My name is Ikegwuonu Christabel Makuochukwu. I grew up in Tudunwada, Plateau State, in a home where education wasn’t just a priority, it was a legacy. My parents were deeply committed to making sure my siblings and I had access to the best schools. I attended one of the best secondary schools in the Plateau, and though I was a hardworking student, things didn’t go as expected.
When my West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and National Examination Council (NECO) Examination results came out, I didn’t get a credit in Mathematics. That one missing credit disrupted my admission process into Babcock University. I remember the weight of disappointment, feeling like I had let myself and my family down. But I wouldn’t let failure define me. I took the GCE, passed, and used it to secure my admission into Babcock in 2022 to study International Law and Diplomacy.
At Babcock, I started off with a CGPA of 3.82. Not bad, but I knew I was capable of more. I just didn’t yet know how to push beyond the limits I had placed on myself. Everything changed during my 200-level statistics class. Our lecturer said, “It’s never too late to rewrite your story.” That sentence landed deep. It was exactly what I needed to hear. From that moment on, I became determined to change my story.
I started being more intentional. I learned how to study smarter, not just longer. I picked quiet corners in the library that kept me focused. I figured out when I retained information best and stuck to that routine. I didn’t just read to pass, I studied to understand and grow. I stopped seeing myself as average. I started showing up like someone who belonged at the top of the class.
Meanwhile, I wasn’t just a student; I was the Chief Auditor and then Accountant General of the International Law and Diplomacy Student Association (ILDSA). I became a Millennium Fellow in 2023 and an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Fraud Examiners. I represented my department and won a quiz competition. Life was full, and sometimes overwhelming.
There were nights I studied through tears, mornings I prayed just to stay afloat, and days when I had to push past exhaustion. But I also found joy in the friendships I made, the mentors I connected with, and the purpose I kept rediscovering. I found happiness in small wins, like nailing a difficult topic or helping a classmate who was struggling. I made friends with people who challenged and inspired me. It wasn’t easy. But it was worth it.
By the time I graduated, my CGPA had grown from 3.82 to 4.64. I was a First Class graduate. And more than that, I had become a better, stronger version of myself.
Simple strategies that helped me were a mindset shift. Believing it’s possible, studying smarter, taking CA seriously because every score counts, praying, finding like-minded friends, protecting my joy and staying emotionally and mentally balanced, balancing everything without ignoring social life, but prioritising it right, setting realistic goals and staying accountable.
I did it.
