Oyo-Born Man Who Returned To Classroom 15 Years After Secondary School Bags First Class In Law

Ajala Abdulbasit Olanrewaju, an indigene of Oyo town in Oyo State, has graduated with First Class Honours in Common and Islamic Law from Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, 15 years after leaving secondary school.

For Olanrewaju, the achievement marks the fulfilment of a university dream that remained alive despite years of delays and uncertainty.

He left secondary school in 2011 as a commercial student with plans to study Accounting at university. However, circumstances kept him away from university for several years.

Speaking with Legit.ng, Olanrewaju said the prolonged wait never made him abandon his ambition of obtaining a university degree.

“There were many moments when I wondered whether the university dream would ever become a reality. But I remained unperturbed. I stuck to my guns and refused to allow the dream to die,” he said.

During the years away from university, Olanrewaju enrolled at Darul-Ulum, Isalekoto, Ilorin, where he spent seven years studying Arabic and eventually graduated among the top 10 students in his class.

His academic journey took a new turn in 2021, when he sat for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) again. This time, he registered for Arts subjects that would qualify him to study Law.

After gaining admission to the Faculty of Law at Al-Hikmah University, Olanrewaju said he set another ambitious target for himself: graduating with First Class Honours.

He recorded a 4.59 GPA in his first semester but said the result only motivated him to work harder. He subsequently recorded perfect 5.0 GPAs in some semesters.

“The 4.59 GPA was gratifying, but I knew I had to do more. I levelled up my grind, and the results spurred me to work even harder. Eventually, there were semesters when I made a perfect 5.0 GPA, and that became my benchmark,” he said.

Olanrewaju’s graduation also came with several distinctions. He said he was recognised as the best male graduating student in the Common and Islamic Law Department and became one of two male First Class graduates produced by the university’s Faculty of Law.

He also previously served as President of the Faculty of Law and said he became the first president of the faculty to graduate with First Class Honours.

Reflecting on the journey, Olanrewaju described the achievement as one shaped by discipline, sacrifice, perseverance and faith.

“This is not merely a graduation for me. It is a moment I will always cherish because I returned to pursue a dream 15 years after leaving secondary school, and today I am leaving with not just a law degree, but a place in the history of the institution I served,” he said.