Blind UNILAG Fresher Who Survived Brain Tumour Emerges Best JAMB Disability Candidate

A visually impaired student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Ogunsua-Dixon Tijesuni, has emerged the best matriculating candidate under the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Equal Opportunity Group for Persons with Disabilities after overcoming years of medical challenges, including a brain tumour, multiple surgeries and extensive rehabilitation.

Tijesuni, a 100-level Mass Communication student, was recognised alongside six other outstanding students at the maiden Rite Foods National Academic Excellence Awards, an initiative celebrating exceptional academic performances among candidates admitted during the 2025 admission cycle.

The Ondo State-born student recorded an impressive 288 score in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and achieved an aggregate score of 81.2 per cent, placing her at the top of the disability category.

Speaking exclusively about her journey, Tijesuni revealed that her battle with the life-threatening condition began at age 11 while she was in Junior Secondary School 2, when doctors diagnosed her with a brain tumour.

“I was diagnosed with a brain tumour at age 11. At that point, I had lost partial function of my left limb. My parents did not want to disrupt my education, so they asked me to wait until after secondary school before undergoing surgery,” she said.

However, as she progressed through secondary school, her condition deteriorated. By her final year, she had begun experiencing gradual loss of sight, a development she initially struggled to understand.

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“While writing my WAEC, I knew I was struggling to read the question paper, but I pushed on. I didn’t think it was blindness. I later wrote JAMB and scored 225 to study Law at the University of Ibadan,” she recalled.

Shortly after the examination, Tijesuni collapsed at home, leading to urgent medical intervention. Doctors later informed her that the tumour had progressed and required immediate surgery.

She described the moment she first learned about her condition as one of the most difficult experiences of her life.

“I was 11 years old when they told my parents I had a brain tumour. I remember looking at the brain scan and seeing the mass. I told the doctor, ‘I am not mad.’ I told my mum the same thing. I kept saying there was nothing wrong with me,” she said.

Although she initially rejected the reality of her diagnosis, Tijesuni admitted that the experience affected her confidence and changed her life significantly.

“I was shaking so much because I was actually petrified. My self-esteem dropped a lot because I could no longer participate in sports. I was stumbling, dragging my leg. I was a wreck of myself. That was the life-changing moment,” she said.

Before her health challenges began, Tijesuni was an active sports enthusiast. She served as captain of her primary school female basketball team and participated in football, badminton and swimming activities.

She said her early symptoms included severe migraines and weakness in her limbs, which gradually affected her mobility.

“The initial symptoms were headaches – serious migraines. I remember using a lot of medications. I noticed weakness in my left arm, and I wasn’t able to use it,” she said.

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At 16, she underwent brain surgery in January 2018, by which time her vision had significantly declined. She later spent three years undergoing rehabilitation in Ibadan before moving to the Blind Centre in Oshodi, Lagos, where she received training in mobility, independence and other life skills.

During her rehabilitation, Tijesuni also acquired hospitality and broadcasting skills before deciding to return to formal education.

“At that point, I decided that I needed to go back to school. So I wrote another WAEC in 2025, sat JAMB again and started processing my admission,” she said.

Despite her visual impairment, she pursued her academic ambitions and gained admission into UNILAG, where she said she has received significant support from lecturers and fellow students.

“God bless UNILAG. There are ramps in different parts of the school. My classmates and lecturers are very supportive whenever I need assistance,” she said.

Tijesuni also praised JAMB’s Equal Opportunity Group for introducing measures that make examinations more accessible for candidates living with disabilities.

She explained that candidates were provided with accommodation, examination support and assistive technologies during the UTME.

“Thanks to Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, they started this programme where we are lodged and taken to the examination centre. Each person with a disability was allowed to come with a carer. We wrote the examination at UNILAG using laptops, Braille slates or typewriters,” she said.

Although she had previously aspired to become a medical doctor or lawyer, Tijesuni said her health journey forced her to reconsider her career path.

“I come from a long line of teachers, so there were expectations. I wanted to be a doctor. Later, I wanted to be a lawyer—an advocate really. It’s not that I gave up law, but I had to adjust, and I chose Communication,” she said.

She added that losing her sight reshaped her perspective and strengthened her determination to succeed.

“I didn’t really feel anything losing my sight at first. But years later, I began to say, ‘God, I just want to see again.’ Sometimes I would pick up a book and wonder why I couldn’t just read it myself,” she said.

According to Tijesuni, medical experts believe there is still a possibility of restoring her sight, but the specialised neurological rehabilitation technology required is currently unavailable in Nigeria.

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“My consultant said there is a chance for me to regain my sight, but unfortunately that technology is not available in Nigeria,” she said.

Beyond her personal achievements, Tijesuni called for stronger government policies and improved opportunities for persons with disabilities, particularly in education and employment.

She lamented that many talented individuals are denied opportunities because of misconceptions about disability.

“There is no welfare structure for people living with disabilities in Nigeria. Very rarely do companies employ persons with disabilities. Once you show up with a disability, you are judged as unable to do anything. If there was more support, people would see what we can do because there are many talented persons with disabilities,” she said.

Reflecting on the Rite Foods National Academic Excellence Award, Tijesuni described the recognition as a major milestone and a reminder that resilience can overcome adversity.

“The day I confirmed I had been selected for the Rite scholarship was a shock. I had never been so honoured in my life,” she said.

Her story, from battling a childhood brain tumour to becoming Nigeria’s top matriculating candidate in the JAMB disability category, highlights the impact of inclusive education and the determination of students who continue to break barriers despite extraordinary challenges.