Despite all the defying odds, I had the best laugh.

There are just some special moments in our lives that stay with us forever—moments that make us smile no matter how long it’s been or how rough life gets. For me, one of those days was the day I found out I passed my JUPEB exams.

It wasn’t just about the exam itself—it was everything that led up to it.

After finishing secondary school, I spent a whole year at home, moving from one lesson centre to another. Before that time, i wrote JAMB twice, but then i failed. Eventually, I got the chance to enrol for the programme at Babcock University, and that’s where the real journey began.

From the start, we were warned: JUPEB is tough. They told us it was a 50/50 chance—an external exam that a lot of people don’t make it through. That alone was scary. I still remember assuring my mum that I would do my best, even though I was nervous deep down.

The programme lasted for a whole year, and honestly, it was not an easy ride at all. The workload was overwhelming, the teachers were strict, and the pressure was intense. I faced a lot of discouragement, but one particular teacher—my biology teacher—stood out in the worst way. He would constantly ridicule me, even going as far as saying to my face that there was no way I would pass the exams. He sounded so confident in his doubt, and that hurt more than I could explain. I kept quiet most times, but deep down, I promised myself I would prove him wrong.

Fast forward to the day the results came out—I was shaking as I went to check. Before then, I had already spoken with a few of my classmates, and some told me they didn’t pass or didn’t get admission. Many of them had to fall back on JAMB and start from 100 level.

But me? I passed.

Not only did I pass, but I was offered direct entry into 200 levels. I couldn’t hold back the joy. I smiled so hard that day. Even the student my Biology teacher was always praising, who he said was "better than all of us", got the same result as me—and I even did better than a lot of others in the class.

That moment meant more than words. I proved people wrong, made my mum proud, and showed myself that I’m stronger than anyone thought. After everything I went through—the doubts, the stress, the insults—I came out victorious. That day will always remain special to me. It’s a reminder that no matter what people say, your effort, determination, and belief in yourself matter the most.

And truly, it still makes me smile.

Thanks for reading.

Posted Using INLEO