Education

A group of concerned parents and graduates of Babcock University has called on the institution’s management to restore what it described as the central purpose of convocation by giving greater prominence to academic excellence during graduation ceremonies.In an open letter issued following the university’s 2026 convocation, the group expressed disappointment over what it considered the inadequate recognition of outstanding academic performance, urging the management to acknowledge the shortcomings of the ceremony, apologize to affected graduates and put measures in place to prevent a recurrence. The group argued that convocation should primarily celebrate scholarship, discipline and academic achievement, noting that the ceremony ought to serve as a platform for honoring students who distinguished themselves through years of dedication and hard work. According to the letter, one of the major concerns was the selection of the commencement speaker, a serving state governor, whose address allegedly focused largely on his administration’s achievements rather than offering graduates intellectual inspiration, professional guidance or reflections suited to a university convocation. The group maintained that commencement speakers should be chosen based on their ability to inspire graduating students and contribute meaningfully to the academic significance of the occasion rather than the public office they occupy.It also criticised what it described as the minimal recognition accorded to outstanding graduates during the ceremony, stating that only the overall best graduating student of the university was publicly acknowledged. The parents and graduates noted that the best graduating students from the university’s schools, departments and part-time programmes, as well as first-class graduates, were not recognised on stage despite their exceptional academic records.Instead, the affected students were reportedly directed to collect their awards at the university registry, a decision the group said diminished the value of years of academic excellence. While stressing that it had no objection to other categories of recognition presented during the ceremony, the group expressed concern that the “Youth Development and Social Advocacy Award,” given to graduates recognized for positive personal transformation, received prominent attention while academic distinctions received little publicacknowledgment. According to the letter, recognizing personal growth and social rehabilitation is commendable, but such recognition should not overshadow the primary purpose of a university convocation, which is to celebrate academic merit.The group further argued that public recognition during convocation often serves as an important credential for graduates seeking scholarships, employment opportunities and postgraduate admissions, adding that denying outstanding students that platform could have lasting consequences. It therefore urged the university to publicly acknowledge that the 2026 convocation did not sufficiently celebrate academic excellence, apologize to affected graduates and establish a clear framework for recognizing the best graduating students across all schools and departments, as well as all first-class graduates, during future convocations.The letter concluded that universities exist to promote merit, evidence and excellence, insisting that convocation ceremonies should reflect those values by ensuring that graduates who excelled academically receive the public recognition they deserve.

Although a PhD is now a standard requirement for attaining the rank of professor in Nigerian universities, history records a few exceptional cases where individuals earned professorships based on their outstanding contributions to their fields rather than doctoral qualifications. Among the most notable are Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, literary icon Chinua Achebe, renowned poet J.P. Clark, and celebrated artist Bruce Onobrakpeya. Wole Soyinka Nobel Prize-winning playwright and author Wole Soyinka does not hold a PhD. He began his university education at the then University College Ibadan before completing a Bachelor of Arts in English at the University of Leeds in 1958. Despite not pursuing a doctoral degree, Soyinka built an internationally acclaimed career as a playwright, poet, novelist, essayist, and public intellectual. His achievements earned him numerous honorary doctorates from universities around the world. In 1986, he became the first African to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature for his contributions to world literature. Chinua Achebe Renowned novelist Chinua Achebe also became a professor without obtaining a PhD. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the then University College Ibadan and went on to establish himself as one of Africa’s most influential literary figures. Achebe’s academic recognition was based on his remarkable literary contributions rather than a doctoral qualification. Throughout his career, he received more than 30 honorary doctorates from institutions across the world, including Harvard University, Brown University, the University of Cape Town, the University of Toronto, and Dartmouth College. J.P. Clark Poet and playwright John Pepper Clark, popularly known as J.P. Clark or J.P. Clark-Bekederemo, was another Nigerian scholar who attained the rank of professor without a PhD. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English from the then University College Ibadan and later taught literature at the University of Lagos, where he rose through the academic ranks based on his scholarship and literary achievements. Clark is widely known for works such as Song of a Goat, The Raft, Ozidi, and the poetry collection Casualties: Poems 1966–68. Bruce Onobrakpeya Celebrated Nigerian artist Bruce Onobrakpeya also achieved academic distinction without earning a PhD. He studied at the Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology, Zaria, now part of Ahmadu Bello University where he obtained a diploma in Fine Arts and a teacher’s qualification. Although he later undertook postgraduate studies and specialized art training, he did not complete a doctoral degree. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to art and culture, Onobrakpeya has received several honorary doctorates, including an Honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of Ibadan and an Honorary Doctor of Arts from Delta State University.

The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) has reduced the fees for textbook assessment and ranking as part of preparations for the Federal Government’s National Textbook Ranking System. The Council also directed that publishers who paid the previous, higher assessment fees be refunded, saying the move is intended to reduce the financial burden on stakeholders in the education sector. The decision was announced in a statement signed by NERDC’s Executive Secretary, Professor Salisu Shehu. According to the statement, the assessment fee has been reduced from N2,000 to N1,500 per page, while the ranking fee has been cut from N1 million to N750,000 for each textbook title. Professor Shehu said the revised fees take immediate effect and are aimed at encouraging greater participation by publishers and authors in the new textbook evaluation process. He added that publishers who had already paid the former assessment fee would receive refunds of the excess amount, with details of the refund process to be announced later. NERDC urged publishers and authors submitting textbooks for assessment to comply with the new fee structure with immediate effect. The fee reduction comes ahead of the rollout of the Federal Government’s National Textbook Ranking System, a key education reform introduced by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, to improve the quality of learning materials used in Nigerian schools. Under the policy, which is scheduled to take effect in September 2026, only textbooks that have been assessed, approved and ranked by NERDC will be recommended for use in classrooms, while unranked books will no longer be approved for schools. The minister said the initiative is designed to eliminate substandard textbooks and ensure that learners and teachers have access to quality, curriculum-compliant instructional materials. He explained that although NERDC will continue to approve textbooks in line with its statutory mandate, every approved title will also undergo a national evaluation and ranking by expert committees before it can be recommended for classroom use. The National Textbook Ranking System forms part of the Federal Ministry of Education’s broader reforms aimed at improving the quality of basic and secondary education, alongside initiatives to strengthen learning outcomes, expand digital education infrastructure and tackle learning poverty across the country.