Nigeria’s former President Olusegun Obasanjo is among 14,771 persons expected to receive honours at the 7th convocation of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).
Obasanjot is expected to receive a doctorate in Christian Theology, Prof. Abdalla Adamu, NOUN’s Vice-Chancellor said at a news briefing on the institution’s 2018 convocation scheduled for January 20 at its headquarters in Jabi, Abuja.
Adamu said Obasanjo would be considered for an appointment as a facilitator or supervisor as PhD was the least qualification for one to teach in the institution.
The vice-chancellor said that 14,771 was the highest number any institution in Nigeria had ever graduated at a convocation ceremony.
He said that despite being a former president, Obasanjo conducted himself properly and deservedly bagged Doctor of Philosophy in Christian Theology.
Said Adamu: “One of the graduands is the first PhD graduate the institution will produce; a university must graduate students at academic Masters Level before graduating PhD.
“Only one candidate has been able to do that and that is Obasanjo; the Senate has found him worthy of the award and approved the conferment of PhD on him.
“There are lessons to be learnt from Obasanjo’s feat – one is never too old to learn; Obasanjo was about 80 years when he started the programme and has finished it at 82.
“Again, one is never too powerful to learn; he was the president twice and yet subjected himself to learning; learning is a humbling process.
“We will consider him for the post of a facilitator or supervisor; maybe for our Abeokuta Study Centre; we will suggest it to him.”
The Vice Chancellor said because of Obasanjo’s achievement, NOUN had received requests from other older citizens.
Adamu added that the institution was able to graduate such a huge number of students because it had created its own internal data management which was previously handled by external vendors.