An emerging phenomenon is the penchant of people in their 60s and 70s to go to the university in search of first degrees. While the trend has come as a shock to many, KUNLE AKINRINADE reports that it justifies the saying that one can never be too old to learn.
IN January 16, 2016, former President Olusegun Obasanjo proved right the axiom that age is not a barrier to learning. On that day, he bagged a master’s degree in Theology from the National Open University (NOUN) at the age of 79 and nine years after he left office as president. Not one to rest on his oars, he furthered his studies at the same university and earned a doctorate in the same discipline in 2018 at age 81.
Obasanjo, who has twice governed Nigeria as a military ruler and elected president, was among the graduating students at the 7th convocation of the university held in Abuja where he bagged Doctor of Philosophy in Christian Theology, scoring another first as the only PhD holder from the university. Incidentally, the institution was established in 2001 while he was president.
Disclosing at the ceremony that the former president would be considered as a facilitator or supervisor in the institution, the Vice-Chancellor of NOUN, Prof. Abdalla Adamu, noted that the greatest pride of the convocation was Obasanjo becoming NOUN’s first PhD holder.
Adamu said: “His successful completion of a rigorous course of study and going through the numerous examination processes leading to PhD in Christian Theology and its confirmation by the university senate in January is his most powerful statement about lifelong education.
“His patience and perseverance in pursuing a doctorate degree programme at his age and status in life is a roadmap to all of us. It clearly communicates three credos: you are never too old to learn; you are never too powerful to learn and you are never too full of learning.
“Obasanjo embodies all these and therefore becomes the poster boy of education renaissance. Nigeria congratulates the oldest PhD graduating student in its history,” he said.
Other older graduates at the ceremony included over 70-year-old Rear Admiral Orisha (rtd), who bagged first class in Mathematics and 78-year-old Chief Femi Balogun, who bagged LL.B from the School of Law.
Oba Olufemi Ogunleye
Obasanjo is not the only one with the rare guts to seek knowledge at old age, his 73-year-old cousin and first-class monarch, Oba Olufemi Ogunleye, the Towulade of Akinale, an Owu town in Ewekoro Local Government Area, Ogun State, also proved right the axiom that where there is a will, there is always a way. He set aside his royal paraphernalia and returned to the classroom at Crescent University, Abeokuta, where he bagged a Second Class (Upper) degree in Law in October 2017
The royal father, a veteran journalist, who worked with Daily Times newspaper and retired from the defunct Nigeria Airways as the Group Public Relations Manager, has since bagged a master’s degree in Law from Babcock University, Ilisan Remo in 2020 at age 76.
Pa Adio Igboro
Despite his old age, Adio Igboro was undeterred in his quest for a university degree. The 80-year-old grandfather pulled all stops to celebrate his academic feat when he earned an MSc degree in International Relations from the Lagos State University (LASU).
At the university’s convocation held on May 16, 2019, the octogenarian graduate, swathed by his family members, was full of joy for chasing his dreams to reality.
Excited at the feat, his family members attended his convocation which held on May 16, 2019 and took lovely pictures with him. Adio’s son, Usman, could not keep the excitement of his father’s graduation to himself.
Pa Alimi Amodu
On June 13, 2012, Pa Alimi Amodu became the oldest graduate of the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo when he was awarded the first degree in Sociology at the university’s 17th convocation. LASU said from its records, Alimi was 80.
The octogenarian graduate was the cynosure of eyes at the convocation ground where he also got a special mention from the then Vice-Chancellor, Prof John Oladapo Obafunwa, as academic and non-academic staff, students, and guests jostled to shake hands and take photographs with him.
Amodu recalled that a lecturer once seized his handset for one week for forgetting to switch off during a class session. He also recounted when he dozed off in class and was advised by the teacher on the danger of consuming heavy food ahead of lectures.
His eldest son and sponsor, Gbade, a chartered accountant, said he was happy when his father indicated interest in earning a degree.
He said: “Daddy is not the type who loves to sit in one place. Besides, he is naturally a strong person. He always loves to keep himself busy. He has never fallen sick or complained of headache all through his years as an undergraduate.
“He could not go to school because of his desire to see all of us through school. So, when he said he wanted to return, it was good news for us all to support him.”
His granddaughter, Yetunde, also described him as a source of inspiration.
“I’m glad to have a grandfather who could be doing what many of us could not do even as youths. He is an inspiration to all of us. His life has prodded us to aspire for the peak in our academic careers,” she said.
Pa Layiwola Adegunju
About 31 years after he retired from the military as a Lieutenant Colonel, 80-year-old Pa Layiwola Adegunju graduated with a degree in Law from Lead City University, Ibadan, Oyo State on November 5, 2019. Adegunju said he had tried unsuccessfully three times to get a university degree until he accomplished his lifelong desire when he was well over 70 years.
He recalled the frustrations that prevented him from achieving his dreams for many years despite being offered admission to study Law at different times.
He said: ”The first time was when I was serving as Chief Brigade (in) Akure in 1977. I was offered admission to study law at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University). It was then a three-year programme for direct entry students. I got admission but because of the nature of my job, I could not do it.
”Again, in 1985, I was offered admission at the University of Lagos for LLB for the evening programme. I completed the first year and passed all the courses and moved to Year 2, but because of the nature of my job, again I had to abandon the programme.
”When I retired in 1990, I reapplied to continue the programme. Fortunately for me, I was offered admission. I was asked to go and pay tuition to register for the course, and by the time I got to the bursary, I realised it was N25, 000. Unfortunately, I could not pay it because my pension was around that figure and I had children in the university.
“So I could not afford it and I nearly wept. I was devastated but I summoned courage and felt God’s time was the best. I shrugged it off.
”I resigned myself to fate that if it was God’s wish for me to do it, I would do it. I was never disappointed. I knew God would grant me the grace and opportunity to do the course and complete it.
”In 2012, I was readmitted to OAU. I was just three months into the programme when I fell ill. I asked for a leave of absence for one year and it was granted. But I couldn’t go back there. I was looking for an alternative when somebody told me about Lead City University. So I was admitted to the 2014/2015 session.
”Unfortunately again, my wife felt ill and eventually died; I had to take another leave of absence for one year. I still believed God’s time had not come. After the leave of absence, I came back. I ought to have graduated last year because my mates are now in the law school.”
Madam Bridget Obiageli Okonji
At an age when her mates would have given up hope on their lifetime dreams and resigned themselves to taking care of their grandchildren, 77- year-old Madam Bridget Obiageli Okonji fulfilled her desire for academic certificate when she bagged a bachelor’s degree from the University of Lagos (UNILAG).
She was awarded a bachelor’s degree in Guidance and Counselling at the Faculty of Education under the sandwich programme of the university in April 2019.
Midway into the event, the septuagenarian stepped onto the podium at the expansive Ade Ajayi Hall and shook hands with the then Chairman of the Governing Council of the university, Dr. Wale Babalakin and the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, and other principal officers of the university as a mark of honour.
One of her lecturers, who was also the Director of the Institute of Continuing Education, Prof. Mopelola Olusakin, described Madam Okonji as a jovial and lively person.
“I addressed her as Mama, and she was very hard working in class. She would not wait for you to greet her before she greets. She would not also just greet alone, she would ensure she asked after your health and your family,” the lecturer said.
Why we went back to school
Speaking on his reasons for returning to school to earn university degrees, Obasanjo said he wanted to prove to others that age is not a barrier to learning.
He said: “I decided to register as a student and acquire knowledge in Christian Theology not because I want to be a pastor but because I want to know more about my God and be able to serve him better.
“And again, I wanted to make a statement that no matter your position, age should not be a barrier to learning. Learning should be a continuous process as long as you are still mentally able to do so.
“But if you can do it, to learn without the formality of a university, fine and good. But I chose to continue to learn by other means and also through the discipline and formality of a university system.
“I wanted to throw a bit of limelight on this institution, knowing full well that this country at no time in the foreseeable future would be able to provide, build a university for all Nigerian students who want to have an education. I am happy about the increase in the enrolment.”
He added that he had a sense of fulfillment on the award of a doctoral degree in Christian Theology.
“The earned doctorate degree I receive today comes with a different sense of fulfillment and accomplishment. My studentship of NOUN via the ODL platform confirmed that there is no age limit, no status barrier, no social lineage.”
Giving his motivation for pursuing university degrees as an aged man, Oba Ogunleye also said that he did so to make a point that there is no age limit for someone who is desirous of education.
His words: “I did not plan to return to school. I had a cousin who is the Head of Department of Mass Communication of Crescent University in whom I have always been delighted in his progress since we met. His name is Dr. Kola Adesina.
“I often visited the university to see him and share my experience with his students until one day when the thought of enrolling for a progamme came into my mind and I ended up reading Law.
“I started with the university’s Diploma in Law, which I had thought would be a run-of-the-mill thing, but I was proved wrong by the rigour of the academic exercise.
“At the end of the programme, I had Upper Credit with which I enrolled for the degree programme in Law. That was the beginning of my romance with the noble profession of the learned.
“I consider myself lucky to be among the pioneer 39 Law graduates of the university. It is a rare opportunity, which I pursued with doggedness, seriousness, and commitment.”
Expatiating further, Oba Ogunleye, who has since attended the Nigerian Law School for professional training and qualification to practice as a lawyer, said he almost quit the programme because of its rigorous academic curriculum.
”I almost abandoned the programme because of its academic rigours and demands. But my love for education, cooperation, and support of my wife saw me through the challenges of the programme.
“I never thought the rigour of the programme would be that much. I thank God who saw me through.”
“By graduating in Law at 73, I have thrown a challenge to the youths and other senior citizens that there is no age barrier to educational advancement in life.
”Until one dies, the brain will continue to work. Hence we should make use of it abundantly, particularly in the area of academics, knowledge acquisition and others.
“I may not be as sharp as I was when I was a boy, but I am still strong, full of energy with which to pursue my goals in life.”
For Pa Amodu, nicknamed ‘the youngest student’ at the outset of his undergraduate studies at LASU in 2004, the decision to enroll for his first degree in the university was in fulfillment of his passion to become an academic, which, he said, the circumstance of his birth robbed him of in his younger days.
He said: “University is not a place for frivolities. I knew where I was coming from and what I came to do here.
“When I retired from LUTH in 1992, I didn’t want to be an old man who would stay indoors and wait for three basic meals from his children. So, I saw going back to school as an opportunity which I lost while working as a civil servant.
“I was determined to bear with any negative and positive experience my going back to school could bring at my age.”
Amodu, who subsequently enrolled for a master’s degree in Human Resources and Industrial Relations at LASU, said he would not quit until he acquired his PhD
“If God spares my life, I will continue to doctorate level,” he said.
Although Pa Adegunju noted that he was mocked by many people for returning to university to study law at 76, he explained that he stuck to his gun in order to prove the point that learning has no age limit.
”I wanted to fulfill an ambition and to show people that there is no age limit to learning as long as you have the ambition and you are committed.
“The late Tai Solarin, my former school principal, used to tell us that we could become whatever we wanted to become in life, and many of us held tenaciously to it.”
Like others, Madam Okonji hinged her motivation for academic pursuit on the indomitable resolve to acquire knowledge, her advanced age notwithstanding.
She said: “I’m not too old to go to school. Education has no limit. It’s from cradle to death. And you know the more you are educated, the more valuable you are to society.
“I think this my degree programme could encourage people who consider ageing a barrier to learning to also go to school.
“I am a retired officer and I have worked in many countries around the world and also in Nigeria where I finally retired.
“You know when you retire from work, you will not want to stay at home and be dying slowly. That was why I decided to run the degree programme, and I am happy I did,” she said.
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