A Lagos State University (LASU) graduate, Abdulqudus Sodiq, has attracted widespread attention after revealing how he overcame 14 outstanding courses to graduate with a first-class degree in Accounting.
Sodiq shared his remarkable academic journey on LinkedIn during LASU’s 2026 convocation, explaining that his path to studying Accounting was far from straightforward.
He initially gained admission with the intention of studying a course in the Faculty of Management Sciences but was placed in the Department of Philosophy shortly after resumption.
Although he made attempts to transfer to Accounting, they were initially unsuccessful. He eventually focused on Philosophy and completed his 100-level studies with a first-class CGPA.
However, his ambition to study Accounting remained unchanged. After his first year, he applied for an intra-university transfer, which was eventually approved.
The transfer created another major academic challenge. Sodiq said he resumed in the Accounting Department around the fifth week of the semester, leaving him with only about six weeks to prepare for his examinations.
He was also required to take all 14 compulsory 100-level Accounting courses he had missed while studying Philosophy. The courses included Mathematics and Statistics, which his classmates had already spent months studying.
With no lecturer specifically assigned to help him clear the backlog and his new timetable clashing with his higher-level coursework, Sodiq said he had to rely heavily on self-study.
He sourced materials from friends, developed a personal study schedule and gradually spread the outstanding courses across subsequent semesters. He took between two and three carryover courses alongside his regular courses each semester.
Sodiq admitted that the period was emotionally difficult, saying there were moments when he questioned whether leaving Philosophy for Accounting had been the right decision. Some people around him also questioned his choice because he was already performing well in Philosophy.
Despite the setbacks, he remained determined to pursue his preferred career path.
By his final year, Sodiq had successfully cleared all 14 outstanding courses while maintaining his regular academic workload.
His story gained significant attention after he shared it publicly shortly before his convocation, with many social media users congratulating him for his resilience and determination.
While several commenters celebrated his achievement, others questioned how a student who had accumulated 14 carryovers could ultimately graduate with a first-class degree, leading to debate online over the calculation of his final CGPA.
Despite the differing reactions, Sodiq’s journey has drawn attention to the challenges students can face when changing academic programmes and the determination required to overcome significant academic setbacks.
