A NIGERIAN MAN WHO RECENTLY GRADUATED HAS REVEALED THE CHALLENGES HE FACED WHILE TRYING TO FURTHER HIS EDUCATION.

Never stop trying until you succeed. This is a popular saying often used to encourage people never to give up on their dreams no matter the situation. This is the same belief a Nigerian man identified as Simon Godwin Idoko practiced until his dreams came true. Graduating with a first class, his story is not the normal stories you hear. The 26-year-old first class graduate of applied chemistry shared his story on how he conquered his setbacks to become one of the best students in his department. According to the native of Udaburu Owukpa, Ogbadibo LGA of Benue State, his initial dream was to become a medical doctor or a pharmacist was frustrated after he sat for UTME five times without success. Not discouraged by the challenges, he decided to apply for a different science-related course and was offered to study Applied Chemistry at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto where he graduated with a first class, garnering a total of 4.75 CGP he attributed his success to God. He had this to say: “I left secondary school in 2007 from Wesley High School, Otukpo where I was awarded the overall best in Mathematics. I took UTME six times before I got admission to study Applied Chemistry. I was initially applying for Medicine and Surgery due to the advice from different people." I have never scored below 200 in UTME and the most disappointing time during the period of struggling to get admission was when I scored 264 in UTME and 68 in Post UTME in 2012 but I was not offered admission to study any course. The only course I was offered throughout the period of the six years was the course that I studied (Applied Chemistry). It was very frustrating then.” On how he was able to achieve the feat despite facing admission challenges for six years, Idoko said, “I was able to achieve the feat through continuous prayer, hard work and the zeal to always be the best I can be. The secret behind my success emanated from the fact that as the first son of my father, I wanted to set a standard to which my younger ones can emulate.”