How Akano Abisola Went from University Dropout to UNILAG Best Graduating Student

ByEditor

Jan 23, 2026 #academic comeback Nigeria, #Akano Abisola Elizabeth, #Education Economics UNILAG, #Nigerian student success story, #UNILAG best graduating student, #University of Lagos first class graduate

Femi Ashekun/

Akano Abisola Elizabeth, now celebrated as one of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Best Graduating Students, has shared a deeply personal account of her academic journey, revealing how she once dropped out of university after severe academic struggles before staging a remarkable comeback that culminated in a First Class degree with a CGPA of 4.91.

In a Facebook post that has since drawn widespread attention, Abisola recounted how her academic path began with promise but quickly descended into uncertainty during her first university experience.

“I finished my secondary education in 2015 and gained admission into Obafemi Awolowo University to study Biochemistry,” she wrote. “I started failing from my first semester, which was weird because I knew I was a bright student.”

According to her, the situation worsened over time, and by the end of her second year, her academic standing had deteriorated significantly.

“By the end of my second year, I was advised to withdraw because my CGPA had gone lower than 1.0, so I dropped out in 2018,” she said.

Abisola admitted that the experience left her emotionally shattered and questioning her place in higher education.

“I was broken and wasn’t sure that school was meant for me,” she wrote.

With encouragement and support from her family, however, she decided to try again.

In 2019, she sat for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination and secured admission into the University of Lagos, this time to study Education Economics.

“I got in very uncertain about the future but with one resolve, I will never fail again,” she stated. “With the help of God, I never failed again. I never got below a B in any course.”

That determination paid off. Abisola graduated with a First Class degree, emerging as Best Graduating Student in Education Economics with a CGPA of 4.91.

“I graduated with a first class. Not only a first class but as a Best Graduating Student,” she wrote.

Beyond her departmental recognition, she was also named Second Best Graduating Student in the Faculty of Education and one of the Best Graduating Students in the University of Lagos.

Introducing herself formally at the end of the post, she wrote: “I am Akano Abisola Elizabeth, Bachelor of Science in Education (Education Economics), with a CGPA of 4.91.”

Reflecting on her journey, Abisola attributed her transformation to faith, resilience, and perseverance.

“God has changed my story,” she said. “From a dropout to a BGS.”

Her account has resonated widely online, drawing praise for its honesty and serving as encouragement to students facing academic setbacks that early failure does not necessarily define the end of an educational journey.