"I wrote UTME 12 times before getting admission" – OAU student

A student, Kazeem Olajide Bashir, has revealed how he sat for Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination(UTME) for a dozen time, choosing Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-ife, before he was finally given admission in the 2016 UTME.

Bashir, in an exclusive interview with DAILY POST disclosed that he started sitting for UTME, with OAU as his first choice in 2004, and with scores far above 200 ever since then, but never secured the admission.

He said his humble background, coupled with flair for social justice spurred him to put in for Law in no other university but OAU, Ife, which he explained had been his dream university since his secondary school days.

According to him, the dream of studying Law at the first generation university almost got dashed before his face, when he tried for over 8 times without success.

Bashir recalled that after the UTME of 2012, and all his efforts to get admission eventually proved abortive, he became so discouraged but got encouraged by people around him.

“Sincerely, my case is pathetic, I went through a chronic psychological trauma in my quest for gown and wig at OAU. I almost lost my mind, but for constant encouragement from many of my friends and relatives.

“The moral supports from my immediate family, especially my father gave me the requisite impetus to move on till I attained success.

”I have been scoring over 200 in the UTME since 2004, with good grades in the Post-UTME too, although there is no time I ever meet up with the cut-off marks, but there are other candidates in my shoes that have been admitted even with scores lower than mine.

“For instance, I had 245 in 2015 UTME, and got over 50 per cent in the Post-UTME, but unfortunately, I could not make the supplementary list after all my efforts.

“Despite the trauma, I remained focused and determined, I have the conviction in me that if I don’t quit, I will win one day,” Bashir said.

He expressed optimism that notwithstanding his very humble background, there would be “light after the tunnel.”

”People are wondering how I would survive the financial challenge of Law degree, considering my humble background. It may surprise you to know that my father is just a meat seller, while my mother is a petty trader, but that is not a logical excuse for me to quit, I believe there is a way, where there is the will.”