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Vox Pop: First-Class Students Reflect on Receiving Award for Academic Excellence

First-class students have shared their reflections after receiving the Award for Academic Excellence at the Prof. Abdulganiy Raji Grand Award of Academic Excellence ceremony held on April 18, 2026.

Organised by the Directorate of Studies of the Muslim Students' Society of Nigeria (MSSN), University of Ibadan, the ceremony honoured outstanding Muslim students and graduates.

Adh-Dhikr Press spoke to some student awardees on how they felt receiving the recognition.


"I felt deeply honored and grateful to receive the award for excellence at the Prof. Abdulganiy Raji Award. It was a moment of joy and reflection, reminding me that consistency and hard work truly pay off. The recognition motivates me to strive for even greater heights and to remain committed to academic excellence. I sincerely appreciate the organizers for this encouragement."

— Abdullateef Mukhtar, Department of Mathematics


"It is an honour to share my thoughts on this recognition. Receiving the Prof. Abdulganiy Raji Award of Excellence was a deeply humbling experience. It validated my commitment to academic rigour, serving as a powerful reminder that consistent effort does not go unnoticed. While seeing peers with higher CGPAs initially sparked a desire for even greater achievement, it ultimately fueled my determination to refine my strategy and strive to become a better version of myself. I am incredibly inspired to push boundaries and contribute more meaningfully."

— Quadri Adeshina, Department of Mathematics


"Receiving the Prof. Abdulganiy Raji Award of Excellence was a humbling and fulfilling experience for me. It felt rewarding to see my efforts and dedication recognised at such a level. Also, it reminded me that excellence is a continuous journey, not a destination. I am sincerely grateful to Allah, my lecturers, colleagues, and family for their unwavering support. This award has further inspired me to remain consistent and strive for even greater achievements."

— Yusuf Adegbite, Department of Civil Engineering


"After receiving the award, I felt some kind of relief because I was present at the award last session as a fresher and I was motivated and prayed to Allah to make it possible for me to be amongst the awardees this session and Alhamdulillah He answered my prayers. I was happy and scared at the same time. I was scared of how to maintain the good momentum and be here next session. But I remembered that me being there in the first place was not by my capability or intelligence but Allah, and I am sure He will always be there for me."

— Abdulmuiz Adegboyega, Department of Civil Engineering


"Receiving this award is really a thing of fulfillment. It also serves as a motivation for me to work harder and pray more."

— Abdulquadri Odebode, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering


"Receiving this award is both motivating and humbling at the same time to me. It's a reminder that efforts, however little they are, do not go unnoticed. I give thanks to Almighty God for making the dream come true. I'm sincerely grateful to MSSNUI for creating the avenue to celebrate its young dreamers. I hope to carry on and maintain the feat by Allah's mercy."

— Abdulmalik Lawal, Department of Pharmacy


"It was rewarding and it's nice that my effort was recognised."

— Sofiat Adeniji, Department of Nursing


"Alhamdulillah, it is by Allah's mercy and blessings that I am among the awardees. I feel great and encouraged to strive more to get more of it, because it was actually like a prize for the little hard work we did. Also, considering the fact that we were highly honoured that day made me feel good, and the whole event was awesome. Biidhnillah, I will continue to strive more, because the Prof. Abdulganiy Raji Grand Award of Excellence is a great call to committing to one's studies. Alhamdulillah once more that Allah has blessed our efforts."

— Mojeed Ganiyu, Department of Mechanical Engineering


"I felt deeply honoured and grateful to receive the award for excellence at the Prof. Abdulganiy Raji Award. It was a moment of joy and reflection, reminding me that consistency and hard work truly pay off. The recognition has motivated me to aim even higher and continue striving for academic and personal excellence."

— Umar Abdulrahman, Department of Medical Laboratory Science


"Receiving the award felt like a reward for the effort and consistency I have put into my academics from my 100-level days, and it also serves as a motivation to do better. Because apart from the monetary part, the applause and cheers felt like a recognition that one deserves and would like to experience again. All in all, it was really a great thing and I am grateful that I was part of the awardees."

— Kareem Basit, Department of Mechanical Engineering


"First I want to start by asking Allah to illuminate Prof. Abdulganiy Raji's grave, and have mercy on his family. May He grant him success on the day of judgement and may He grant him the highest rank in Jannah. I was very honoured to have been a part of the awardees. It was a surreal experience, to be present that day and be recognised as well. I most certainly was in awe at the intelligence of the Muslim graduates and undergraduates, and seeing them as well as me being celebrated truly inspired me. It was also an honour to be presented with such an amount of money and I express my sincere gratitude to Allah and the Chairpersons of the day. May Allah reward them abundantly, and may Allah make us, the awardees, capable of doing more for others to come. I thank MSSNUI for being the driving force in making this happen. By the grace of Allah I look forward to the holding of this event next year and beyond."

— Fasilat Ariyibi, Department of Nursing


"Receiving the award brought me immense happiness and gratitude to Allah. After attending the previous awards ceremony, I made a promise to myself that I would be among the awardees the following year and seeing that goal being achieved, I say Alhamdulillah. Despite the challenges of the new courses that were added late into the semester, I was able to maintain a first class standing. This recognition is a reminder to me that with perseverance and faith, any goal is attainable and it is also an encouragement to remind me to keep striving, for excellence will surely be rewarded."

— Maryam Umulkhair Akin-Olagunju, Department of Medicine and Surgery


"Receiving the Prof. Abdulganiy Raji Award of Excellence was a moment of profound introspection, merging academic triumph with spiritual humility. I felt an overwhelming gratitude to Allah for validating my rigorous journey through engineering. Beyond the joy, there was a heavy weight of responsibility, and being linked to Professor Raji's illustrious legacy is both a privilege and a mandate. It felt like the quiet convergence of technical discipline and divine grace. This recognition transcends mere celebration; it is a catalyst, refining my resolve to contribute meaningfully to society. Standing there, I realised that true excellence is a continuous, purposeful, lifelong endeavour."

— Yusuf Adeogun, Department of Mechanical Engineering


"All gratitude is due to Allah, whose boundless mercy granted me the opportunity to stand among distinguished awardees. Receiving the Prof. Abdulganiy Raji Award of Excellence was both humbling and inspiring. I felt deeply honoured, grateful, and motivated to strive for even greater impact in my academic and personal pursuits. It reaffirmed my belief that consistency and sincerity yield results. This recognition serves as a reminder that excellence is a continuous journey, not a destination, and I pray Allah grants me the strength, discipline, and sincerity to sustain and improve upon it."

— Olawepo Abdurrahman, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering