A brilliant Nigerian lady named Ireoluwa Kayode has achieved outstanding success at the University of Ibadan, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture and earning a First-Class with a cumulative grade point average of 4.52 out of 5.00.
Celebrating her achievement on LinkedIn, Ireoluwa reflected on the journey that began in high school and unfolded into a story of resilience, doubt, discovery, and academic success.
In 2020, she gained admission into the University of Ibadan straight from her senior secondary 2 (SS2) class, a rare opportunity for any secondary school student. But the truth was, she did not fully understand what studying Architecture truly meant.
It was her love for drawing that gave her hope, but she was not prepared for the mental and emotional demands of the university. . Within a few weeks of starting her first year, she found herself questioning everything.
The technical expectations of studio work as a student felt overwhelming which made her consider switching departments.
In 2020, the sudden shift to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic also made things worse. Ireoluwa experienced power outages, poor internet connection, and the fact that she had skipped her final year in secondary school made learning even more difficult.
She completed her first year with a Second Class Lower grade, and it felt like a small victory. Though it was not what she had hoped for, but it was not as bad as she had feared either.
She remembered feeling encouraged when she was named Class Representative of the Year. That recognition gave her the little sense of accomplishment she had desperately needed and motivated her to keep gong
In her second year, Ireoluwa faced another delay, an 8-month academic union strike. But during that break, she decided to teach herself design software using free PDFs, as she could not afford video tutorials.
Surprisingly, she became good at it and was able to join a firm, Potters House, to gain even more knowledge. During the same academic year, she was elected Welfare and Health Director while still serving as Class Representative.
Gradually, the university experience began to make sense. Ireoluwa committed herself to service — not only out of passion but also from a desire to leave a lasting impact, especially with her poor grades. Her mantra became simple:
“Read to escape carryovers.” She was not aiming for a First-Class. At that point, all she wanted was to survive.
As studio projects became a regular part of her coursework, Ireoluwa faced more pressure. She recalled the late nights, caffeine, panic attacks, and tears as part of her routine.
She battled self-doubt and mental fatigue but persevered with God’s help, the support of her classmates, and relentless determination and she began to see results.
By her third year, she had been re-elected as Welfare and Academic Director. Despite a close brush with a carryover, she stayed the course. She interned with notable figures in Oyo State and gave back by tutoring her fellow interns.
In her final year, Ireoluwa’s goal was to simply maintain her Second Class Upper grade while completing her final year studio projects and dissertation. She was elected Treasurer and kept up with the pressure.
Her hard work and commitment began to pay off. At a departmental event, she was awarded for having the highest CGPA in her class despite holding a second class upper grade, however the recognition meant everything.
Suddenly, her grades improved, and she began to push towards a first-class grade. Ireoluwa studies through sleepless nights, listening to lecture recordings when her eyes could no longer focus, and powering through fear, exhaustion, and anxiety.
When her final results came out, Ireoluwa recorded all As— ten courses in her final semester. Her remarkable performance earned her a first class CGPA and she graduated as the best student in Architecture.
