A 16-year-old candidate, Daniella Owoeye, has captured national attention after emerging as the overall best candidate in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination with an outstanding score of 372.
The brilliant student, who graduated from EFVP Wisdom Spring Model School, revealed that her remarkable performance was the result of months of disciplined studying, strategic preparation, constant self-evaluation, and unwavering determination.
Speaking about her achievement, Daniella described the moment she saw her result as one of the happiest experiences of her life. According to her, the excitement was overwhelming because she knew the amount of sacrifice, hard work, and dedication she invested into her preparation.
The teenager explained that although she hoped to perform exceptionally well, she never imagined she would eventually emerge as the overall best candidate in the entire country.
She disclosed that before checking her result, she had prayed intensely and remained optimistic about making the top list of candidates nationwide. However, discovering that she had become the highest scorer exceeded her expectations and filled her with gratitude and joy.
How Technical Problems Motivated Her to Work Harder
Daniella revealed that this was not her first attempt at writing the UTME. She explained that she sat for the examination the previous year and scored 293 despite experiencing technical difficulties at her examination centre.
According to her, the unpleasant experience became a turning point rather than a setback. Instead of allowing disappointment to discourage her, she used it as motivation to prepare more aggressively for another attempt.
She explained that immediately after graduating from secondary school last year, she began serious preparation for the next UTME examination.
The determined candidate noted that she intentionally started studying early because she understood that success in UTME requires long-term preparation rather than last-minute reading.
“I Studied for About Eight Hours Every Day”
Daniella disclosed that she maintained a highly disciplined study routine, often reading for several hours daily with carefully structured breaks.
She explained that her study sessions usually started as early as 7 a.m. and continued until around noon. After taking short breaks, she resumed reading again from afternoon until evening.
According to her, she did not rely on random studying but instead created detailed study schedules using alarms and reminders on her phone to maximise her time effectively.
The top scorer explained that she dedicated specific hours to practising hundreds of past questions across different subjects, especially Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and English Language.
She added that consistency became one of her strongest weapons throughout her preparation period, stressing that she remained focused every single day despite moments of fatigue and pressure.
CBT Apps, Online Tutorials and WhatsApp Study Groups
Daniella disclosed that she used multiple educational resources to sharpen her understanding and improve her performance.
She mentioned that she practised extensively with CBT applications such as Test Driller, 330, and MySchool, which helped her become familiar with the computer-based testing format.
In addition, she participated in online tutorials where tutors regularly organised quizzes, mock examinations, and revision exercises.
The teenager also revealed that she belonged to an active WhatsApp study group where students received numerous academic questions daily for practice.
According to her, members of the group solved up to 100 questions per subject regularly, especially in science-related subjects.
She explained that the constant exposure to questions strengthened her confidence, improved her speed, and helped her master difficult topics ahead of the examination.
Beyond tutorials and group discussions, Daniella said she downloaded educational PDFs, watched academic videos on YouTube, and carefully followed the official JAMB syllabus while studying.
Her Subject Scores in the 2026 UTME
Daniella’s impressive performance included:
- English Language – 98
- Physics – 94
- Chemistry – 98
- Biology – 82
These scores combined gave her a total of 372, making her the highest-performing candidate in the country.
“Personal Study Contributed More to My Success”
Although she attended tutorial classes, Daniella emphasised that her personal study routine contributed more significantly to her achievement.
She explained that attending tutorials alone does not guarantee success unless students are willing to put in extra effort independently.
According to her, after every lesson at the tutorial centre, she returned home to revise everything she had been taught.
She stated that she went beyond classroom materials by conducting additional research, studying textbooks, solving past questions, and preparing personal notes based on the JAMB syllabus.
The teenager stressed that self-discipline and personal commitment remain critical factors for academic excellence.
Why She Wants to Study Medicine and Surgery
Daniella revealed that she has always dreamed of becoming a medical doctor since childhood.
According to her, her passion for Medicine and Surgery is driven by her desire to help sick people, reduce suffering, and contribute positively to society through healthcare services.
She explained that the dream of saving lives has remained one of her strongest motivations throughout her academic journey.
The outstanding student also disclosed that she selected University of Lagos as her preferred institution because of the university’s strong reputation, especially in Medicine and Surgery.
Advice to Students Preparing for Future UTME
Offering advice to other candidates, Daniella stressed that mindset plays a major role in academic success.
She warned students against limiting themselves mentally or believing that high scores are impossible to achieve.
According to her, students must remain optimistic, disciplined, and committed regardless of their background or school.
She also advised candidates to avoid distractions, particularly excessive social media usage and entertainment activities that consume valuable study time.
The UTME top scorer encouraged students to make sacrifices temporarily in order to secure long-term success.
She further urged candidates to remain consistent in their preparation and never stop practising questions regularly.
Message to Female Students
Daniella also used the opportunity to encourage female students across Nigeria to strive for greater academic excellence.
She stated that girls are highly intelligent and capable of competing academically with anyone if they remain focused and determined.
According to her, female students should work harder to ensure that academic excellence is not dominated only by male candidates.
She added that girls should believe more strongly in their abilities and continue pushing boundaries in education and leadership.
Family Support and Parents’ Contribution
The 16-year-old credited much of her success to the unwavering support she received from her parents.
She disclosed that her mother, Dr Owoeye, recently completed her PhD and works as an academic researcher at Covenant University, while her father also works at the institution as an administrator.
According to Daniella, her parents constantly encouraged her throughout the preparation period and regularly prayed with her.
She explained that they also provided all the academic materials and resources she needed, including paid CBT applications, internet data subscriptions, textbooks, educational videos, and past questions.
Beyond financial and academic support, she stated that her parents created a peaceful environment at home that allowed her to study comfortably without unnecessary distractions.
Her Advice to Parents
Daniella advised parents to avoid comparing their children with others, warning that constant comparison can damage a child’s confidence and emotional well-being.
Instead, she encouraged parents to support, motivate, and believe in their children’s potential.
She stressed that emotional encouragement, proper guidance, prayers, and provision of learning materials can significantly improve a child’s academic performance.
“I Never Had a Boyfriend”
Speaking candidly during the interview, Daniella disclosed that she has never had a boyfriend.
According to her, she intentionally avoided distractions that could interfere with her academic goals.
Although some of her classmates were involved in relationships, she explained that she carefully selected the kind of friends she associated with and stayed away from influences capable of affecting her focus negatively.
Challenges She Faced During Preparation
Despite eventually emerging as the best candidate, Daniella admitted that her journey was not entirely smooth.
She revealed that during the early stages of her preparation, her CBT practice scores were relatively low and sometimes around 268, which worried her initially.
However, instead of becoming discouraged, she chose to remain determined and continued studying consistently.
According to her, persistence eventually paid off as her scores gradually improved over time until she became fully confident ahead of the examination.
Her inspiring story has since become a source of motivation for many students across Nigeria preparing for future UTME examinations.
