Igbinedion University Okada Announces Bliss Celestine as Best Graduating Student of the College of Arts and Sciences with First‑Class Honours

Igbinedion University, Okada, Nigeria, conferred First‑Class Honours upon Bliss Celestine, who was named Best Graduating Student of the College of Arts and Sciences during the university’s 2024 convocation ceremony. She graduated from the Department of International Relations and Strategic Studies with a remarkable cumulative grade‑point average (CGPA) of 4.93 out of 5.00.

In addition to the academic accolade, Celestine was honoured with several other distinctions: Best Student President, Most Influential Student President, Most Humanitarian, and the Academic Excellence Award — which she received for three consecutive semesters.

In her remarks, Celestine recounted overcoming significant challenges — including a seven‑year delay in the Nigerian education system, four unsuccessful attempts at the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination, and four retakes of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) — before gaining admission through Direct Entry into the second‑year programme. She excelled academically, earning all “A” grades in her first semester with 18 courses; however, she took 16 courses in the second semester, which prevented her from capturing the title of Overall Best Graduating Student.

Celestine highlighted the difficulties of balancing work and study while self‑funding her education at a university with tuition fees in the millions of Naira. “Studying through tears and exhaustion wasn’t easy — but it paid off,” she said.

University officials praised Celestine as a trailblazer whose perseverance exemplifies the institution’s commitment to nurturing resilient leaders.