- Azoyenime Samuel Chukwuemeka, a 15-year-old boy, not only shattered an 11-year-old Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) record, but also established a new benchmark after he scored 372 in the 2025 JAMB exam
- In an exclusive interview with TheTalk.NG, Samuel, who turns 16 in December, opened up about his preparation strategy and daily routine leading up to the exam
- Samuel’s father, Anthony Chukwudi Azoyenime, also shared with TheTalk.NG how he felt when he heard about his son’s impressive UTME result
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Since 2013, there has been no UTME top scorer with a total score of 372, until 15-year-old Azoyenime Samuel Chukwuemeka took the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination in 2025.
The student of Isaac Newton Schools in Matogun Area, Ogun State, scored 78 in English, 98 in Chemistry, 98 in Physics, and 98 in Mathematics, to shatter an 11-year-old UTME record. There is no higher result in the public domain as far as the 2025 UTME, marred with errors, is concerned.
Azoyenime Samuel Chukwuemeka breaks an 11-year-old UTME record after scoring 372 in the 2025 exam.Source: Original
In an exclusive interview with TheTalk.NG, Samuel bared it all, shedding light on his study strategy, academic aspiration and his dream.
Samuel shares his UTME preparation strategy
TheTalk.NG asked Samuel, who hails from Delta State, about his preparation strategy and daily routine leading up to the exam, which led to his exceptional score. The young lad replied:
“My score was truly an exceptional one. As a matter of fact, I have been preparing for UTME 2025 since SSS1. I practised a 2-hour full JAMB CBT on My School Mobile App virtually everyday. It was not an easy task, but it made me spot my weak areas and improve on them.
“That was really the preparation strategy, as well as the daily routine, that led me up to the exam. But, being a student of Isaac Newton Schools for about a decade since Primary 1, my life was being transformed every single day.
“Also, with the extra classes on Saturday and Sunday taken by our ever-refiring teachers at school, my goal was achieved. Even after lectures, I would study overnight till 3 am or 4 am sometimes. Furthermore, when the exam was fast approaching, I began to use the TestDriller UTME App, installed by Isaac Newton Schools, to prepare daily for about a month, and engaged in their weekly TestDriller UTME Challenge as a kind of UTME 2025 demo, where I had to compete with over 2000 potential UTME candidates.
“I did all these while preparing, but did not forget my Creator, Almighty God. I put Him in front and committed everything into His hands to take absolute control, which he sincerely did in my life.”
How Samuel balanced interests with UTME preparation
While admitting that there were moments during his preparation when he realised that he was aiming for something extraordinary, Samuel, who wants to study aerospace engineering at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), shared how he balanced his other hobbies and interests with his UTME preparation.
“To balance academics with other interests or hobbies is not an easy task. First of all, I didn’t install any games on my phone, and I made sure I had no time to watch football or watch movies.
“It is not because it is bad to do them, but because I knew that there is a right time set to do anything in life. Therefore, I organised my life this way to be able to focus on my studies.”
Samuel’s biggest motivation during his UTME preparation
Samuel told TheTalk.NG he was actually aiming to score 380. When quizzed about his biggest motivation on the road to the exam, Samuel, who turns 16 in December, said:
“My biggest motivation was my senior, who graduated from my school last year, Nwanegbo Victor. He was the highest JAMB 2024 scorer in Isaac Newton Schools, with a score of 334.
“It motivated me, as he also motivated the 2025 set, to beat his record, which I did by God’s grace, with some of my classmates. Also, I followed the trend in the highest JAMB scorers since 2023 till date and worked towards beating such records with God’s grace.”
Samuel’s father reacts to his UTME score
TheTalk.NG also interviewed Samuel’s father, Anthony Chukwudi Azoyenime, about his son’s academic feat and his thoughts on it, and the excited dad couldn’t contain his joy.
“When I heard about my son’s UTME score, it brought me joy, excitement and a great sense of fulfilment. I wasn’t much surprised, as that was consistently his range of scores during the pre-UTME CBT trials or practices.
“In all, our glory returns to God Almighty, the author of knowledge and Jesus Christ, his dear son, who has brought this to pass.”
Azoyenime Samuel Chukwuemeka says he wants to study aero space engineering at Obafemi Awolow University (OAU).Source: Original
Why Samuel wrote UTME despite being underage
TheTalk.NG asked Samuel’s dad, who is a professional accountant, about why his son sat for the exam despite being underage, and he explained that it was on the back of the boy’s academic track record.
The 58-year-old said he was certain Samuel won’t disappoint, and the lad did live up to the billing.
“Looking at Samuel’s academic antecedents over the years vis-à-vis his successes both within school and outside his school’s competitions, I became compelled that he may not disappoint. In addition, he was exposed to external exam standards as early as when he was in his SSS-1 Level, and I found or curiously observed that he’s been doing very well and even within excellent ratings. He’s IT compliant, having so exposed him thereto from his tender age.
“He could easily sort out any known academic challenges either online or via his ever-firing school teachers. I actually know that he’s capable and that with heavenly assistance, he stood to excel.
“And hence, I had no reason to doubt but to accord him all the needed support at that material time, as a father. And lo and behold, he has just proved us right. Think God alone deserves the praise in this matter.”
Samuel’s dad shares how family supported him
An excited Mr Chukwudi shed light on how he supported Samuel emotionally and academically throughout his preparation period.
“As a parent, my dream remains seeing my children excelling in all their endeavours in life, their education inclusive.
“My past experience as a Youth Leader in my Church (Deeper Life Bible Church) became handy. Consequently, he was accorded all the needed emotional and academically inclined support throughout his presentation.
“Made sure as a family we ensured he had enough time and convenience to concentrate on his studies, freed him reasonably from domestic chores, provided sufficient internet to make needful online research, fatherly mentorship and above, supported his prayers to God for needful divine assistance. And today, the result is what we are celebrating, to God’s glory.”
Pastor’s son’s UTME result surfaces online
Meanwhile, TheTalk.NG previously reported that the 2025 UTME result of a pastor’s son had caught people’s attention after it was shared on social media.
A lady named Bose posted the lad’s result on Facebook. Bose noted that the boy scored 309 in 2024 but claimed that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) did not offer him admission because he was 15, which is considered underage.
Despite the setback caused by his age, Bose said Faith took up the challenge to retake the exam in 2025 and scored 326.
Source: TheTalk.NG
