I almost dropped out over financial struggles – UNIBEN’s best graduate
Twenty-five-year-old James Alleh, who shattered records at the University of Benin with a first-class in Petroleum Engineering and a stunning 4.98 CGPA, speaks with TEMITOPE ADETUNJI about his journey of faith, resilience, and excellence
How do you feel about your new achievement as a first-class graduate?
I recently graduated with first-class honors from the Department of Petroleum Engineering at the University of Benin, achieving a CGPA of 4.98 out of 5. To the best of my knowledge, this is the highest CGPA ever recorded at the University of Benin.
Honestly, it still feels surreal; I’m in shock. I keep asking myself, ‘Did this happen?’ I never imagined that I, James from Igarra, Akoko-Edo, Edo State, could achieve this feat. I’m deeply grateful to God, who has been the foundation of all my achievements, and to my mentors, who stood by me, as well as my incredible mum.
What kind of family background are you from?
I grew up in a humble family. After my dad passed away in 2011 due to an illness, the entire responsibility fell on my mum. At that time, I was still in primary school. My dad’s treatment had exhausted most of the family’s funds, leaving my mum to manage not just the debts but also the task of sending all of us to school. It wasn’t easy, but we pulled through.
What position are you in the family?
I’m the fourth of five boys. It was particularly challenging for my mum to manage everything alone, but thankfully, the church, especially the Lord Chosen Church, stepped in to support us through prayers and occasional assistance. With the little we had, we managed to survive and thrive.
What does your mum do for a living?
My mum is a petty trader who runs a small provisions store. That was what sustained us. She worked hard to ensure we got an education.
What inspired you to pursue Petroleum Engineering?
After graduating from Gloryland Secondary School in 2016, I initially planned to study Medicine and Surgery. I wrote the JAMB exam twice, but I couldn’t proceed due to financial constraints. In 2018, two years after finishing secondary school, I finally gained admission to study Petroleum Engineering at UNIBEN after I got a conviction through my dream.
What were some of the toughest challenges you faced during your academic journey?
Funding was a significant challenge. I also had to juggle several responsibilities, including academics, leadership roles, and church commitments. At various points, I served as the president of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, the departmental president, and even a class representative. Balancing all these with my studies was incredibly tough.
I had to attend classes, fulfill my leadership duties, and remain active in church. It felt overwhelming at times. In 2019, I was fortunate to receive a scholarship, which eased some of the financial burdens. Additionally, I had mentors who provided guidance and occasional financial assistance. This support meant I didn’t have to rely on my mum as much. Whenever I faced challenges, I leaned back home for prayer and God’s help to pull through.
Was there a moment you felt like giving up?
Yes, there was. At one point, after paying my school fees, house rent, and clearance fee, I realised asking my mum for more money would be too much. Even if she could borrow the money, I didn’t want to burden her. I felt I had to drop out of school, quit everything, and focus on business and work. At the time before admission, I was already working to support myself. I was teaching before I gained admission. So, I told myself, ‘Why not go back to teaching, save up, and try again later? That was when I came across the Seplat scholarship. I applied, wrote the exam, and got it. Instead of dropping out, the scholarship gave me a lifeline. It made all the difference.
Later, around my 400 or 500 level, I felt discouraged again. I had the highest GPA in my department in 400 level, but it wasn’t opening the doors I expected. I thought having a strong GPA would make it easier to find internships or placements in good companies, but that wasn’t the case. Despite my efforts, I didn’t get the opportunities I was hoping for, and I started questioning the value of my GPA.
I felt stuck and even depressed at times. In my 500 level, I wanted to abandon academics and focus entirely on business. I thought about seeking loans and other ways to generate income. Some friends even introduced me to quick money schemes, but thankfully, my mentor stepped in.
He advised me against taking that path and offered financial support. He told me to stay focused, even when things felt tough. His encouragement and help kept me going. If it hadn’t been for him, the scholarships, and other mentors I had along the way, I might have dropped out or let my GPA suffer. These mentors constantly reminded me not to give up, and their support, financial, emotional, and moral, helped me stay on track. Their guidance kept me consistent and motivated.
What study method worked for you in school to achieve this success?
It wasn’t just one method; it was a combination of mentorship, prayers, and effective planning. At every level of my studies, I sought out mentorship from someone ahead of me. For example, when I was in 200 Level, I would find someone in 300 Level to guide me and give me advice about what to expect and how to navigate the challenges of that stage. This way, I always had a clear understanding of what to do before I got there.
Planning was also crucial. I created strategies for my studies and ensured I followed them. Alongside that, prayer gave me the strength to push through the tough times. So, my success was a combination of good mentorship, effective planning, and consistent prayers.
I carefully planned how to study, deciding where I should and shouldn’t go. I ensured I didn’t overwhelm myself with too much work. To maintain balance, I incorporated three-hour breaks into my schedule, which helped me stay focused.
What other study methods did you embrace?
I made it a habit to read for a minimum of eight hours daily, sometimes extending to as much as 15 hours when necessary. This wasn’t an exaggeration; it was my routine from the start of the semester to the end. Typically, I would wake up at 3am and study until 6am, take a break from 6am to 9am, and then continue the cycle. If you calculate, that adds up to about 12 hours a day. On days when I enjoyed what I was reading, I sometimes added an extra three hours, bringing my study time to 15 hours. This was my consistent routine.
On days with classes, from 8am to 3pm, I had about nine hours left for studying. I used those hours wisely, ensuring I followed the schedule I had created. During my breaks, I allowed myself to relax by going to church, eating, watching a movie, or catching up with friends. Those were the times I used for leisure activities.
When I was at school, I focused on my leadership roles. However, once I got home, I made it a rule to turn off my phone to avoid distractions, especially from political or extracurricular commitments. I disciplined myself to manage my time effectively, even when it came to church activities.
I didn’t attend every single programme but made sure to prioritise and participate in the ones that mattered most, as part of my commitment to serving God. By sticking to this structure and staying disciplined, I was able to manage everything, and God guided me through it all.
Why Petroleum Engineering?
Initially, I wanted to study Medicine. However, I started reconsidering because of my deep love for Mathematics, a passion I inherited from my late father. Despite this, I wasn’t fully decided until I had a significant dream.
In the dream, I saw myself as a petroleum engineer, and that vision inspired me to pursue the field. It may sound unbelievable to some, but as a spiritual person who loves God, I took the dream as confirmation. From that point on, I was confident that Petroleum Engineering was the right path for me. Even though I originally wanted to become a doctor, my faith and the dream shifted my focus.
You said your dream inspired you. Could you elaborate on that?
Yes, it did. Initially, I wasn’t interested in Petroleum Engineering at all, to be honest. I struggled to find it appealing. As an engineer, they always say you need to identify a problem and work to solve it, but I couldn’t even see the problem to start with.
It wasn’t until I delved deeper and became a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers that things started to change. I prayed a lot, asking God to show me the purpose behind it all. Over time, as I kept learning and growing, I started to understand Petroleum Engineering better. It became part of me, and I began to genuinely love it.
What advice will you give to people who switch courses or struggle with their chosen field?
My advice would be to stay consistent. Even if you don’t love it at first, you can build passion over time. That’s what I did. I stuck with it, and eventually, I developed a deep appreciation for my field. Consistency and perseverance brought me to where I am today.
Who or what was your greatest source of inspiration during your academic journey?
My mum has always been my inspiration. Seeing her proud of me on the day of my graduation brought back so many memories of the sacrifices she made. I even shed tears because everything I achieved was for her. Making her proud was my driving force. It still motivates me to keep going.
How did you handle distractions, procrastination, or moments of doubt?
For moments of doubt, I relied heavily on prayer. My elder brother: Samson, and my mum were my pillars of support. Whenever I felt unsure, I’d reach out to them, and their prayers would lift me. The doubts always faded after that. As for procrastination, it was all about discipline. I did my best to avoid it because I realised that procrastination always comes with consequences. Over time, I learned to plan better and minimise delays, which helped a lot.
What’s your perspective on the value of education in Nigeria today, especially for young people?
Education is valuable, but I believe there’s room for improvement in the system. The government is making efforts to prioritise education, but when you compare our system with those in Western countries, the gap is glaring. For instance, during my interactions with international students, I realised they had access to resources and knowledge that many of us here don’t.
That said, while I was in school, I didn’t dwell on the shortcomings of the system. I knew things weren’t perfect, lecturers sometimes didn’t even show up for class, but I focused on doing my part. I made it a point not to rely solely on the system and sought additional knowledge outside the classroom. The value of education is both personal and national. I believe that the country should place more emphasis on education, but as students, we also need to take personal responsibility for navigating the system we find ourselves in.
I recognised early on that the system had its flaws. Rather than blaming it, I developed a plan to work around these challenges. For example, people often complain that lecturers don’t show up for classes. While that’s sometimes true, when you engage with them, you understand why. Many lecturers juggle numerous responsibilities, they teach several courses, act as course advisors, serve as exam officers, and more. It’s unrealistic to expect them to be effective under such conditions.
What advice would you give to current students aspiring to excel academically?
My first advice is to celebrate your wins, no matter how small. Recognise your progress and achievements. For instance, share your accomplishments on platforms like LinkedIn, let people know what you’ve achieved, and how you did it, and acknowledge those who helped you along the way.
If finances are a challenge, consider applying for scholarships. There are many scholarships available, and I’ve personally benefited from a few. Don’t limit yourself to just the Nigerian educational system. Think globally. I never believed that education wouldn’t bring value.
Whatever I chose to do, I ensured I did it well. At some point, I faced the dilemma of focusing on acquiring skills or solely pursuing academic excellence. There’s this notion that first-class graduates lack practical skills compared to those with second-class upper or lower degrees. Here’s my perspective; your academic achievements are permanent. If you graduate with a third-class or second-class lower, that’s a mark on your record forever.
However, if you lack skills during school, you can always acquire them later, often better than someone who already has them. It’s about determination. For me, I focused on excelling academically and decided to build my skills afterwards. Now that I’ve graduated with first-class, I’m exploring skills like data science and machine learning.
How do you see your academic achievement influencing your career and future aspirations?
My academic achievement is already opening doors. The CGPA I graduated with has brought massive opportunities. I’ve received calls, LinkedIn messages, and mentorship offers from people willing to guide and support me.
Achieving a high CGPA is not just about the number; it reflects the discipline and dedication that attract opportunities. Many first-class graduates, even those with slightly lower GPAs, also receive mentorship and exposure to incredible opportunities. It has a positive impact on our career journeys.
What are your plans for the future?
I’m currently awaiting my NYSC call-up letter. In the short term, I plan to complete my service and build my skills. Looking ahead, I have two main options: either securing a well-paying job in the energy industry or pursuing a graduate programme. By the time I finish my service, I hope to have a clearer direction. For now, I’m keeping both options open.
What are you grateful to God for?
I’m grateful to God for everything, this achievement, the mentors he placed in my path, and the opportunities I received while in school. I’m also grateful for my family, whose strength and support were invaluable throughout my journey. Above all, I thank God for being the foundation of all my achievements, including the ones yet to come. Without Him, none of this would have been possible.
