Nineteen-year-old Mafolayomi Otujiya, a first-class Public Administration graduate of Babcock University, has shared how she turned the disappointment of scoring 238 in the UTME into motivation to excel at university.
Otujiya, who graduated with a CGPA of 4.52 as the best graduating student in her department, said she had expected to score above 300 in the UTME and was devastated when she received her result.
According to her, the disappointment strengthened her determination to perform better at university.
She said, “I was expecting a 300+ score in UTME, and I really worked towards it. So, seeing 238 was far below my expectations. I even cried when the UTME result came out.
“I told myself I would do better in the university. I turned the disappointment into a higher level of focus and intentionality in the university.”
Otujiya gained admission to Babcock University in 2022 at the age of 15. Although she initially wanted to study Law, she was offered Public Administration and eventually developed an interest in the course after researching its relevance.
She recalled that her first semester result gave her confidence that graduating with a first class was possible, after she recorded a 4.55 GPA in her 100 Level.
“I always imagined myself as a first-class student, but the point when I realised I could graduate with one was when my first result came out,” she said.
She maintained a first-class CGPA throughout her university education, with her highest GPA reaching 4.74.
Despite her academic success, Otujiya said her journey was not without difficulties. French was particularly challenging, as she recorded Cs in the three-unit course for three consecutive semesters.
She also had to balance academics with leadership responsibilities. She served as assistant social director in 200 Level and vice president of her department in 300 Level. These roles, she said, sparked her interest in project management and helped her develop skills in teamwork, organisation and leadership.
Otujiya also revealed that she sacrificed sleep, leisure and afternoon naps to keep up with her academic responsibilities. At some points, she remained in the library until 8 p.m. while also managing classes and research projects.
She credited her family, lecturers and project supervisor, Dr Sunday Audu, for supporting her throughout her university journey. She also acknowledged the contribution of a senior colleague, Olafare Oluwanifemi, who helped her understand difficult course materials.
Reflecting on being a 19-year-old graduate, Otujiya said she never allowed her age to limit her expectations.
“I didn’t let my age dictate my potential. I knew that if I saw myself as younger than everyone else, it would hold me back, so I just focused on my capabilities rather than my age,” she said.
Beyond academics, she participated in extracurricular activities, interviewed her university’s vice chancellor as a member of her chapel’s media team and received an award for meritorious service.
She said studying Public Administration also changed her perspective on governance, particularly by exposing her to policy implementation gaps, bureaucracy and public-sector structures.
After graduation, Otujiya said she is currently training in agile project management and product management while preparing to resume content creation as a faith-based fashion creator.
She hopes to build a career in project management and corporate administration, saying her strengths lie in building structures, organising teams and achieving organisational goals.
For students aspiring to graduate with first-class honours, she stressed the importance of discipline, consistency, prayer and intentionality.
“If you’re naturally intelligent but not disciplined, you really can’t achieve anything,” she said, adding that students should surround themselves with environments that support their goals.
Otujiya also advised students to believe in their abilities and visualise their goals before pursuing them, noting that her own academic achievement began with believing that it was possible.