History Made: 21-Year-Old Temitope Ayeobasan Shatters 40-Year Record at Lagos State University
In an extraordinary achievement, Lagos State University (LASU) has recorded its first-ever first-class graduate in the Department of History and International Studies. Temitope Ayeobasan, a 21-year-old, shattered the 40-year-old record and set a new academic benchmark for the university.
The remarkable milestone was announced by Professor Adeyeri Olusegun, Head of the Department of History and International Studies. In an interview with Vanguard, Professor Olusegun expressed pride in Ayeobasan’s historic accomplishment.
“Ayeobasan Temitope has shown resilience from her 100 level until now. She deserves it. This is the first of its kind since this school was established in 1984. She is an adult; whether she would want to be retained will depend on her. But I know for sure that wherever she goes, she will need a mentor to help her advance,” Professor Olusegun shared.
Ayeobasan’s journey to academic excellence is nothing short of inspirational. Initially, history was not her first choice of study. Speaking to the media, the young scholar revealed her journey from uncertainty to success.
“I finished secondary school in 2020, and I’m 21 years old. I actually never wanted to study history; due to certain circumstances, I had to settle for it temporarily while waiting for a transfer to law. But along the line, I fell in love with it and decided to stay,” she explained.
Ayeobasan admitted that her initial reluctance toward the course made her doubt the possibility of achieving a first-class degree. “At first, I wasn’t sure I would achieve a First Class because I didn’t initially want to study history, but I adhered to my mantra: ‘Whatever’s worth doing at all is worth doing well,’ so I put my all into it.”
She also shared some of the challenges she faced during her academic journey, highlighting the demanding nature of her course.
“Most things in the department came easily to me, but I would say my greatest challenge was having to write multiple exams on the same day. Also, I’m not the biggest fan of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. classes, so that was another hurdle,” she added.
Ayeobasan’s story of passion, determination, and academic success has inspired many students, proving that even the most unexpected paths can lead to greatness.
History Made: 21-Year-Old Temitope Ayeobasan Shatters 40-Year Record at Lagos State University