Abolarinwa Gbenga: University Graduate Who Wrote Resit 4 Times, Bags First Class
- Abolarinwa Gbenga spent five years at home and sat the JAMB examination four times before gaining admission to the University of Ilorin
- He originally aimed to study Medicine and Surgery but was admitted to study Anatomy, with plans to transfer that never materialised
- Gbenga shared his full academic journey on LinkedIn in October 2026, and his post drew warm reactions from followers
Ghana’s top stories, now easier to find. Discover our new search feature!
Abolarinwa Gbenga, a Nigerian university graduate, has captured widespread attention online after sharing that five years of waiting and four JAMB sittings preceded his First Class Honours degree in Anatomy from the University of Ilorin.
Source: UGC
Gbenga shared his story through a series of slides on LinkedIn in October 2026, tracing the full arc of his academic life from secondary school to graduation day.
From FEMA schools to a five-year wait
His journey began on 21 July 2018, when he finished at FEMA Schools in Minna as the second-best student in his graduating set, scoring 781 points, just three behind the top-scoring student who earned 784.
At that point, his sole ambition was to study Medicine and Surgery at the University of Ilorin.
Achieving that goal took far longer than expected. He sat the UTME four times and spent five years outside a university before eventually redirecting his focus.
Drawn by the possibility of later crossing into the MBBS programme once enrolled, he applied to study Anatomy instead.
When he found his name on the merit admission list, he described the moment as one of pure joy. He matriculated on 3 April 2023.
First Class despite a change of plans
The transfer to Medicine and Surgery he had hoped for never came through.
Three courses in his second semester fell below the required threshold, closing that door and leaving him fully committed to Anatomy.
On 5 September 2026, the graduating list was released, and Gbenga's name appeared among the First Class graduates.
Reflecting on everything the journey had cost him in time and patience, he wrote:
"Looking back, I realise that what I once called a delay, God used as a process of growth, preparation, and transformation. What I thought was a detour became part of my journey."
Congratulations pour in for UNILORIN first-class graduate
His post drew warm responses from people who had followed his story.
Adeyemi Dolapo Emmanuel wrote:
"Congratulations, brother 🎊🎉 Thank you for putting in the effort.✨Truly, 'All things work together for good to them that love God.'"
Williams Ajayi added:
"Congratulations, Anatomist!🎉 Greater heights ahead!"
Second-class lower graduate wins fully funded scholarship
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Ozioma Sarah Eze, a chemistry graduate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, became the subject of admiration after announcing on LinkedIn in September 2026 that she had won a fully funded Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's Scholarship, despite holding a second-class lower degree.
Ozioma was awarded a place on the Service Design Strategies and Innovations (SDSI) programme, a two-year master's course that will see her study across four European institutions: the Art Academy of Latvia, the University of Lapland in Finland, the Estonian Academy of Arts, and the Stockholm School of Economics.
Ozioma graduated from the Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry in 2023 with a CGPA of 3.21 out of 5.00.
Don't miss out! Get your daily dose of sports news straight to your phone. Join YEN's Sports News channel on WhatsApp now!
Source: YEN.com.gh
