From Makoko to First Class: Two Scholars Rewrite Their Stories at Benson Idahosa University

Two young Nigerians who began their educational journeys in Makoko, Lagos, have graduated with First-Class Honours from Benson Idahosa University, Edo State, turning years of hardship into a story of academic excellence and possibility.

Mustapha Oseni and Sisianu Melawakou, beneficiaries of Slum2School’s scholarship programme, emerged as second-best graduating students in their respective departments during the university’s 2025/2026 academic session. Oseni earned a BSc in Computer Science with a CGPA of 4.89, while Melawakou graduated in Mass Communication with 4.57.

Their achievements followed journeys marked by determination, personal loss and opportunities that might otherwise have remained beyond their reach.

Melawakou’s formal education began in 2012, when Slum2School enrolled her in school at the age of eight. Now 23, she overcame several setbacks that nearly brought her education to an end. Through the organisation’s partnership with Benson Idahosa University, she eventually secured a scholarship to complete her degree.

Reflecting on her graduation “I’m grateful I didn’t have to choose between being an excellent student and becoming the person I wanted to be outside the classroom,” she said, adding that her First-Class degree was only the beginning of her journey.

Oseni’s passion for technology took shape through Slum2School’s digital learning programme, which he joined in 2018. He became one of its top learners, and his interest in technology helped inspire the organisation to establish a virtual learning classroom during the COVID-19 pandemic. Encouraged to study Computer Science, he went on to distinguish himself academically, even as he faced a devastating setback in his final year: the loss of his mother, which nearly made him abandon his studies.

Slum2School founder Otto Orondaam, who said the children’s circumstances inspired him to leave his job in 2011 to establish the organisation, described the graduates’ achievements as deeply fulfilling. He recalled enrolling Melawakou in school for the first time in 2012 and expressed joy that Oseni had completed his degree despite his personal tragedy.

Both scholars completed their secondary education at Word of Faith Secondary School in 2022 before receiving university scholarships through Slum2School’s partnership with Benson Idahosa University. Orondaam recalled visiting them on the final day of their West African Senior School Certificate Examination and attending their convocation in September. He thanked the university’s management, including Vice-Chancellor Bishop Feb Idahosa, and other partners for supporting their education.

Their achievements have also opened doors professionally. Melawakou is pursuing her passion for journalism and reporting, while Oseni has built experience across technology, product management and programme coordination. 

For Orondaam, the graduates’ success underscores the transformative power of educational opportunity. “When we believe in a child, invest in their dreams and give them the opportunity to thrive, we don’t just transform one life; we change the future of entire families, communities and generations,” he said.

From Makoko to the university’s graduation stage, Oseni and Melawakou have shown how access to education can help young Nigerians move beyond difficult beginnings and build futures defined by their abilities and ambitions.