A graduate of the University of Uyo (UNIUYO), Akwa Ibom State, Moses Udofia, has revealed how a consistent daily study routine of approximately two hours, personal discipline and a passion for engineering helped him graduate with First Class Honours in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, despite recording his poorest academic performance during his first year at the institution.
Udofia, who graduated in 2025 with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.55, attributed his academic achievement to consistency, deliberate preparation and a willingness to improve after experiencing early difficulties at the university. He explained that his experience demonstrated how students could recover from a poor academic beginning and achieve outstanding results without necessarily sacrificing their social lives and extracurricular interests.
In an interview with Punch, published on Saturday, October 17, 2026, the engineering graduate disclosed that his ambition to graduate with a first-class degree began long before he gained admission into the university. He said he had written down the goal in his personal journal and on Facebook on August 8, 2019, the day he completed secondary school.
Reflecting on the achievement, Udofia said, “It’s proof that manifestation is real, especially when backed by hard work and consistency.” He explained that realising the ambition six years after setting it was deeply fulfilling because it represented the fulfilment of a promise he had made to himself as a young student.
For Udofia, graduating with First Class Honours was therefore more than the acquisition of an academic qualification. It represented the outcome of a long-term goal supported by determination, continuous effort and the willingness to make adjustments when his initial approach to university life did not produce the desired results.
His journey also highlights the importance of having a clear academic objective while remaining flexible enough to respond to changing circumstances. Although he entered the university with strong expectations, his first-year experience taught him that ambition alone was insufficient without the discipline and routines needed to translate it into measurable academic performance.
Udofia’s interest in engineering developed during childhood, driven by his fascination with electrical appliances and technology. He recalled that he began attempting to repair faulty electrical devices at home when he was about 10 years old, using online videos to learn how to troubleshoot and revive items such as torchlights.
His interest gradually developed into practical experimentation. He saved money given to him by his parents until he could purchase his first soldering iron, which allowed him to undertake more hands-on electronics projects.
Mathematics and Physics were also among his strongest subjects in secondary school, making Electrical and Electronics Engineering a natural choice. The combination of his technical curiosity and academic strengths helped shape his decision to pursue the discipline at the University of Uyo.
He gained admission in 2019 and completed his undergraduate studies in 2025. However, his transition into university life was not immediately smooth, as adjusting to a new environment, meeting people and exploring the city initially competed with his academic priorities.
According to Udofia, his first year was the most difficult period of his undergraduate journey, and the results he recorded during that period were the poorest of his five years at the institution.
He explained that his initial enthusiasm for exploring Uyo, making friends and becoming familiar with his surroundings affected the attention he devoted to his studies. However, as he became more settled, he reassessed his priorities and began giving his academic work the commitment it required.
“Unfortunately, that affected my academic performance. My first-year results turned out to be the worst I recorded throughout my five years of study,” he said.
He added that once he became comfortable with the university environment, his priorities changed and his academic performance improved significantly.
“That experience taught me that a difficult beginning does not have to determine how your story ends,” Udofia said.
The experience became an important turning point in his academic development. Rather than allowing his disappointing results to define his university experience, he used the setback as an opportunity to recognise the need for greater consistency and a more deliberate approach to learning.
One of the most striking aspects of his experience was his study routine. Udofia disclosed that he generally studied for about two hours daily, allowing him to maintain a balance between academics, sports, friendships and other activities.
He explained that his approach centred on regular engagement with his coursework rather than relying entirely on intensive reading shortly before examinations. By studying consistently, he could revisit concepts, identify areas he did not understand and gradually strengthen his knowledge.
He also advised students to recognise that effective study habits differ from one individual to another. Although his two-hour daily routine worked for him, he encouraged students to develop schedules that matched their learning needs and academic demands.
The graduate maintained that academic excellence did not require students to withdraw completely from social activities or abandon other interests. During his undergraduate years, he remained involved in sports leadership and participated in activities that helped him develop teamwork, responsibility and interpersonal skills.
Udofia served as the Director of Sports for his academic level throughout the five-year programme. During his tenure, his level won gold medals twice consecutively at the Students Work Experience Programme (SWEP) tournament, an achievement he described as one of his proudest experiences outside the classroom.
He said the experience helped demonstrate that students could combine academic excellence with extracurricular participation, provided they managed their responsibilities effectively.
His account challenges the assumption that high academic performance must always come at the expense of social development. Instead, it points to the value of establishing priorities, maintaining consistency and allocating time deliberately across different responsibilities.
Beyond his daily study schedule, Udofia explained that he preferred studying alone because it allowed him to concentrate and learn at his own pace. However, he also acknowledged the value of collaborative learning, particularly when dealing with difficult subjects.
When he encountered challenging topics, he sometimes listened to friends discuss the material. Hearing explanations from other students helped him understand concepts that he had struggled to grasp independently.
He noted that students did not necessarily have to abandon individual study methods to benefit from their peers. Rather, combining independent reading with discussions and explanations from others could provide a more flexible approach to learning.
Among the courses he found most challenging was Engineering Materials, which required additional effort to understand. His experience with the subject reinforced the importance of patience and persistence, even for students who generally perform well academically.
Udofia also distinguished himself through practical engineering work. His final-year project, titled “Design and Construction of an Educational Transmission Line Trainer,” involved developing a teaching device to demonstrate attenuation in a transmission line, particularly the reduction in voltage as electrical signals travel over a distance.
The project provided an opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge to a practical engineering problem. Through circuit design, construction and testing, he explored how technical principles taught in the classroom could be demonstrated using a physical device.
He explained that practical work was among the most enjoyable aspects of his undergraduate experience because it allowed him to handle electrical and mechanical tools, test ideas and develop solutions beyond textbook exercises.
The project also reflected his longstanding interest in electronics and his desire to understand how technical systems function in real-world settings.
Another memorable achievement during his undergraduate years was receiving a scholarship from the FEYRep Foundation. Udofia described the scholarship as an encouraging experience that reinforced his determination to continue working hard.
He said the recognition was meaningful because it showed that his efforts were being acknowledged and reminded him that consistent commitment could create opportunities beyond those he initially anticipated.
Despite his academic success, Udofia said his university experience taught him lessons that could not be measured by his CGPA alone. He identified relationship-building, communication, teamwork, emotional intelligence and the ability to work with people as important aspects of personal development.
He explained that academic results could reflect examination performance but could not fully capture a person’s character, ability to collaborate or capacity to understand different perspectives.
His experience also taught him that academic competition could be beneficial when it encouraged students to improve without undermining their relationships with others. As his performance improved, more students became interested in learning from him, while others viewed him as someone against whom they could measure their own academic progress.
Udofia said he tried to remain approachable and humble, viewing academic achievement as an opportunity to build meaningful relationships rather than create barriers between himself and other students.
On what distinguishes first-class graduates from other high-performing students, he emphasised consistency, discipline, attention to detail and personal responsibility.
He argued that intelligence alone was not enough to sustain excellent results over several years. Students also needed to recognise their weaknesses, develop appropriate learning strategies and take responsibility for improving their performance.
Udofia advised students struggling academically not to allow one poor result or a difficult semester to determine their perception of their abilities. Instead, he encouraged them to identify the causes of their difficulties, adjust their methods and remain committed to learning.
He also stressed the importance of understanding course materials rather than approaching education solely as an exercise in passing examinations. In his view, a sound grasp of concepts provides a stronger foundation for applying knowledge in professional practice.
Looking beyond graduation, Udofia expressed interest in electrical wiring design and developing software solutions for brands and businesses. He said he hoped to combine his technical knowledge with technology to create practical and reliable solutions for individuals and organisations.
His interests reflect an ambition to explore opportunities across engineering and digital innovation, extending his learning beyond the boundaries of his undergraduate degree.
For students pursuing demanding courses, particularly engineering and other science-based disciplines, Udofia’s experience offers several lessons: set clear goals, maintain a realistic study schedule, seek help when necessary, participate responsibly in extracurricular activities and remain willing to improve after setbacks.
His story also demonstrates that a difficult first year does not automatically prevent a student from graduating with outstanding results. Although every student’s circumstances and learning needs are different, consistent preparation and an honest assessment of one’s weaknesses can provide a foundation for improvement.
As the University of Uyo graduate moves towards his professional ambitions, his message to undergraduates remains straightforward: academic excellence is achievable through deliberate effort, but it should be accompanied by personal development, practical competence and the ability to build meaningful relationships.
