Former President Olusegun Obasanjo enrolls for PHD programme

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Vice Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Professor Vincent Tenese (left), presenting a letter of admission to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, during his registration for a doctorate degree at the institution in Lagos…yesterday.
Olusegun-Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has returned to school for his Masters and Doctoral degree programmes in Christian Theology at his Alma Mata, the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

Obasanjo who was first admitted into the University for the same course with student registration number NOUN60323192 graduated in 2009.

Receiving his admission letter during a short ceremony at the National Headquarters of the University in Lagos, yesterday, Obasanjo, said he was encouraged to further his education having received two letters of commendations from the late President Musa Yar’Adua and President Goodluck Jonathan shortly after his first degree programme.

While giving reasons for returning to school and his choice of studying Christian Theology, the former President said, “I want to acquire more knowledge in Christian theology not because I want to become a pastor, but to know my creator and serve Him.

“I also realised that one’s position, status or age in life shouldn’t be a barrier to learning more so that I want to see myself occupy meaningfully 24 hours of the day. That will give me more joy. Eight among my children are PhD holders and I had already told two of them that I may from time to time need their help in my studies. So, learning is a continuous process and I will continue to learn as far as my health permits.

“The third reason is the same reason I chose to come to NOUN which is to serves as an inspiration to those who for one reason or the other might not have the privilege of university education to consider NOUN as a viable alternative and to throw a bit of limelight that this country at a time in future will be able to build a world class university,” he added.

Obasanjo, who said he would not entertain any question from journalists appealed to the Head of Department of Religious Studies from the University of Ibadan introduced as his assigned Supervisor, Professor Isaac Aiyegboyin, to treat him like any other student.

“I will like to be treated like any other student. Don’t attach too much protocol to our relationship. I know there is need to give courtesy to those who deserve it, but then, I am your student while you are my lecturer,” he told his supervisor.

“But I will appeal to you that you will need to exercise some patience with me because at times, I may not be available, especially when I have international engagements to attend to or I may have to call you on phone around 2.00am. You will please need to bear with me on these”.

The new student is expected to complete his masters’ programme in one year after which he will proceed for his PhD programme.

He called on the vice Chancellor to make a better representation for the enlistment of graduates of the university in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), adding that law graduates from the institution should equally be called to bar.

Earlier, NOUN’S Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Vincent Tenebe who said he was impressed by the desire of the former president to always seek for more knowledge, added that Obasanjo’s enrolment for the first degree inspired many young Nigerian to embrace the distance learning option provided by NOUN.

He said the institution’s online mode of learning had greatly increased access of qualified Nigerians to university education, promising that the institution will not compromise standard.

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