
Reflecting on his accomplishment, Lawal simply stated: "Alhamdulillah, I conquered." His story serves as a powerful testament to human resilience, demonstrating how determination can overcome even the most daunting personal and academic obstacles.
