Rising above Challenges: Ibrahim Shosanya’s Success Story

By Christiana Gabriel, Adejumoke Adenigbagbe, and Adetutu Adejumo

The famous saying “every disappointment is a blessing” proves in the life of Ibrahim Olawale Shosanya, the best-graduating student of the Department of Technology and Vocational Education, with a CPGA of 4.93.

His dream course had always been Quantity Surveying, but after facing the setback of not securing admission to UNILORIN in 2018, he rewrote JAMB the following year. This time, he opted for a less stressful course, Technology Education. Little did he know he would be the only one selecting this course that year.

“The other people who joined me on the merit list had to change the course because they had lower credits. That was my motivation. That for me to be the only person, I have to show that I am the bonafide.”

But this didn’t come without its challenges. Initially, he thought it was an easy course, only to discover the complexity of the course.

“Technology Education is the only program in Unilag that you will be offering courses in four different faculties: Faculties of Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Sciences and Education. It was very terrible. In my first year, I was offering courses in those faculties, and going there was very tough.”

Ibrahim also recalled sleeping in Environmental Sciences classrooms. He learnt from Engineering students and adopted a method of daily reading, avoiding last-minute cramming. His method involved reading until midnight, relying on a pen and earpiece for better assimilation. Amidst the struggles, Ibrahim found his footing in the second year.

“There are 3 options in Technology Education; you can go for mechanical, electrical, or building. The mechanical aspect was the only thing that interested me.”

The opportunity for industrial training (SIWES) allowed him to gain industry skills and a scholarship. “I was able to learn a lot from Engineering and Environmental Sciences. When you are able to explore different fields, it will sharpen your mind, like architecture, building, etc. Technology Education is very interesting, but then you have to have passion for it. If not, you will give up.”

Ibrahim acknowledges the impact of extracurricular activities on his personal growth. Volunteering and gaining leadership skills facilitated his development in public speaking and communication.

“It is not just about coming to school and just reading every time. You need to take those positions too so that it can help you grow.”

During an event he volunteered for, he met the overall best-graduating student of the 2018/19 academic session, Ibrahim Alimi, who eventually became his mentor. He also mentioned the opportunities that arose during COVID-19, which allowed him to explore the real estate industry. It contributed to his financial well-being and shaped his career choices.

On encouragement and support from his family, he said, “At first, I didn’t have a family member that attended university before. In my own family, I was the first person to score above 200 in jamb. I was the first person to attend university. But for those who went to polytechnic, none of them graduated with less than distinction. So they were also part of my motivation. Though they’ve helped me in terms of financial aspects.”

For incoming students, Ibrahim offers advice. “The first thing is to make the right friends. Make sure that the people in your circle are supportive and have the same vision as you do. Don’t just make the wrong friends. If you have the wrong friends and you have the right vision, you won’t be able to get there. They will influence you negatively and you might not be able to achieve that level that you want to achieve.”

He also emphasised focusing on academic goals and not underestimating the value of acquiring more skills. Looking ahead, Ibrahim Shosanya sets on pursuing a Ph.D., aspiring to become a Professor.