By Fatima Sajida Isa
A graduate of Delta State University, DELSU, Chukwunonso Nelly Amolo, has completed her Master’s and Doctorate degrees with a perfect Cumulative Grade Point Average of 5.0 at the University of Benin, UNIBEN, before the age of 30.
Amolo, who hails from Ibusa but grew up in Sapele, Delta State, earned her BSc in Microbiology from DELSU in 2017 with a CGPA of 4.61, before proceeding to UNIBEN where she studied Environmental and Public Health Microbiology for both her MSc, completed in 2021, and PhD, completed in 2025.
In an interview, Amolo recounted that her academic journey was marked by initial admission setbacks. After missing admission in the same year as her secondary school classmates, she enrolled in a six-month pre-science programme at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, with the hope of studying Medicine.
She was offered Crop Science, which she declined. She later gained admission to DELSU to study Animal and Environmental Biology, with the intention of transferring to Medicine in her second year.
The plan was stalled after the university barred transfers from Science departments to Medicine and Surgery, except for students already in Basic Medical Sciences.
“I decided to make a decision between Medical Biochemistry, Pure Biochemistry and Microbiology. I eventually settled for Microbiology and started taking classes with them just 2 weeks before the first semester exams,” she said.
Despite the late switch, she emerged as one of the top students in her department. She completed her National Youth Service in 2017/2018 before proceeding for postgraduate studies.
Describing her PhD completion as deeply emotional, Amolo said she was supported by older coursemates who assisted with sample collection and documentation, noting that age was never a barrier.
On her motivation, she said:
“What motivated me was my passion for learning and my desire to keep challenging myself. Each degree represented a different stage of my growth and brought me closer to the kind of impact I want to make, particularly in research, healthcare, and society.”
On her study approach, she credited consistency over last-minute cramming.
“From my BSc through my MSc and PhD, I maintained a strong academic record, although each level came with its own challenges. The study techniques that helped me most were setting clear study goals, breaking difficult topics into smaller and manageable sections, revising consistently rather than waiting until examinations, and actively engaging with what I was learning,” she said.
“For my postgraduate studies, research, critical reading, discussions with colleagues and supervisors, and learning how to manage my time effectively became particularly important.”
Amolo said her goal is to build a career in public health research and mentor young people who doubt their potential.
“I want to be successful, but I also want my success to have purpose,” she said.
She also recalled calling her father on the day of her PhD defence to announce, “Daddy, you’re talking to the latest PhD holder,” while noting that her late mother would have been celebrating by the phone if she were alive.