In a landmark academic achievement that has stunned the academic community and inspired millions, Mrs. Deborah Iwalola Johnson-Opeseitan, a mother of two and senior researcher, has emerged as the first master’s degree graduate in the history of the Department of Zoology, University of Lagos (UNILAG), to attain a flawless 5.0 Cumulative Grade Point Average.
The exceptional performance, which breaks a 61-year-old academic record, was confirmed by the department’s Postgraduate Coordinator.
Johnson-Opeseitan earned her degree in Natural Resources Conservation, setting a new benchmark for scholarly excellence in one of the university’s most demanding postgraduate programmes.
“I’m the first person to ever achieve that kind of grade at the master’s level in the department, that made the entire journey even more fulfilling,” she said.
Her accomplishment was officially celebrated by the National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA), where she currently serves as a Principal Research Officer.
In the agency’s bulletin, the Director-General, Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, lauded her feat as “commendable” and urged her to channel her expertise toward advancing impactful research in biotechnology and natural resource conservation.
Born and raised in Ibadan, Oyo State, Deborah’s academic journey began at Love Foundation Nursery and Primary School before she proceeded to St. Louis Girls’ Grammar School.
Although her dream of studying Medicine didn’t materialize, she redirected her passion toward Botany at the University of Ibadan, where she developed an early interest in ethnobotany and medicinal plants.
After earning a PhD-grade score in her first Master’s in Public Health, she took a break from academia to raise her young family. It wasn’t until the COVID-19 lockdown and the protracted ASUU strike of 2021 that the idea of returning to the classroom resurfaced—and she embraced it with renewed vigour.
“I had a clear goal—to finish with a PhD-grade CGPA so I could proceed directly to a doctoral programme. When my first semester grades came in and I saw straight A’s, I became cautiously optimistic,” she said. “There was a particularly tough Physiology course. When I scored 71, I knew the dream was alive.”
Despite the immense pressure of juggling studies with motherhood and a full-time job, she remained undeterred. “Combining my studies with marriage, parenting and work was no small task. There were times I had to leave home very early and return late, even on weekends,” but I had the backing of a very supportive husband and an understanding boss.”she narrated.
Deborah’s MSc thesis focused on the distributional ecology of Sclerophrys species, offering insight into their conservation and highlighting biodiversity loss in Nigeria.
“Without urgent measures, the continued unsustainable exploitation of these species may lead to their extinction,” she warned.
Her message to aspiring postgraduate students is one of discipline and determination.
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“The programme at UNILAG is rigorous. To thrive, you must be consistent—attend classes, be punctual, submit all assignments, and stay focused, surround yourself with serious-minded people and believe in your goals.”she advised.
Reflecting on her academic life, she noted the striking contrast between her carefree undergraduate days and the mature, responsibility-laden experience of postgraduate study.
“During my first degree, I was single and had all the time. This time, everything revolved around my children and home,” she said.
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