When I was in secondary school, i wanted to get into a federal university. My first shot was right after I finished SS3. I sat for JAMB, hopeful and full of dreams, but when the result came out, I had scored 186. I was crushed. It wasn’t enough to get me into the Federal University of Agriculture, the school I had set my heart on.. I had always thought I was smart enough, good enough… but that result told me otherwise.
I had no choice but to sit at home for one year. To be honest, that period was tough. Everyone kept asking, “You never enter school?” The pressure was intense, especially when people younger than me were moving forward. I started going for extra lessons, determined to improve my score and redeem myself. I studied hard and prayed even harder. But when I sat for JAMB again the following year, I scored even lower—165. That moment broke me in ways I didn’t expect. I questioned everything: my intelligence, my efforts, even my future. How could I be trying so hard and still moving backwards?
At that point, it felt like failure had become a pattern. But then, something unexpected happened. Someone stepped in and offered to sponsor me for a private university. I was told to start the admission process, and I did—excited and grateful. But just as luck had smiled on me, it quickly faded. By the time I was ready, admission into the private university had already closed. So i was back at square one.
However , I was given another option by the university: to enrol in a one-year direct entry program called JUPEB consisting of three subjects ( biology, chemistry, and agriculture). If I passed, I would gain admission directly into 200 level. It sounded like a good opportunity for me, so I grabbed it. During that JUPEB year, we were advised to still sit for JAMB again, just in case we didn’t pass the JUPEB exam. I did that reluctantly, which made it my third JAMB attempt. By then, I had already lost hope in that exam. As expected, when the result came out, I scored 156—less than even the 160 cut-off mark to gain admission into the same private university.
This time, I didn’t cry. I didn’t flinch. I had accepted that maybe JAMB just wasn’t for me. But deep inside, I was scared. Scared of failing again. Scared of disappointing everyone who believed in me. But then… a miracle happened. I passed the JUPEB program. Not just passed—my result was very good. Even my mum was surprised. I remember the look on her face: a mix of shock, joy, and relief.
Today, I’m in my 400 level, studying through the very path I never imagined would work—direct entry. Looking back, I see that my failure wasn’t the end. It was my beginning. Failing JAMB three times taught me patience, resilience, and most importantly, that failure isn’t a closed door—it’s a redirection. If I had gotten into school the first time, I probably wouldn’t have appreciated it as much. But because I fought for it, because I cried, doubted, and still kept going, I now value every step of this journey.
Sometimes, we think success makes us strong, but for me, it was failure. Failure broke me, shaped me, and built me back stronger. It taught me that there’s more than one path to a destination. And even if one door shuts, another one—often unexpected—might just lead you exactly where you’re meant to be.
Thanks for reading.