Michael Offorkaile receives education support from Governor Alex Otti after scoring 367 in JAMB

• Michael Offorkaile scored 367 in the 2026 JAMB UTME, ranking fifth highest in Nigeria.

• Governor Alex Otti has pledged to sponsor and support the Abia-born student's education.

• The governor said Abia will continue to reward excellence and encourage young people who make the state proud.

• Michael thanked the governor and promised to keep excelling while inspiring other students across Nigeria.

For many Nigerian students, getting a very high score in JAMB doesn't always mean the financial worries are over. But for Abia-born Michael Offorkaile, things just got a lot brighter.

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has promised to support the education of the teenager after he scored 367 in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), making him the fifth-highest scorer in Nigeria.

The governor received Michael, his parents and the management of Grundtvig International Secondary School, Oba, Anambra State, at the Government House on Monday, where he applauded the student's exceptional performance.

Otti said his administration believes in recognising excellence and rewarding people who make the state proud, stressing that hard work should never go unnoticed.

He also directed the Commissioner for Tertiary Education to work out the details of the educational support, while instructing his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Mr Dodoh Okafor, to work with Michael's parents on the necessary follow-up.

According to the governor: "We don’t take this for granted. The whole idea is to celebrate our own when they do well. As a government founded on meritocracy, we will not stop celebrating people who do well. We also want you to be a source of encouragement to those coming after you and to know that when they do well, they will be celebrated.

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"We also want this to be an encouragement to him because the journey has just started. JAMB is the little roadblock you have to go through to now start a degree programme of four years. So, having been celebrated because you came first, we expect that you even do better as you go to the university.

"And as a state, we will support you. I believe that the details of the support will be worked out with the Commissioner for Tertiary Education. But I think what is most important is for you to know that your state is behind you, recognises the feat that you have achieved and encourages you to even do better."

Introducing the student, Abia State Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Prof. Uche Emeh Uche, revealed that Governor Otti personally directed her to find Michael and bring him to the state so he could be officially recognised for his achievement.

Michael's principal, Mr Ige Bello, alongside his father, Mr Odinaka Offorkaile, who is from Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State, said they were not surprised by his outstanding result, noting that he has consistently excelled academically over the years.

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They also thanked Governor Otti for honouring the young scholar and praised his administration's commitment to education and merit.

Speaking after receiving the recognition, Michael expressed gratitude to the governor and promised not to relent.

He said: "I want to thank you for what you have done for me and my family, and also my school today. I will also try my best to keep performing, keep inspiring, and keep encouraging students from Abia and Nigeria."

Michael's achievement comes at a time when conversations around academic excellence and support for brilliant students continue across Nigeria, with many calling for more scholarships and government-backed opportunities to help outstanding students reach their full potential.