Education is considered by many Nigerians to be the gateway to success and the passport to a better life. Debunking this myth that one cannot be successful without a formal education are these successful Nigerians who have been able to survive life’s challenges and cross the hurdle of a formal education to become who they are today. Take a look at some of Nigeria’s most successful individuals who didn’t have formal education or complete schooling experiences.

Mercy Johnson
Mercy Johnson, is a Nigerian actress who made her acting debut in the movie, “The Maid” in which she played the role of a possessed house help. Her performance in the movie shot her into the limelight and has acted in other major movies ever since. Mercy reveals she got into the Nigerian movie industry (Nollywood) because she failed her Jamb exam. Johnson has appeared in over 60 movies.

Cosmos-Maduka:
If you are a lover of cars then you are certain to have heard of the name Cosmos Maduka. He is the founder of Coscharis Group, which is the sole distributor of BMW vehicles in West Africa. He dropped out of elementary school and became an apprentice at a tender age of seven. Today he sits atop one of the biggest conglomerates that Nigeria can boast of.

Vincent Obianobo:
The name Vincent Obianobo might not sound familiar but you can’t help but to have heard of his transportation company “The Young Shall Grow Motors.” He is also the owner of Rockview hotels and his transport company is supposedly the largest in Nigeria. This astute businessman had humble beginnings and not much education but today, he is one of Nigeria’s most successful businessmen.

Folorunsho Alakija:
Ranked not only as Nigeria’s richest woman, according to Forbes ratings, Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija is Africa’s richest woman. The wealthy billionaire who as at 2012 is estimated to be worth $2.5 billion revealed recently that she never attended a university. She made this revelation at the United Nations International Youth Day held at the University of Lagos.

http://www.chichinwaafrica.com/2014/09/meet-8-very-successful-nigerians-who.html?m=1

Olorogun Michael Ibru:
Michael Ibru is the founder of Ibru Organization which is one of the largest conglomerates in Nigeria and head of one of the richest family in Nigeria. He is a prominent Nigerian businessman who has only a school certificate to his name, he graduated from Igbobi college in 1951.

Razaq Akanni Okoya:
A Nigerian billionaire industrialist, he is the founder of Eleganza Group which has a marketing span across West Africa. The lack of a proper education was not a barrier to Razaq Okoya in his quest for success. He had his only formal education at Ansar-un-deen primary School, Oke popo, Lagos.

Orji Uzor Kalu:
He is the billionaire founder of SLOK Holding as well as the founder of Daily Sun and New Telegraph Newspapers. He was rusticated from the university for participating in a students’ protest. The university later reconsidered its decision and he was called back but he rejected the offer and ventured into entrepreneurship instead.

Michael Collins Ajere (Don Jazzy):
don jazzy the prolific music producer and C.E.O of Mavin Records, Michael Collins better known as Don Jazzy is one of Nigeria’s successful Nigerians that didn’t need education to attain greatness. He was ranked the second most bankable artiste in Africa by Channel O and Forbes Africa, interesting to note is that he dropped out of Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma in his first year.

Nice one op. The earlier Nigerians discover that attending University or tertiary institutions does not guarantee success or wealth the better our country will become.

8 succesful people alone? Why not take a short trip around your hood and observe scores of uneducated people living 'just' around the poverty line, these people just happened to get a 1-in-a-million chance of making it big in an education-driven society

It's not really about being in class,its about being of class
K.M Olawale(amiskurie)

But somebody else who went to university on their behalf was behind their success......

Don jazzy cant make music without some software developer
Coscharis cant sell cars without the engineers who made the cars
Famfa oil cant do business without the oil engineers
Mercy Johnson cant have Big braests without Dr 90210

etc etc etc

I will rather go to school

bolukaz: 8 succesful people alone? Why not take a short trip around your hood and observe scores of uneducated people living 'just' around the poverty line, these people just happened to get a 1-in-a-million chance of making it big in an education-driven society

Many graduates are also living below the poverty lines

amiskurie: It's not really about being in class,its about being of class
K.M Olawale(amiskurie)

Coscharis is of class.
some graduates are not even in class and of class.
@Op, you forgot
-Cletus Ibeto: Ibeto group
-Innocebt Chukwuma: Innoson Group

InyinyaAgbaOku:

Coscharis is of class.
some graduates are not even in class and of class.
@Op, you forgot
-Cletus Ibeto: Ibeto group
-Innocebt Chukwuma: Innoson Group

I swear,some pple can buy classes,but they can't buy class.

Seun too. Entrepreneurship is the surest way forward

why not give us millions of successful people who went to school and get dis crap outta here...... dis are d kinda things that discourages youth from studying hard.... they all wanna be lyk wizkid,davido....it might work for them but not for all

u should encourage us not discourage us...

k

Op you dey jealous abi? What do you mean by being succesful?
Having Money is not what I call being successful

iamsegsy: why not give us millions of successful people who went to school and get dis crap outta here...... dis are d kinda things that discourages youth from studying hard.... they all wanna be lyk wizkid,davido....it might work for them but not for all

u should encourage us not discourage us...

Most of the billionaires/millionaires listed there are not musicians or even in the entertainment industry. Things would be better if the youths want to be like them, not all those musicians like you mentioned.

university degree is overrated. it does not guarantee success. infact sometimes it even makes you "poor" due to pride. a university graduate may turn down a great opportunity because they feel their level(B.sc) is too high for that.

after some don do big boy finish for school them no go fit hustle again coz of shame. thats why internet fraud(yahoo yahoo) is on the increase.

how dis wan take gimme full battery....




#hustle continues..

ok

Hmmm

Congrats to them

for every rich uneducated there are a million poor uneducated..... ur logic doesnt hold

my grandpa, pa Longe of ikorodu, lagos state. He was one of the foremost building technicians in lagos, although he had no formal education. He ensured that his children got the best education money could buy in Nigeria and to whatever level they desired. At his death, he left behind a succesful bunch of chidren. we miss you grandpa RIP

It is important to note that these people do not lack education. Don't underestimate the potency of informal education.

na only people wey no go university u dey post..... post some university graduates who are really going tru what is called suffering & hardship ,I'm talking of people whose neck re now longer than the ruler they used at the university,their I.d card should be their unshaved mustache

its a choice.you have to live life with the mentality that whether you go to school or not you will be successful. success does not come through schooling.

amiskurie:
I swear,some pple can buy classes,but they can't buy class.

graduates too

It is either this op has no hope of going to a university or failed badly while there.

Ok

and d post is on fp... mod daris god ooo

Those people you mentioned did not just say"i will not go to school and i will be successful" it all happened due to some certain conditions.The type of mindset you portrayed in your write-up means you are trying to say even if people don't care about education they will still be successful.I am yet to see someone who did not attend primary school become so successful or is primary school not part of education.