- A young Nigerian man shared his experience while trying to gain admission into the University of Ibadan
- He shared how he struggled during his UTME and ended up writing multiple times before gaining admission into OOU
- His story triggered reactions on social media, and many who saw the post congratulated the young man
A young Nigerian man, Faruq Olaegbe, who sought admission into the University of Ibadan, shared his Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) experience.
He opened up about how he wrote UTME times before finally gaining admission into Olabisi Onabanjo University.
Source: UGC
Former UI aspirant recounts UTME experience
On his LinkedIn page, Faruq Olaegbe shared how he wrote UTME four times and got a national diploma along the line.
His LinkedIn post read:
“5 Years, 4 JAMB Exams and One Unwavering ‘Yes’. My path to university wasn’t linear—it took six years, four exams, and a friend who refused to let me quit. In 2019, fresh out of secondary school, I took my first JAMB exam with my friend Olamide Ayoade. We aimed for the University of Ibadan. My score of 205 fell short by 3 points. Life continued, but my momentum stalled.
Read also
University of Ibadan student who Wrote UTME 3 times bags first class, emerges best in department
” I tried again in 2021, targeting OAU. When I scored 187, I pivoted quickly to Yaba Tech to study Mass Communication as a course. I met their cutoff, but admission never came. The silence was crushing.
“By 2022, I faced a choice. Looking in the mirror, I decided this wasn’t over. I registered for JAMB again with a dual strategy: OOU as first choice, Kwara State Polytechnic as second with a score of 245. Kwara Poly responded first—admission into their Distance Learning programme. I paid ₦20,000 for the acceptance fee and relocated to Ilorin.
“Then OOU called for their Post-UTME. I was torn, already settled in Ilorin, with tuition fees looming. I paid Kwara Poly tuition fee to avoid forfeited admission, but that university dream still pulled at me. This is where Olamide Ayoade —already an OOU student by then—became my anchor. When I hesitated about travelling for the exam, he insisted, “Come and do your best.” When I couldn’t afford transport, he sent the fare without hesitation.
“I travelled from Ilorin, sat for the exam, and scored 48%—well above the 40% cutoff. Still, admission didn’t come. This time, however, I wasn’t stranded. Kwara Poly became my safety net. I completed my ND, but in my final year, that old fire reignited. I decided: no HND. One last shot at university.
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University of Ibadan offers admission to lady who wrote UTME 5 times, her story trends
“After graduating with my ND in 2024, I registered for my fourth JAMB in 2025. Exam day brought severe vomiting and diarrhoea. If not for my dad rushing to get medication, I wouldn’t have made it. But I did. When I saw 250 on my result slip, hope surged.
“OOU announced their Post-UTME. Olamide, now a graduate, remained my only anchor in Ago-Iwoye. I gave it everything. When results came i had 56% followed by that long-awaited notification, I had finally made the first batch.”
Source: UGC
In a related story, UNILAG’s best graduating student shared how he was rejected by the University of Ibadan, while another graduate staged a one-man protest over unemployment.
LASU BGS shares admission experience
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the Lagos State University’s (LASU) best graduating student opened up about her admission experience.
In an insightful interview with Legit.ng, the young lady shared her admission struggle, experience in school, and future goals.
Source: Legit.ng