Zezco:
It's possible because those private schools don't follow public school rules on age then.

I started secondary at the age of 11 and I have classmates who are 8 and 9 years in j.s.s one class in 90's.

There was no rule on age in the 1970s, talk less 1980s. This nonsense and myth about touching one’s ears happened in the colonial era, when education was introduced into Nigeria and there were no records of birth.


This is Late Senator Gbenga Aluko, father of footballer Eni Aluko Professor Sam Aluko’s son he graduated at 19. Which means he entered university at 15, which means he entered secondary school at 10, which means he started primary school at 4. He was born in 1963. Please note he had his primary schooling in the 1960s, so clearly even In the 1960s people were entering primary school at age 4.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gbenga_Aluko

Cc: @phemmyfour

Most of these guys up there won't be where they are in this current situation of the country.

Most of them forge their documents and some were lucky because the competition back then wasn't that much.

So they use the opportunity to achieve whatever they wanted to with little or not stress.

001Lagos:
Looks like he forged his credentials

Forged what?
Is 4 years not enough to start primary education? Was it an abomination?

Civilian democracy

Akaegwu:
I disagree with you. I was born in 1980. Didn't experience this tale's by the moonlight.

You were born in the 80s, you didn’t go to school in the 80s. So keep quiet when ur seniors are speaking!

dre11:


https://leadership.ng/uproar-in-senate-as-benue-ministerial-nominee-says-he-started-primary-school-at-age-4/

He's not the first person to do so.
It's a Nigerian thing.

001Lagos:
Looks like he forged his credentials

yes ooooo,he is probably born 1978 or 1977,for him to finish primary 1989.

Monday60655:
What is wrong there or even bringing an uproar. Is absolutely possible for one to start primary school at the age of four. Because I started primary school at that same age.

I was born in 1995 and I started primary school in 1998.

Some Nairalanders are the most Mumuic people I have ever seen. So you want to tell me that someone cannot start primary 1 at the age of 4? Yeye

osomegbe:

No sir. It tallied with what he wrote. People just don't believe you can enter school at years. Some 4 years are bigger and taller than 6 years children. Touching your opposite ear is a factor of your height. It is very possible and should not be argued

These days, most kids start primary school at age 4 or 5, and they are done with high school before age 14 or 15.

oluwaseyi0:
What are we going to call this now

White lies

olisaEze:



You were born in the 80s, you didn’t go to school in the 80s. So keep quiet when ur seniors are speaking!

You lack comprehension. From 85 to 91 is not in the 80's. Just listen to yourself. You sounds like a kid.

sketcherJ:
Hmmn am I the only one not getting it? He can’t start his primary school at the age of 4? Or maybe it was rare in the 80s?

The tale of you can’t start school unless your hand can touch the other hair or something? Lol

I see nothing abnormal there. I see such.
What's the uproar about?

It is possible for the children of the younger generation. Na those days you must reach 6 years

tinsel:

Is it strange to start primary 1 at 4 years?

Then it's obvious such person didn't pass through nursery school

Lingudy:

Then it's obvious such person didn't pass through nursery school

Must you pass through nursery ?

It's not unusual. I know a girl who was 8yrs old when she got admitted into JSS 1. The unusual thing was that she was in the same class with two of her siblings who are older than her. She was always doing well academically to the extent of being in a position above one of her siblings.
Some things are difficult to explain. You can only observe and try to ascertain the reasons behind their attributes or properties.

tinsel:

Must you pass through nursery ?

In those days (remember he said he started school in 1984), I think it's a must

I can't see any big deal there. I also started primary school at 4 and finished at 10. It was actually common in the late 80s and 90s.

Dandat:
At the time of his birth its almost impossible to start school at that age cause of the law which states your hands must pass your head to touch the other shoulders. So clearly he is lying

Uh, there is a huge degree of ignorance in the land! People are jumping to conclusions about the ministerial nominee's documents being forged!

That rule you mentioned happened a lot earlier for most parts of Southern Nigeria (50s, 60s) and not in the 80s. I started school at 3 years of age in 1975, since my mum was a teacher, and my parents made me repeat primary 1 even though I passed the promotion exam by their choice. Quite a few fellow school teachers' children in my situation did not repeat any classes but left secondary school at 14 years of age! I left at 15 years since we did not go through the 6-3-3-4 system of education!

This was common for children of teachers in Ondo State at the time, and there were no nursery schools to cause unnecessary delays! Many of my close friends, who were sired by teachers, graduated from secondary schools between the ages of 14 and 16 years by 1987!

sketcherJ:
Hmmn am I the only one not getting it? He can’t start his primary school at the age of 4? Or maybe it was rare in the 80s?

The tale of you can’t start school unless your hand can touch the other hair or something? Lol

In my case, my uncle was teaching in the school, my senior siblings were attending, and so I didn't want to stay at home.
My hand didn't teach around to my ear. But I was given admission to primary 1 at 3 years plus, just to stop me from crying.
I came 3rd that first term, and 1st the 2nd term. So they forgot about me.
I was in form 1 before 9 years if age.

001Lagos:
Looks like he forged his credentials

No. He only reduced his age so as to last some extra years in service before mandatory retirement at age 60.
That being said, it's still a crime that should disqualify him from the ministerial appointment.

I've seen someone who entered University at age-14..


Even the restrictions of 16-yrs-minimum from JAMB didn't stop her..
She graduated from University at 18yrs.

sketcherJ:
Hmmn am I the only one not getting it? He can’t start his primary school at the age of 4? Or maybe it was rare in the 80s?

The tale of you can’t start school unless your hand can touch the other hair or something? Lol

ORISIRISI.

Exactly, I was rejected at 4 for being too small. I came back the next year when I was 5 to enroll in primary school.

sketcherJ:
Hmmn am I the only one not getting it? He can’t start his primary school at the age of 4? Or maybe it was rare in the 80s?

The tale of you can’t start school unless your hand can touch the other hair or something? Lol

Owaincouncil:
I smile in Japanese.
So he got to pry 1 at age 4, entered jss 1 at 9.
Well it is possible as I have seen such before.
The lady finished ss3 at 14.

I don't get the impossibility. I was 9 yrs old crossing over to 10 years old in JSS2. It depends on how many classes jumped. I jumped at least 2 classes.

Eyinola1:
What's uproar abt that? I started my primary school at the age of 4 too, finished secondary school at d age of 16

In the 80s ?.. Young man don't say what you don't know.

001Lagos:
Looks like he forged his credentials

And he's engr n Prof... Hmm

I started at 4. At 10 I was in Jss1

I started primary school at 4 as well, what is the uproar about?

Infact it's a normal thing for 4 year olds to be in primary 1 these days.

sketcherJ:
Hmmn am I the only one not getting it? He can’t start his primary school at the age of 4? Or maybe it was rare in the 80s?

The tale of you can’t start school unless your hand can touch the other hair or something? Lol

it is practically impossible in those days

optimusprime2:
I started primary school at 4 as well, what is the uproar about?

Infact it's a normal thing for 4 year olds to be in primary 1 these days.

i bet your age is still bellow 50. It is practically imposssible for you to start at eve age 6 in those days because of the rules