A Nation’s Shame: How a 4.91 GPA in Physics Became a Ticket to Tailoring Instead of Innovation, in APC Government

His name might not be on the front page of a science journal. You won’t find him in the control room of a rocket launch or at the helm of an energy lab solving Nigeria’s electricity crisis. Instead, he folds fabric in a dimly lit workshop, adjusting patterns and threading needles with the same precision he once applied to solving quantum mechanics equations.

This young man, with a staggering 4.91 GPA in Physics, is not applying his rare intellect to the development of space technology or climate models. He is a tailor, not by choice but by necessity.

Graduating with such a GPA, barely a breath away from a perfect 5.0, requires more than just intelligence. It demands consistency, discipline, and the kind of grit that few can maintain through one of the most demanding academic disciplines. Physics at that level is not just a course, it’s a life-consuming endeavor. To survive it, let alone excel, signals an individual capable of mastering complex systems, designing infrastructure, or solving some of the world’s most pressing technological challenges.

Yet here we are.

Nigeria has become a country where brilliance is not only unrecognized but also unrewarded. Where the most talented minds, instead of being guided toward innovation, are left to fight for daily bread in overcrowded, opportunity-starved cities. The irony is as painful as it is predictable.

This story is not an isolated case. It is the reflection of a broader systemic failure. Thousands of Nigeria’s best students, armed with first-class degrees in engineering, mathematics, computer science, and the natural sciences, end up in jobs that have nothing to do with their talents or fields of study. Those who manage to leave the country are often welcomed with scholarships and high-paying jobs elsewhere. But those who stay, either out of patriotism, family obligations, or lack of options, are swallowed by a system that forces the brightest into survival mode.

In a just society, a Physics graduate with such a record would be fast-tracked into a research institute, offered scholarships for graduate school, or recruited into national programs aimed at boosting science and technology. Nigeria, however, has no such pipeline. The limited research institutions are underfunded and politicized. Job creation in the knowledge economy is nearly non-existent. Even industries that should need these minds—like energy, aerospace, and climate science—are either neglected or dominated by foreign companies with no interest in nurturing local talent.

A society cannot grow while actively undermining its best assets. Brilliance does not come around often; when it does, it should be nurtured and directed. Instead, Nigeria bleeds out its potential through neglect, corruption, and a lack of vision.

People often speak of resilience in the face of hardship, but there comes a point when resilience turns into a form of societal cruelty. Why should someone with the ability to design satellites be forced to stitch hems and sew Ankara fabric to survive? Why must dreams be exchanged for daily survival just to navigate an economy that punishes ambition?

What’s worse, political cycles continue without interruption. The same parties that have presided over this decay remain in power through manipulation and manufactured loyalty. Come 2027, many of the same citizens will queue in the sun to vote for parties like APC that have overseen the collapse of education, the loss of hope, and the shrinking of futures.

Young Nigerians are not lazy. They are not entitled. They are not waiting for handouts. What they need is an enabling environment, a country that sees potential and does everything to support it. The man with the 4.91 GPA did his part. He gave everything. He beat the odds. Nigeria, on the other hand, did what it always does: it broke him.

As his sewing machine hums in the background and he measures cloth instead of calibrating instruments, a nation weeps silently for the future it continues to throw away.

Until Nigeria decides to value intellect, integrity, and innovation over empty slogans and recycled politicians, this story will repeat itself. Again and again. Another genius. Another dream deferred. Another wasted future.

*written by DGT!

BSc. Physics, 4.91/5.0 https://t.co/9VSRrLH78Q pic.twitter.com/uENkCOzW5P

— iBEND 👕👖 (@BasilEnebeli) July 16, 2025