It was reported a couple of days ago that the
ex-president enrolled for a Master/PhD in
theology at the National Open University of
Nigeria, NOUN. Premium Times have now
reported that Obasanjo said his reason for this
step is to deepen his relationship and
knowledge of God. He added that this move
was not to become a pastor as speculated by
some people but to understand God and serve
him better.
“ Learning should be a continuous process and
if you can do it and learn without the formality
of a university, all well and good. But I chose
to learn and continue to learn by other means
and through the discipline and the formality of
the university system,” he said, after
completing his registration at the university’s
main study centre in Lagos.
He also revealed that getting an education was
not his only motivation. He expressed his goal
which is to bring more publicity to the
institution itself.
“I wanted to throw a bit of limelight on this
institution; knowing fully well that this country
at no time in the foreseeable future would be
able to provide built and walled universities for
all the Nigerian students who want to have
higher education.”
Apparently, this will be a fruitful move as the
Dean of School of Arts and Social Sciences,
David Otubanjo has stated that the number of
students that enrolled at the university
quadrupled following the former president’s
enrollment in 2009.
The Vice Chancellor of the institution, Vincent
Tenebe, said the number of enrolled students
jumped from 32,000 with 16,000 of them being
active students in 2010 to 308,000 enrolled
students with 16,000 of them being active in
2014. He said its study centres had grown
from 32 to 55 in the same period while the
institution’s staff strength grew from 820 in
2010 to 25, 000 in 2014.
“ Your intervention in educational development
in Nigeria by resuscitating the National Open
University, ensuring vigorous development of
the institution, enrolling as a student and
graduating with flying colours and yet today
returning for a higher qualification of PHD can
never be over emphasised ,” said Mr. Tenebe to
Mr. Obasanjo.
Obasanjo also urged Nigerians, in his speech,
to consider the opportunity provided by NOUN.
He said the quality of study at the university
was not inferior to conventional universities in
the country.
Although he refused to open up about his real
age, he made sure to encourage Nigerians to
seek knowledge wherever they can find it.
“I’ve told my children that when I have
difficulty I’d tell them to come and teach me.
This proves that there should be no shame in
learning and any knowledge that you acquire
becomes your own, nobody has to take it
away from you”
It was reported yesterday that the former
country leader is set to enroll as a graduate
student at the headquarters of the National
Open University of Nigeria, Lagos, on
September 30. Obasanjo, who obtained a Post
Graduate Diploma in 2009, c onfirmed the
information that he would be back to school
for a doctorate degree, starting with a
Master’s degree.