‘I Suffered Depression, Divorced, Remarried During My Programme’ -UNILAG Best PhD Thesis Winner, Dr Aminat Ige

Dr. Aminat Olawunmi Ige has emerged as the overall best Ph.D. graduating student from the University of Lagos.

Congratulations are pouring in for Dr. Aminat Olawunmi Ige, who emerged as the Best PhD Thesis Award Winner at the University of Lagos(UNILAG).

Her thesis titled “O-Metric Spaces: A Novel Unification and Generalization of Metric Type Spaces with Applications in Fixed Point Theory.” was awarded the best doctoral thesis in her department and the entire university for the 2022–23 academic session, Daily Trust reports.

She also bagged the school’s best doctorate of philosophy award in mathematics.

Dr. Ige, who is a lecturer of mathematics at Lagos State University (LASU), was the cynosure of eyes during the 54th convocation ceremony held on Thursday and revealed how she battled marital problems, suffered a divorce, robbery attacks, and even remarried while pursuing her academic dreams.

“On this Phd program, I got divorced, suffered depression, two armed robbery attacks, surgeries, and several bouts of malaria. However, for every step backwards, I took three forwards in recovery.”

“While the program was winding up, I started a mentorship community, and the beautiful part of it all, while on the program I got married. This time around to the adorable man I think of. A man who supports my dreams and ambition,” she said.

The awardee narrated her ordeal, adding that she battled health challenges but survived all during her pursuit of her Ph.D program, thanking her supervisors for their support.

“Well it was not all gloomy, while on the program. Amidst the trials with this nature of I no gree for failure, I started an NGO, and during these trying periods, my supervisor stood rightly by me,” she added.

However, she urged the federal government and state governments to support the education sector, calling for the proper welfare of university lecturers.

“It is not unpopular that university lecturers are poorly rewarded, and students don’t want to like us when they grow up. I therefore appeal to President Bola Tinubu and the governor of my state, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and other state governors to look into the state of their academics and bring us renewed hope.

“The private sector is not left out. They are the highest beneficiaries of the products of our institutions,” she added.