How Azikiwe Breezed Through College Grabbing Bachelor’s, Masters, Ph.D In 4 Years: Understanding Adeleke’s Saga
The Oasis Reporters
August 25, 2022
By Greg Abolo
@gregabolo
@Theoasisreport1
Born in British colonial ruled Nigeria, eminently famous Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was one of the three main people that wrestled the rulership of the Nigerian nation out of the hands of colonial masters back into the hands of indigenous Nigerians. The other two are also towering figures of politics and intellect, namely the Western Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and the Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Alhaji Ahmadu Bello.
All the prominent Nigerian nationalists relied hugely on education to help them in the struggle for independence from the British.
This includes Nnamdi Azikiwe. He was first admitted by Storer College in the USA, becoming amongst the first West Africans who would travel to the US for higher education. It was also at about the same time that Kwame Nkrumah also went to the US for a higher education.
Hitherto, all British colonial subjects went to England. He had come from colonial Nigeria where the style of education was essentially British in model.
Thus, when Azikiwe arrived at the Registrar’s office in Storer College, he was interviewed. The American official wanted to find out what kind of secondary education or higher school was obtainable in Colonial Nigeria before determining where or which level to place Azikiwe because the British system was vastly different from the American system.
Satisfied that Azikiwe’s education in Nigeria was top notch and of a higher quality compared to the American system, the candidite was moved up. Reason he could breeze through Bachelor’s degree to a Ph.D in four quick years.
From then he moved on to Howard University in Washington, D.C., then enrolled at Lincoln University, Pennsylvania in 1930, where he got a masters degree in religion. He went forward to receive a masters degree in anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania.
He got his doctorate in 1934 from Columbia University. From there he made his way back to Nigeria to carry on the fight against the foreign powers that ruled his country.
So how does the above scenario with Azikiwe impact on the perception the APC have on Adeleke’s certificates showing that the Osun governor-elect allegedly obtained a Bachelor’s degree “24 days” after finishing secondary school, according to his traducers ?
What are the potential implications of Ademola Adeleke’s academic record, a key prong of Gboyega Oyetola’s prayers before the election petitions tribunal in Osogbo ?
To run for office and become governor-elect in Osun last month, Ademola Adeleke tendered a high school diploma and a college degree that were obtained 24 days apart in the United States last year, according to a review of academic credentials before the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
But what Nigerians know which is in the public domain is that Adeleke was at Muslim College Ede, decades ago. There’s really nothing uncommon for a Youth Service member for example, sitting for another Waec Certificate examination a year after leaving the University. It may be that he wants to change career and to qualify to study something else, do another lower examination to qualify for it.
Incidentally, I have a close friend, a veterinary doctor who graduated from University of Ibadan in the early eighties. Eventhough he has a flourishing veterinary practice, decided to sit for the school certificate examination with his grandchildren. This time, in the arts subjects of English Literature, History, Bible knowledge and a few others so as to qualify to study law. Today, we call Barrister the Vet doctor.
That’s just by the way.
According to an online report, a blog says that the records Ademola Adeleke filed with the electoral commission between March 11 and 18, 2022 looks fuzzy.
“Mr Adeleke said he earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Atlanta Metropolitan State College on August 9, 2021. In the same declaration, Mr Adeleke presented a diploma certificate obtained from Penn Foster High School dated July 16, 2021 — only 24 days prior to his college certificate”.
And “that Penn Foster High School is an education consultancy in the U.S. that offers online high school diplomas. Atlanta Metropolitan State College, where Mr Adeleke said he attended, accepts diplomas from Penn Foster”, the website said.
See the error in the report by the website and for this, I refer them to the saga of Azikiwe’s brilliant educational career in the US that Adeleke also went to for his education:
“If Mr Adeleke was admitted into Atlanta Metropolitan for a bachelor’s degree programme with a high school diploma, he should spend at least four years on the course he selected”.
But then, who said?
Must education somewhere else mirror what is obtainable in Nigeria where a student has to spend at least 8 years before graduating from a federal government owned university because of yearly strikes?
In it’s confusing zigzag formation to make a case where there is non, the blog makes this claim:
“Admission to United States schools in the 70s and 80s was not necessarily through school certificate qualifications. The conditions are mostly TOEFL, SAT or ACT. These are reviewed alongside your transcripts from secondary school like results of promotion examinations from one class to the other. The governor-elect entered Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, Alabama, with TOEFL, ACT and his secondary school transcripts in June 1981 after due evaluation by the School authorities.
“He was a student of Jacksonville State University from June 1981 till December 1986.
He transferred his studentship to Atlanta Metropolitan State College ( formerly known as Atlanta Junior College) which is part of the University System of Georgia owned by the State of Georgia USA. He transferred to the school in January 1987, and attended in the 1987 school year and 1991 school year. He re-enrolled in August 2019, fall semester, and attended continuously up till August 2021 when he finally graduated with a BSc in Criminal Justice”, quoting the governor-elect’s spokesman, Mr. Olawale Rasheed.
Furthermore, “The cumulative hours and courses he earned over the period as listed accounted for the short time for his degree after he re-enrolled in August 2019. He would have even graduated earlier but he took additional classes to retake three courses he had earlier passed but which the school authorities said have become obsolete.
“The transcripts submitted by the Senator showed the history of his university education. In fact, Jacksonville State University confirmed in writing that Senator Adeleke enrolled in June 1981 and left in December 1986,” the statement further stated.
Written by Greg Abolo
gregabolo@gmail.com
