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Obasanjo Goes to School
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Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who steps down in 2007, has become the country’s oldest undergraduate by enrolling at the Open University at the age of 69.
“No matter how high one rises, one can never be too big, too high or too old to learn” Obasanjo said in Abuja.
Obasanjo has registered as a student in the Open University’s School of Arts and Social Sciences, but it is not clear what he will be studying. He promised to be a good student. He already owns a university of his own. “I shall pay due respect and be obedient to the vice chancellor and other officers of the university,” President Obasanjo said.
“I will leave no stone unturned to undertake my academic work seriously.”
“Exactly six months from now, I will cease to be the visitor,” he said at a ceremony in the capital, referring to next May when he completes his term as Nigeria’s president.
“I will be student Obasanjo of the National Open University of Nigeria.” Pledging to “take this business of studying very seriously”, Obasanjo said he was not too old to learn and said that other senior citizens should learn from his example.
Obasanjo said he would “not seek any special privileges except those conferred on me by virtue of my studentship status.” Ronka Ogunmakin is the Director of communications of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). She talked about Obasanjo’s enrollment. “President Obasanjo registered and was matriculated by the National Open University of Nigeria.
The event took place at the presidential council chamber in Abuja… the president took his oath of honor to be a student of the National Open University of Nigeria in Post Graduate Diploma in Christian Theology,” she said.
Ogunmakin said Obasanjo’s enrollment is a good development because it will serve as an incentive to all that it is never too late to be a student. “I want to say strongly that it is a good development for Nigeria because the president has made a landmark by enrolling in the school to make the whole world believe in his education reform agenda, that he means so well for Nigeria by setting a good example or leadership by example that Nigeria has the entitlement to have everybody educated,” Ogunmakin noted.
She adds that Obasanjo has shown his commitment to encouraging every Nigerian to attain the highest form of education they want. “President Olusegun Obasanjo has committed himself that there is no barriers to education and that age is not a discretionary factor… at his age and his worth of experience, he’s being humbled to show Nigerians and the whole world that leaders must also lead by example and eradicate illiteracy in Africa,” she said.
Ogunmakin dismissed speculations that the university will give preferential treatment towards President Obasanjo’s school work.
Source: various
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