At 77, Obasanjo goes back to school

•Registers as MA, PhD student at NOUN

Seven years after he registered as a student of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday returned to the same institution to enrol as MA/PhD student.Obasanjo, who received his admission letter at about 10.31a.m from the Dean, School of Postgraduate Studies, Prof Israel Adu, urged NOUN management, his supervisors and lecturers to treat him as a mature student.
He was taken through the admission formalities by Prof. Adu and registered to study MA/PhD in Christian Theology under the School of Arts and Social Sciences. Two of his supervisors were also introduced to him. They are Prof Isaac Ayegboyin, Head of Department of Religious Studies, University of Ibadan, and Dr. Philip Tachin, lecturer in Systemic Theology Department at NOUN.

In 2007, immediately after he handed power to President Umaru Yar’Adua, Obasanjo enrolled as a postgraduate student at NOUN and in 2009, he bagged a postgraduate Diploma in Christian Theology.

The former president’s latest registration was witnessed by principal officers of NOUN, including the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Nebath Tanglang, Registrar, Mrs. Josephine Akinyemi, the bursar, librarian as well as deans and other management staff of the institution.

In his speech, NOUN Vice Chancellor, Prof. Tenebe, who welcomed the former president on behalf of the governing council and the Senate, said: “When special people are involved, when passionate, sensitive and exemplary leaders whose leadership styles are people-oriented, committed and altruistic in words and in action, special attention and little celebration is in order as we are having this morning.’’

He described Obasanjo as a true father of the nation, stressing that it was not surprise that he was nicknamed ‘Baba’ by Nigerians.

The NOUN boss who handed to Obasanjo, his admission letter, NOUN bags and other necessary documents, described him as a leader worthy of emulation for his quest to see to the development of the country through NOUN’s new technology in education.

An elated Obasanjo after going through the admission formalities, recalled that in 2007, when he decided to enrol as a student of NOUN, he did it to acquire knowledge, in Christian Theology and not because he wanted to be a pastor.

He urged the lecturers to treat him like other students and promised to obey the rules and regulations guiding his admission.


THE SUN