By: Ismaila Biliaminu Manne
At 23, Safiyyah Ismaeel Temitope has etched her name into the academic history of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), emerging as the overall best graduating student of the 2024/2025 academic session, in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science. The young lady broke a nineteen year record with a staggering 4.91/5.00 Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA), the highest since the faculty’s inception in the 2007/2008 academic session.
But her journey to the top did not begin with certainty. It began, like many Nigerian science students, with a dream that was not truly hers. “I wanted to study Medicine and Surgery just like every other science student,” Safiyyah recalled. After sitting for her first UTME while still in secondary school, she was offered Agriculture instead at the University of Ibadan, a result that forced her into deep reflection.
“When I did my first JAMB in SS3, and I processed my admission into the University of Ibadan (UI) to study Medicine, I used my SS2 GCE, but I was not offered Agriculture instead. Perhaps, I was disappointed because my secondary school was pretty good and I have never failed,” she narrated.
Background and the Dream
Born and raised in Ibadan, Oyo State, in a polygamous family, Safiyyah grew up in an environment where excellence was the norm. Yet, her academic path took an unexpected turn early on. The first failed attempt pushed her into a rational moment and a career shift.
“I thought about a lot of things, did a lot of research and thought about it. I did a lot of research on medicine and surgery too, and the process of becoming a professional and all. And I thought about whether I, if I actually really wanted medicine or if I'm just following the crowd,” she told me.
Rather than rushing into another attempt at Medicine, Safiyyah paused and questioned her motivations, and that moment of honesty became the pivot of her story. In her voice, “I found out that I was just following the crowd. It was not my strong suit and also not what I truly wanted.”
Finding Purpose in Pharmacy
Safiyyah briefly considered Chemical Engineering when she didn't get the medicine in the first place, but quickly ruled it out due to her limitations in physics. Her search eventually led her to Pharmacy, a decision she describes not as a compromise, but a discovery.
“So I dropped engineering, and I did some more research until I read about pharmacy, and I immediately fell in love with the course. I chose Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in my second JAMB, but I had not actually applied to the university when I learned about its admission brouhaha. My daddy also helped me to reach out to some of his friends there, and they said that I might not be able to get in.
“Hence, I changed to Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUS), because one of my teachers was there. He is like a mentor. It was through him that I knew about the school. That was how I applied to study Pharmacy,” she expressed blissfully.
Unlike many others, Safiyyah didn’t “end up” in Pharmacy. She chose it deliberately. “I loved pharmacy from the beginning. It was what I wanted. Not something I was forced into.” And that clarity later became her biggest academic strength.
Interestingly, Safiyyah did not begin her university journey to become the best graduating student. Her mindset was simple, and yet powerful, stating that “I just wanted to do my best.”
That intrinsic motivation, combined with a genuine interest in her field, made learning feel natural rather than forced. She describes her academic experience as smooth: “Because I loved the course, everything came easy, it was never hard from the beginning.”
The 5.0 CGPA Turning Point
In her first year, Safiyyah wrote an ambitious goal in her journal to achieve a perfect 5.0 GPA. At the time, she also doubted it. “I wrote that I want to have ‘A’ parallel in my first year, I mean ‘A’ in all of my courses and have 5.0. I had the 5.0. I also had it in my 200 level too. But then, when I was saying I wanted to have 5.0 in my 100 level, I actually didn't know I could do it.
“Whenever I mentioned it beside people, they'd be like, don't deceive yourself. Usmanu Danfodiyo doesn't give anybody 5.0. You're just teasing yourself. And as God would have it, I had it in 100 and 200 levels,” she expressed.
People around her dismissed the idea, insisting such a feat was nearly impossible in UDUS. But she proved them wrong, not once but twice. “When I got it, I was like, “Oh, so I can do this.”
That realization transformed her approach. What started as a hopeful ambition became a standard she was determined to maintain.
She explained that from the beginning, she never saw herself as the best, admitting, “I knew there are people that are better… I was not deceiving myself,” and even through her 200 level, she remained focused only on doing well rather than aiming for the top spot. However, by 300 level, her reputation had spread across the teaching hospital and other departments, with people saying “there is a girl in pharmacy that does not have any B from 100 level to 300 level.”
As a result, she began to experience intense expectations from others, noting that people would approach her with questions “are you the girl that has 5.0 and has consistently excelled?” This external pressure, though overwhelming, became a driving force, as she admitted “the pressure was real and it made me also work hard,” eventually shifting her mindset and making her aspire to become the best graduating student, a goal she said truly began in her 300 level. Although she didn't graduate with a 5.0, but the best graduating student with the overall highest CGPA.
Understanding as a Superpower
Unlike many high-performing students who rely solely on long hours of study, Safiyyah identifies her greatest strength differently, deep understanding. “Before the Lecturers finish explaining, I already understand what they are trying to say.” This ability didn’t just help her, it made her a resource to others. She frequently organized informal tutorials, breaking down complex topics for her classmates and juniors.
In one instance, she taught a difficult statistics course to nearly 80% of her class after lectures proved insufficient, an effort that contributed to their overall success. Her success challenges a common narrative that excellence is only about struggle. In her case, it was also about clarity, knowing what she wanted, and pursuing it wholeheartedly.
Balancing Brilliance and Burnout
Her journey, however, was not without pressure. Balancing academic commitments with editorial roles, research involvement, and leading initiatives like the Young Antimicrobial Resistance Stewards (UDUYARS), Safiyyah maintained an intense schedule.
Balancing these commitments often proved challenging. At the same time, she navigated the subtle but real strain of unhealthy academic competition among peers, an experience she found uncomfortable but ultimately instructive. Despite her near-perfect record, Safiyyah encountered moments of disappointment, particularly in her third and fourth years, where a few B grades disrupted her dream of a flawless CGPA. She admits she was “very dejected” but chose not to contest the results, even when encouraged to. Her decision reflected a mindset rooted in contentment and perspective, rather than dwelling on what could have been, she focused on finishing strong.
In her final year, fatigue set in. The excitement of new knowledge had waned, replaced by repetition and mental exhaustion. Yet, a new motivation emerged, not to start strong, but to finish strong. “I didn’t want to be the story of someone who started well and failed at the end.”
Beyond the Four Walls and Books
Outside academics, Safiyyah was deeply engaged. From poetry performances at art festivals to advocacy on antimicrobial resistance, she built a well-rounded university experience. Her involvement in multiple student bodies and initiatives shaped her leadership, communication, and teamwork skills.
“I was happy, very happy to be part of the teams alongside my other colleagues, which I learned a lot from them too. I partook in an editorial committee, academic committee, the PMSSN, Muslims Students Society, and Poetry Club. In the early days of my school, I joined the Poetry Club and performed poetry (stage poetry) twice at the book and art festivals.
Final Reflection
Looking back, Safiyyah doesn’t frame her achievement as extraordinary. To her, it was simply an extension of who she has always been. “It was not like I was trying to be exceptional… I was just being myself.” Yet, in being herself, she achieved something exceptional, setting a new academic benchmark and inspiring a generation of students to rethink not just how they study, but why. She advised students to stay confident and block out discouragement, stressing that no one should define their limits. Reflecting on her own journey, she noted, “there are a lot of people that said you are just deceiving yourself, but then, I was able to do it,” emphasizing that she succeeded because she refused to listen to negativity. She encouraged others to adopt the same mindset, insisting that belief in oneself is non-negotiable and that external doubts should never outweigh personal conviction.
Also, Safiyyah highlighted the importance of excellence, discipline, and focus, arguing that “anything you are doing is worth doing well,” regardless of future career paths. According to her, academic excellence signals a broader capacity for success, but it requires intentional effort, especially in managing distractions, which she described as a personal responsibility. She added that genuine interest in one’s field makes the process easier, warning that it becomes significantly harder when passion is absent. Ultimately, she maintained that success depends on clarity of goals, consistent effort, and the willingness to prioritise what truly matters.
She further reinforced that hard work is indispensable, noting “whether you work hard or you don’t, the time will pass,” so one might as well strive for excellence. Looking ahead, she shared her aspiration to focus on research in Pharmacy, driven by a desire to “figure out how things work and make the medicines better,” with plans for postgraduate study to deepen her expertise and impact.