FROM SETBACKS TO FIRST CLASS: THE DETERMINED RISE OF TIJANI ADENIKE JANET

 

FROM SETBACKS TO FIRST CLASS: THE DETERMINED RISE OF TIJANI ADENIKE JANET

By Goodness Olope 

For Tijani Adenike Janet, the journey to becoming one of the brightest graduates in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Obafemi Awolowo University wasn’t paved with ease. It was carved through discipline, sacrifice, and a quiet determination that kept her moving literally and figuratively from Phase Two to campus every day.

At 23, Adenike graduates from the Faculty of Social Sciences with an impressive 4.5 CGPA, a feat many dream of but few attain. Hailing from Ogun State, she reflects on her years at Great Ife with a blend of gratitude, pride, and relief.

“It Was Challenging, but Rewarding”

Adenike describes her academic journey as “challenging but rewarding,” a phrase that only scratches the surface of what it took to excel. While some courses came naturally, the calculation-heavy ones SSC 105, 106, 201, and 202 pushed her to her limits. They cost her the Part 1 academic award, a moment she still remembers vividly.

But rather than fold, she recalibrated. Tutorials became her lifeline. “Joining tutorial groups helped a lot,” she says. “They made difficult concepts clearer and helped me stay focused.”

Her efforts paid off in full. She emerged Overall Best Student for both Part 2 and Part 3, with Part 4 already within her grasp.

Awards, Books and a Mobile Spa

While academic excellence defined much of her time on campus, Adenike’s story stretches far beyond the classroom.

In a world where many students find it difficult to juggle academic work with side hustles, she successfully ran a mobile spa business, providing skincare and relaxation services to students across campus. It was her way of maintaining financial stability and nurturing her entrepreneurial dreams.

“Running the spa was my major extracurricular activity,” she shares. “I didn’t take on leadership roles or community work, but the spa kept me busy and productive.”

The Transport Battle

Like many students living off campus, transportation was her biggest daily struggle. Living in Phase Two meant contending with long queues, unpredictable shuttles, and the constant fear of missing early-morning classes.

Her solution? Waking up earlier than most, and heading out two hours before class.

“It was stressful,” she admits, “but it worked.”

That small discipline made a big difference and it became one of the silent contributors to her academic success.

The Moment of Triumph

When Adenike was announced as the Best Graduating Student (BGS) of her department, she felt an overwhelming rush of joy and fulfillment.

“I was extremely happy and proud of myself,” she says a simple sentence that carries the weight of years of persistence.

What Comes Next

With her degree behind her, Adenike is already thinking ahead. She plans to continue her education while also expanding the spa business she built from her student room into a full-scale enterprise.

For her, the future is a blend of scholarship and entrepreneurship, a combination she’s confident will take her far.

A Journey Marked by Grit

Tijani Adenike Janet’s story is a reminder that greatness is often built in ordinary moments: early-morning shuttles, late-night readings, hours spent understanding difficult courses, and balancing passion with academic pressure.

Through it all, she kept going.

And now, standing tall as one of the department’s finest, she shows that with discipline, consistency, and heart, every student can rewrite their own narrative one determined step at a time.