Young Man Who Quit Barbing to Chase First Class Graduates With Impressive CGPA, Shares Study Habits

• Nkemdirim Chinedu Christian, a Civil Engineering graduate of Olabisi Onabanjo University, dumped his barbing business after his first semester results showed a CGPA of 3.10
• Chinedu described his university journey in three distinct phases, moving from a business-minded freshman to a scholar and eventually a popular figure on X
• The OOU graduate revealed the one study habit he credits for keeping him on track from 200 level all the way to graduation

As thousands of Nigerians pray and hope to secure admission into a university of their choice so they can study their dream course and build a better future, many undergraduates are also striving hard not just to graduate, but to finish with an impressive CGPA.

A strong CGPA can make students and their parents proud while opening the door to countless opportunities after graduation.

OOU Civil Engineering Graduate shares university experience

One of the many students who worked tirelessly to achieve this is Nkemdirim Chinedu Christian, a Civil Engineering graduate of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU).

In an exclusive interview with Legit.ng, Chinedu spoke extensively about how he dumped his barbing business to pursue his dream of graduating with a first-class. He also discussed his academic discipline and why he chose to study Civil Engineering at OOU.

OOU graduate Chinedu speaks about his course

Legit.ng tabled numerous questions before Nkemdirim Chinedu Christian during the exclusive interview, and he gave detailed responses.

On what inspired him to pursue a degree in Engineering, he told Legit.ng's correspondent that he had always been fascinated by buildings, bridges, and other structures and wanted to understand how they are designed and constructed.

This curiosity fuelled his decision to study Civil Engineering.

He explained:

“I have always been interested in how high-rise buildings, bridges, and many other structures are built. I just wanted to learn how to design and build great things.”

The brilliant graduate also discussed his university experience. He revealed that before gaining admission, he had already learnt barbing and hoped to become like his mentor, the popular barber Topzycut. However, he eventually put that dream on hold to focus on academics.

OOU graduate quits barbing to chase academics

Chinedu shared one of the most interesting parts of his university journey with Legit.ng.

Before gaining admission into OOU, he had acquired barbing skills and purchased the tools he needed to start the business.

He said his biggest motivation at the time was becoming like Topzycut.

After resuming at the university, he continued barbing to support himself financially. However, it did not take long before he realised the business was affecting his studies.

His first semester result in 100 level became a turning point. Determined to improve, he abandoned barbing and concentrated on his academics.

Chinedu recalled:

“My experience was an interesting one honestly. Before I gained admission, I learnt barbing for a few months and immediately I resumed, I got everything I needed as a barber. At that time, my whole motivation was to be like Topzycut, so I forgot my primary goal as a student 🤣.

“I continued barbing and even skipped lectures, but after my first semester results came out and I saw my CGPA was 3.10, I knew I had to buckle up and dump barbing. I didn’t even come with my barbing tools in 100L second semester.”

He continued:

“I did my second semester exam in 100L and had a GPA of 4.65, making me jump from 3.10 to 3.85. I just maintained the spirit and kept going higher.”

Being conscious that barbing was affecting his academics, he shifted his priority completely to studying, and the decision eventually paid off.

Years later, after consistently maintaining excellent grades, he graduated with a CGPA many students struggle to attain.

Graduate of Olabisi Onabanjo University posts results

Exactly five years after gaining admission, Chinedu graduated from OOU without an extra year or spillover.

He told Legit.ng that at the beginning of his 500 level, he had already attained a CGPA of 4.51. However, distractions that came with his growing popularity on X affected his performance slightly, and he eventually graduated with a 4.47 CGPA.

Reflecting on his journey, he said:

“At 500L first semester, I was already on 4.51. Then this Twitter fame came and I went down back to 4.47. Bottling my first class. But to be honest, I enjoyed every bit of it from 100L to 500L, exploring different sides as a student.”

He summarised each stage of his university life:

“100L – The business-minded guy”

“200L to 400L – The scholar”

“500L – The celebrity student”

Chinedu Christian recalls challenges he faced

Like many students, Chinedu admitted that financial challenges were the biggest obstacle he faced after abandoning barbing, which had been his major source of income.

He explained:

“My only challenge was financial. It happened because I dumped my barbing business that was giving me money just to chase first class. Overcoming it was easy sha 🤣. Anytime the stipends my parents gave me finished, I always went back to my clippers, cut hair for a few days, gathered money, and disappeared again.”

OOU never failed a course; he brags

Despite the financial struggles and his poor start in 100 level, Chinedu proudly told Legit.ng that he never failed a single course throughout his time at OOU.

He said:

“I never failed a course, but I almost did in 100L first semester due to my lack of seriousness.”

OOU graduate shares his study habits

To help other students achieve impressive academic results, Chinedu also revealed the study habit that contributed significantly to his success.

According to him, studying with like-minded classmates made all the difference.

He said:

“The study habit that worked for me 100% was having a study group with like-minded people. I was in a group of 12 from 200L to 500L, and we all knew each other’s CGPA, so we all knew how to help each other.”

First-class graduate’s dating rule goes viral

Meanwhile, Legit.ng recently reported that an Olabisi Onabanjo University first-class Chemistry graduate sparked debate online after saying he would never date or marry a woman who graduated below a second-class upper (2:1) degree.

He argued that intelligence was an important quality he wanted in the mother of his future children.