How 𝗔𝗕𝗨 Zaria 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝗳ied all Odds to Become 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (ABU) took a bold step in this direction of rewarding excellent brains during its 45th convocation ceremony held on Saturday, January 31, 2026. The institution rewarded its overall best graduating student with ₦10 million.

In a bid to uncover the path that led to this achievement, Gamji Press’ Abubakar Muizat interviewed Ayodele Joseph Babalola, the overall best graduating student of ABU Zaria.

Ayodele’s journey was not without setbacks. He gained admission in 2019 but graduated in 2026, spending seven years on a four-year course. The COVID-19 lockdown and the 2022 Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike disrupted his studies and prolonged his stay in school.

“It felt surreal,” he said while recalling the moment his name was announced.

Ayodele Joseph Babalola hails from Ekiti State in southwest Nigeria but was born and raised in Abuja. He gained admission into ABU during the 2019/2020 academic session and recently graduated from the Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Physical Sciences.

“I honestly did not expect it. I was contacted earlier that I was the overall best in my faculty, so I came for convocation with the knowledge of just one achievement. When the announcement was made, I was shocked and deeply grateful to God. It was a moment of joy and fulfillment.”

Although he is yet to receive the prize money, Ayodele already has plans for it. “I intend to invest a significant portion of it in furthering my education and personal development,” he explained.

𝗦𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗿-𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲

Ayodele’s journey was not without setbacks. He gained admission in 2019 but graduated in 2026, spending seven years on a four-year course. The COVID-19 lockdown and the 2022 Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike disrupted his studies and prolonged his stay in school. 

His biggest academic challenge came in his final year. “In the second semester, my GPA dropped from 4.95 to 4.92. I gave up on emerging as the overall best because I believed someone else would have a higher GPA,” he said.

𝗦𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁

To achieve his goal, Ayodele made difficult choices. He avoided what he called “delayed gratification” such as parties and unnecessary socialisation.

“I chose focus over comfort. I did not explore a lot like some of my counterparts who saw the university as a fertile soil for social activities. Reading was not easy, but I pushed through nonetheless,” he said.

From primary school through secondary school, he had always been among the best students in his class. He scored 248 in JAMB and gained admission to study Computer Science, his course of choice. From the beginning, he set his mind on graduating with a first class.

In his first year, he focused on understanding himself and what worked best for him. “I avoided studying while stressed. That little detail shaped my relationship with books and study materials,” he noted.

𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀

Ayodele attributes his success to habits of discipline and consistency. “Consistency and discipline turned my little efforts into significant results. I exceeded my expectations and finally saw my potential,” he said.

According to Ayodele, on average, he studied about three hours a day, not every day but most days. He avoided the popular “TDB culture” and made it a habit to sleep early. During examinations, he increased his study time and woke up as early as 5:00 a.m. to revise.

“I approached every semester independently, ensuring that previous grades did not affect my motivation or productivity,” he explained.

He admits he was not the smartest in his class or in ABU. “But discipline, perseverance and sacrifice separated my story from the others,” he said.

𝗚𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲

Ayodele dedicated his achievement to God, his family and friends. 

“First to God Almighty whose wisdom and grace brought me this far. I also dedicate it to my family and friends who supported me financially and emotionally throughout my journey. In my last semester when I had lost hope, my friends believed and prayed for me, reminding me that I had all it takes,” said Ayodele.

He was involved in extracurricular activities, though not extensively. He attended tech and leadership conferences, including the Global Leadership Conference organised in collaboration with his department.

Looking ahead, Ayodele hopes to create impact through innovation and learning. “I want to explore the field of Artificial Intelligence and data technology and use it to impact my immediate society,” he said.

𝗔 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀

In Ayodele’s words “If you want to finish well, lay your foundation now. Do not get carried away or distracted from your main assignment. Always keep your goal in mind and work towards it. Never underestimate the power of small efforts.”

“Discipline should shape your journey and consistency will sustain your progress. Have faith in yourself and God. Keep going and take every setback as a lesson,” Ayodele said, while advic ting students. 

Ayodele’s story is a reflection of the significance of perseverance, discipline and faith in education. It also calls on universities to adopt initiatives that reward academic excellence and rebuild students’ interest in learning.

Such changes can help shape the next generation of Nigerians. Rather than placing all hope in leaders who have failed repeatedly, young people must rise, value education, and take responsibility for making Nigeria great.