A former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, bagged Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Christian Theology from the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).
The six-member external examiners panel pronounced him worthy for the award and expressed satisfaction with his 60 minutes defence at the auditorium of the Abeokuta Study Centre of the university.
The panelists were Dr. Mande Samaila, Dean, Postgraduate School, NOUN (Chairman), Professor Cletus Gotan (External Supervisor), Professor Deji Ayegboyin (Major Supervisor), Dr. Mustapha Raheem Adejoro (Head of Department, Religious Studies, of NOUN), Professor Nebath Tanglang (Representative of the School of Postgraduate Studies, NOUN) and Professor Godwin Akper (Internal Supervisor and Dean, Faculty of Arts, NOUN).
The defence session began at 10.05am, with Obasanjo given a 15-minute timeline to present a summary of his thesis, titled: ‘Resolving the Unfinished Agenda in Liberation Theology: Leadership, Poverty and Underdevelopment in North Eastern Nigeria’.
After the cross assessment, the panelists directed him to leave the auditorium and recalled him after 15 minutes.
Asked by Dr. Mande to justify why he should be awarded a PhD, Obasanjo said he had put in “enough study” and “intellectual rigour” to produce his work based on diligent guide and supervision from his teachers and supervisors.
