馃嚦馃嚞NigeriaWest Africa
University of Lagos graduate Saheed Azeez discusses first-class achievement and AI platform YarnGPT
via Punch Nigeria8 min read
Saheed Azeez, a Mechanical Engineering graduate from the University of Lagos, achieved a first-class degree and developed YarnGPT, a text-to-speech artificial intelligence platform supporting Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa. Azeez, who grew up in Iju-Ishaga, Lagos State, excelled academically from a young age, despite his family's modest background. He maintained strong academic performance through secondary school, winning prizes and participating in the PZ Cussons Chemistry Challenge. His interest in robotics from junior secondary school led him to pursue mechanical engineering, believing it was the closest field to his passion. University presented initial challenges, with his lowest CGPA in the first semester, but he adapted by understanding lecturer expectations and developing effective study strategies, including early reading and reviewing materials. Azeez credits his engineering education with instilling confidence in his problem-solving abilities. He intentionally aimed for a first-class degree, initially aspiring for a 5.0 CGPA. His third year was his best academically, due to engaging courses and strong peer support. He emphasized collaborative learning among his coursemates, noting that a spirit of mutual help prevailed over rivalry. The inspiration for YarnGPT came in his second year, driven by a desire to gain programming skills and solve AI problems relevant to Nigeria. He developed the platform during his final semester, utilizing the extra time afforded by virtual le
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
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