Chinedu Okeke, the top scorer in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), speaks with Grace Edema of The PUNCH about his journey to academic excellence, the challenges he overcame, and advice for other students.
▪️Can you speak briefly about your background?
I’m 20 years old. I graduated from St. Jude’s Private School, Festac.
▪️Coming out as the top scorer in the 2025 UTME in Nigeria, what do you think contributed to your success? What efforts did you put in that helped you score 375?
I studied consistently. I read textbooks and notes from school and my UTME lessons. I attended a tutorial centre which had CBT facilities for weekly practice. I worked on past UTME questions daily and started preparing early.
▪️What was your reading routine like?
After lessons, I’d read from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily—going over notes, practising questions, and ensuring I understood topics. I preferred deep understanding to cramming.
▪️Did you study at other times too?
Yes, I usually read in the mornings before my lessons started.
▪️You attended a university before. Can you tell me about that? Do you think that contributed to your UTME success?
Not really. I gained admission into UNN in 2021 to study Medicine and Surgery. But I lost interest and withdrew in 2024 after realising my passion lay in Mathematics and Physics. That decision gave me clarity but didn’t contribute directly to my UTME success.
▪️Why did you choose Medicine initially?
At first, the idea of being a doctor appealed to me. But as time went on, I realised it wasn’t my calling. After deep reflection and discussions with my parents, I switched paths.
▪️There was also an issue regarding your state of origin, between Anambra and Lagos, which caused some confusion during UTME registration. Would you like to clarify?
Yes. I’m originally from Anambra State, Njikoka LGA, but during my 2021 JAMB registration, the operator mistakenly entered Lagos, my state of residence, as my origin.
When I noticed, my dad and I went to JAMB’s office in Anthony and later Ikoyi to correct it. He even went to the Anambra JAMB office. Despite paying for data correction, the issue wasn’t resolved until I updated my NIN, which finally fixed it. It was never intentional, and we tried to correct it immediately.
▪️What role did your parents play in your UTME journey?
They fully supported my switch to Engineering. They found a tutorial centre for me and kept encouraging me. Their support meant everything.
▪️What message do you have for other students?
Find what you’re truly passionate about. Start early, stay consistent, avoid procrastination, and focus. Education requires effort and discipline, but it opens doors.
▪️What do you hope to achieve with Mechanical Engineering?
I want to become a certified Mechanical Engineer, work on real-world solutions, and eventually build a company that creates innovative systems to address Africa’s engineering challenges. For me, university is not just about academics—it’s about building mindset, character, and capacity.
▪️Can you speak briefly about your background?
I’m 20 years old. I graduated from St. Jude’s Private School, Festac.
▪️Coming out as the top scorer in the 2025 UTME in Nigeria, what do you think contributed to your success? What efforts did you put in that helped you score 375?
I studied consistently. I read textbooks and notes from school and my UTME lessons. I attended a tutorial centre which had CBT facilities for weekly practice. I worked on past UTME questions daily and started preparing early.
▪️What was your reading routine like?
After lessons, I’d read from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily—going over notes, practising questions, and ensuring I understood topics. I preferred deep understanding to cramming.
▪️Did you study at other times too?
Yes, I usually read in the mornings before my lessons started.
▪️You attended a university before. Can you tell me about that? Do you think that contributed to your UTME success?
Not really. I gained admission into UNN in 2021 to study Medicine and Surgery. But I lost interest and withdrew in 2024 after realising my passion lay in Mathematics and Physics. That decision gave me clarity but didn’t contribute directly to my UTME success.
▪️Why did you choose Medicine initially?
At first, the idea of being a doctor appealed to me. But as time went on, I realised it wasn’t my calling. After deep reflection and discussions with my parents, I switched paths.
▪️There was also an issue regarding your state of origin, between Anambra and Lagos, which caused some confusion during UTME registration. Would you like to clarify?
Yes. I’m originally from Anambra State, Njikoka LGA, but during my 2021 JAMB registration, the operator mistakenly entered Lagos, my state of residence, as my origin.
When I noticed, my dad and I went to JAMB’s office in Anthony and later Ikoyi to correct it. He even went to the Anambra JAMB office. Despite paying for data correction, the issue wasn’t resolved until I updated my NIN, which finally fixed it. It was never intentional, and we tried to correct it immediately.
▪️What role did your parents play in your UTME journey?
They fully supported my switch to Engineering. They found a tutorial centre for me and kept encouraging me. Their support meant everything.
▪️What message do you have for other students?
Find what you’re truly passionate about. Start early, stay consistent, avoid procrastination, and focus. Education requires effort and discipline, but it opens doors.
▪️What do you hope to achieve with Mechanical Engineering?
I want to become a certified Mechanical Engineer, work on real-world solutions, and eventually build a company that creates innovative systems to address Africa’s engineering challenges. For me, university is not just about academics—it’s about building mindset, character, and capacity.
