Tony Elumelu Of UBA Graduated With Third Class?

Why do people write books in here? Is it all necessary?

yes, pushing the Nigerian economy, all right. and we'll remain a 3rd world country for ever.
A first class graduate of electrical engineering in most Nigerian universities will probably not be able to repair a CRT television set, and a dropout in Alaba may be able to. That's all well and good if you want Nigeria to remain a country that repairs other people's innovation.
A first class graduate, however, will, with little further study be able to create and innovate new brands of LCD TVs, make new inroads in consumer electronics. And that's what counts in national development.
This analogy is just to show you how people like you see only the small picture.
Nigeria has stated its intent to have a man in space by 2015. If no white men are to be used, who's going to make this a reality? Is it the high quality graduates or the primary school dropout?

Keep thiking Nigeria's development revolves around Alaba and mechanic workshops. While countries like India and Israel export high quality technology, we'll keep on being  athird world country.

On the subjet of Alaba, pray tell me what the Alaba boys have innovated or invented for Nigeria, apart  from efficient ways to sell pirated movies.

when Japan wanted to develop, it sent many bright young japanese guys to foreign universities to obtain information and education. then they returned to help build their country. Let's lose this african mentality of immediate gain ASAP

[size=17pt]I agree that education plays a big part in ones life but it is not the only determinanat of riches and success:

According to one of my university professors when i was in the united states of america said that "it has been proven that expereince is better than education, reason being that even PHD's and proffessors learn from their mistakes when their theories are proven wrong" this is the reason why anybody who has seriously contributed to the development of a field can be awarded an honorary PHD because they know the theories that work (are practicable) and those that don't.

This evidence is shown as to the reason why the richest and most successful people in the world and nigeria specifically had little or no education.

for example some of the richest and most successful people in nigeria today include: Generals Ibrahim babangida, Jerry useni, Alhaji aliko dangote (started from selling nail), Chief igbenadion (a former police seargent)  Mr Samuel adedoyin (primary school drop out), alhaji mai deribe, arisekola alao (only speaks hausa and yoruba no english!) alhaji wahab folawiyo

most of these individuals have little or no education but yet have been given various national awards. in fact those that do have education ended up excelling in different areas from which they were trained.  where are all the people who upon nigerias idependence were educated in harvard, oxford only few of them stand today such as Mr gamamiel onosode even he only lives and average lifestyle that cannot compare to the ones mentioned above.

in conclusion hardwork/dedication, ability to maximize opportunites, experience , religion, education, values and a host of various factors, are attributed to success and riches[

Please do not emulate Elumelu,he might have gotten "AHEAD" with it, Whatever class you really belong is in your Head,you become great if you desire to be 

This topic is long overdue.  i guess we have gotn the main point from this!!

Ha ahhhhh,   I love Nigerians. Certificates!!! That's wonderful
May God deliver us ,
Everyone should mind his/her own business.For your info. Gani and Tony Elumelu have arrived.
At least, what do they want to achieve in life? Master in their profession: SAN at LAW AND Group MD of a Mega bank.
just believe in yourself that you can do it.
shi kena

For the information of forum members who have been asking, Tony Elumelu did NOT graduate from the University of Benin (UNIBEN), as was stated. In addition, he did NOT graduate from the undergraduate with a Third Class degree.

Tony Elumelu graduated from the then Bendel State University, Ekpoma (now Ambrose Alli University) with a Second Class Honours degree in Economics. He also had an M.Sc degree in Economics from the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

While exceling at what we do, including education (1st class), is desirable, I believe that education is not an end in itself. I wish to refer to three commencement  speeches to butress this point.

Ruldolph Giuliani, former Mayor of New York City, once said in his commencement address at Middlebury College, Vermont on May 22, 2005 that "the purpose of education is to make you a participating member of the city-state. It's to have you discover what ultimately brings you happiness, which is your ability to contribute to other people. Whether we want to be or we're not, we're social by nature. Human beings are. And we find our fulfilment when we find our place, and it's not being alone."

British Robinson, in her commencement speech to the 2006 graduating class of Fairfield University, Connecticut on May 21, 2006 said that "Education is not primarily about what you draw from books, but what you draw from yourself", expressing the hope that the graduating students had learnt this during their sojourn at the university.

In yet another commencement speech by Richard Karp to graduates of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science of the University of California at Berkeley on May 21, 2006, he said "The real test of your education is not your GPA, but whether you will be able to apply the principles that you have learned to problems that you have never seen and situations that none of us can even imagine."

Bill Gates, Albert Einstein, Michael Dell, Larry Ellison, Gani Fawehinmi and Tony Elumelu, regardless of their educational attainment, are all testaments to the truths conveyed by the referenced commencement speeches.


Edfrich

Ynot
Thanks alot, i surport your view you have said it all.everything depends on our ability however where do we place the hope of graduates with  a pass.

I believe it's people with very poor results that will start a thread like this. Why bother about the grades of successful people? People's comparism of technicians in Alaba mkt to a university graduate who is worth his/her salt is rather stupid. No nation can survive with half baked graduates and bunches of illiterate!
If u think consoling yourself by refering to Gani and Elumelu because they had 3rd class will make u feel better, all well and good. Stand up and be counted, in present day Nigeria, it'll be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a 3rd grad to be given the opportunity to prove themselves.
If you guys talk about drop outs that made it, i wont refer to such examples. I'd rather refer to successful graduates that turned economies around, started world class business with their wonderful ideas and are making a nice living for themselves.

It is rather shameful and retrogressing ,that what actually bother Nigerians is base discoursions and lame talks, and that is the bane of our development today.
It is only in Nigeria that results and paper certificates matter more than competence, ingenuity and innovative ideas and ideals.
This is the reason why the best hardly get the best of opportunity to give out qualitative service in Nigeria. Is it the class you obtained legitimately or the one you cheated to acquire? Is it the class that determines ones ability to appraise situations? Is it Nigerian kind of class and education system? Why do we imagine vain things and discuss idle issues. Does it really matter? ODOZI Mbanefoh is of the University of Wales Swansea.

Our obsession with first class graduate is one  the reasons why students make every crooked mean to cheat. The truly inteligent students find no motivation to excel. Everyone just 'study to pass exam and make first class' their target is bank jobs, oil and gas. Very few of them if any want to be retained in the university.

The few that had the ability and capacity to excel are mostly cheated by the system. We need a rethink. Obj had ruled this country more than any other man, regardless of what we think, he is not even a graduate talkless of being first class. Most of the outstanding scientists world over, are not first class graduates. The system that produced the like of Edison, Einstein etc does not placed undue emphasis on first or second class.

Nigeria may never truly developed into industrialized nation until we stop looking at the paper but rather focus on the ability of our youths to rise up against odds and exceel

It is not really necessary, but to put the records right, he had a 2.2 from Ekpoma and a masters in Unilag in 1988. He is a distant relation of mine and am so proud of him even if I don't get to see him. I live and school in the Uk at the moment. But I have said it where it mattered that Nigerians have a strong penchant for gossips and not minding their business, even when it ruins their lives. They engage in base issues at the expence of more life changing affairs. This is the reason their leaders do not take them seriously because they know serious issues do not engage the mind of an average Nigerian. Gossips and cheap talks because we are generally cheap people, who trive in base and insignificant discussions while the leaders loot the wealth of ALL. We do not bother about our future but what is in the pot of soup of the next man. Nigerians wake up from stupidity. Odozi

i read the story with keen interest. But know this that we all come by opportunity in our lives at one time or the other. Tony made good use of his. how are u using yours. I stumbled on one advert and i think i should let you know. If you are a voice over artiste, go to any branch of Mophet Pharmacy, Upper crust in bode thomas, Victory drugs in festac or Buklat pharmacy in babs animashaun to pick up a form for audition. It is surely a life changing opportunity for somebody.

I'm not a supporter of mediocrity, it is always good to graduate with the best grade possible, but experience has shown that most 3rd class graduates are not dullards, have one in my office, the guy is just too good, so good that when any advert is being placed class of degree is no longer specified. He just came back from a training where he passed with 98% making him the best participant, even with so many 1st class, & 2.1s

Well well well,what do u know!!! :)i sure hope that this Tony Elumelu's gist is true just for one reason,and one alone:
to serve as an encouragement for all 3rd class holders(those with a pass too) that your degree can never ever ever stop you from attaining greatness!!!!

i appreciate all comments but honestly if it is true i think they should hamper down on making emphasis of what class they require to hire especially with the baks or even in general. i believ there are some people that finished with lower grades that are much better than people with acclaimed higher grades, in nigeria most people pay their way through so there is no measure of honesty , thats y i like advanced countries -we're heading ther i guess-, they don't make it so much of an issue if at all they do on grades , because relly its not encouraging especially in naija, if you were rejected and peradventure you are hired internationally with your low grade whenyou return you matter where is this really leading us too, it matters oh
lets not say it doesnt matter what u turn out this in naija if they were to consider it doesnt matter i know alot of intelligent individuals who are still job hunting because it matters to have a 2nd class upwards and no godfather to assist where do we stand in all honesty?