The former President of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo proved to be 'a very troublesome student' after he had decided to acquire more knowledge by matriculating into the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) in 2007. The Vice Chancellor of the NOUN, Professor Vincent Ado Tenebe, speaking on Monday at an interactive session organised by the Kaduna State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), provided some insight to the academic life of the former President. He also gave credit to Obasanjo who, as President, in 2002 brought the university out of dormancy, and academic activities commenced in 2003.
It would be recalled that Olusegun Obasanjo, who stepped down in 2007, has become the country's oldest undergraduate by enrolling at the Open University at the age of 69.
The Vice Chancellor of the NOUN narrated the university came into existence by an act of the National Assembly during the reign of President Shehu Shagari in 1982. Unfortunately, before the university could establish itself, the Military regime that took over suspended the act, and that was the reason the university was in dormancy. Then, according to the Vice Chancellor, 'the civilian rule under Obasanjo came on board and re cooperated the university in 2002, while in 2003 we started our academic programmes.'
"President Obasanjo, when he became a student, resuscitated the university," Tenebe added.
"When Obasanjo became a student of the institution, he thought that it was an easy thing to do.
"When he was given all the courses, he realised it wasn't easy, and so, he had to defer his admission.
"He said 'I would not take part in this until I finished my tenure as President,' and so he never studied while he was the President until he completed his tenure, then he started the course.
"He did a Post Graduate Diploma in Christian Theology.
"He was a very troublesome student because he will not start calling until 12 mid night and keep you online until about 2.00a.m.
"Every time he gives us trouble, we pray that he graduates, of which he did, and his certificate was valid.
"In the course of his study, Obasanjo said he wanted to sit among the students: 'I want to do the same thing others are doing,'" the Vice Chancellor recalled Obasanjo saying, and continued, "Obasanjo was a very brilliant student, and I can tell you there were lots of controversy when his papers were being marked.
"I won't disclose the secret of how our papers are marked; but it is marked from Port Harcourt to Lagos, Kano, Maiduguri -- and the markers will never know whose paper they are marking.
"So the old man is intelligent, his certificate is valid and was done according rules and regulations of the Nigerian University Commission (NUC)."
On accreditation of courses in the university, Professor Tenebe said they had subjected 31 of their programmes to accreditation and had 30 of them, while the one that was denied accreditation was getting ready for the accreditation as NUC had gone through their book and certified that their Nursing programme was up to standard.
"On that note, they've allowed us to graduate students and students of nursing also participated in our convocation. They graduated and were given our certificate. So if anybody is holding the certificate of NOUN as a graduate of Nursing, any employer can confirm that from the NUC.
"Talking about school of Law, it is one of the youngest schools in NOUN and we are yet to graduate our students.
"Some of our students are now getting to the final year, and, like I told you earlier, we have gone through the NUC accreditation, and they have passed us. Now we are preparing for the Legal Council and Education and we are going to do that in conjunction with the NUC. And that, I will continue to say that our law students are equal to the task, they can compete with any law students from any university in the world not only Nigeria.
"I can assure you that by the time we will present our curriculum to the Legal Council and Education, I am confident that we are going to pass. As I speak to you there is what is called National Competition that all universities that have faculty of law compete every year. NOUN is currently the champion. I told you I have five VCs of other universities among my law students and an experienced Monarch," Prof. Tenebe said.
tribune
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