* The brilliant Muslimah bags First Class degree in English Education
Fatimah Oluwaseyi Adamo, a brilliant Muslim student from the Department of Teacher Education, University of Ibadan, has graduated with a First-Class degree in English Education, emerging as the Best Graduating Student at the university’s Abeokuta campus.
The outstanding student, who gained admission through Direct Entry, completed her programme in three years, finishing with an impressive Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.62 out of 4.0. She was honoured during the university’s convocation ceremony held on Thursday, November 13, 2025.
In a deeply personal reflection, Adamo described her academic feat as the fulfilment of a nine-year journey marked by uncertainty, delays, and emotional battles.
“Today, I am a flood of emotions, standing at the finish line of a journey that once felt unreachable,” she wrote. “Through late nights, silent battles, self-doubt, fear, and sacrifices too numerous to name, I am here. My heart overflows with gratitude.”
She recounted her time as a National Certificate in Education (NCE) student, describing it as an earlier chapter of her life that she rarely spoke about, a chapter she said had never been part of her plan.
She explained that it felt like a detour disguised as a beginning: a path she didn’t choose but one that shaped, and continues to shape, the woman she would later become. Though marked by restlessness and fear, it was also the period in which she graduated with a strong 4.46 CGPA out of 5.00.
She admitted that the experience slowed her down, yet carved depth into her, teaching her how to rise quietly, how to rebuild when no one was watching, and how to grow in the shadows before stepping into the light.
Adamo also reflected on the formative years that shaped her before university, crediting her alma mater, Vanguards Academy for instilling in her a strong balance of spirituality and academic discipline.
She noted that the school’s emphasis on faith and excellence helped build the resilience she needed to navigate challenges, even during moments of self-doubt.
“Vanguards Academy was where my faith learned to stand firm, where excellence was woven into daily life, and where I first learned that growth is both an internal and external journey,” she said.
She explained that her dream of earning a First Class began long before gaining admission into UI. Inspired by the achievements of others, she nurtured the possibility in her heart even though some tutors told her it was “nearly impossible.”
She said these discouraging remarks shook her confidence until supportive mentors and friends restored her belief in herself. “Flowers bloom even after seasons of drought,” she noted, describing how every stumbling block became a step toward her growth.
The new graduate expressed deep gratitude to those who supported her through the journey, from friends who stood by her during difficult moments to individuals she described as “gifts in human form.”
She thanked them for steadying her whenever she faltered, adding: “You loved me through my chaos, and you stayed.”
A deeply personal part of her appreciation was dedicated to her husband. “The YNWA promise, a promise made, a promise kept,” she wrote. “My husband saw beyond the present, and he still sees beyond the moment. How do I say thank you for every single time I never walked alone? Thank you for believing in the version of me I hadn’t met yet. Words will never be enough. This win… it is ours.”
She also acknowledged the immense sacrifices she had made personally, celebrating the strength it took to remain focused even when giving up felt easier.
A major part of her tribute was dedicated to her mother, whom she credited as her greatest pillar of strength. “Mum… Maami… You believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself,” she wrote. “Your prayers carried me; your faith anchored me.” Adamo also praised her lecturers and mentors, saying they “gave her wings” and sharpened her academically, pouring knowledge into her in ways that transformed her.
In a heartfelt message of self-appreciation, Adamo applauded her own resilience and determination. “Most importantly, to myself: thank you, Fatimah… For staying when walking away felt easier. For daring to become what they said was impossible.”
She celebrated her First-Class degree as proof that even steep mountains can be climbed with courage.
Looking ahead, she said this achievement is “only the prologue” to a greater future, adding that the next chapter of her journey “whispers her name.”
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