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| Jimoh Ibrahim….The New Cambridge Grad in Town |
Unlike the shame brought
by a few 419 conmen, more and more Nigerians
are undoubtedly helping to rewrite lately our national narrative through
outstanding academic showing on the global stage.
by a few 419 conmen, more and more Nigerians
are undoubtedly helping to rewrite lately our national narrative through
outstanding academic showing on the global stage.
No sooner had the Edo -born Imafidon family been officially named “the smartest family in the U.K” on
account of sustained prodigious performance by members in the British
classrooms than 27-year-old Godwin Benson
won an engineering award given by UK’s Royal Academy of Engineering for
inventing a revolutionary tutoring app.
account of sustained prodigious performance by members in the British
classrooms than 27-year-old Godwin Benson
won an engineering award given by UK’s Royal Academy of Engineering for
inventing a revolutionary tutoring app.
From the United States came applause when another Edo-born Osato Osemwemgie, reputed to have built drones for the US army, bagged
his 6th Master’s degree. He is set for his 7th Master’s and 4th Phd.
his 6th Master’s degree. He is set for his 7th Master’s and 4th Phd.
Then last week came reports that Jimoh Ibrahim, the maverick businessman,
was one of the three star students who graduated from Cambridge University in the Master’s class. Out of a crowd of sixty
students in the 2015 set who graced the senate building on graduation day, Ibrahim was the only black. (Well, there
has always been the talk of not just elitism but also racism around the
860-year-old varsity which has produced close to 30 Nobel laureates including
our own Professor Wole Soyinka.)
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| From Harvard to Cambridge….The Jimoh Ibrahim Way |
Out of the number, only three scored
above 60 percent in marks. Ibrahim,
fondly called “Araba” is
one of them, thus qualifying to pursue a doctorate as early as this
September.
above 60 percent in marks. Ibrahim,
fondly called “Araba” is
one of them, thus qualifying to pursue a doctorate as early as this
September.
Astonishing still, Ibrahim is simultaneously pursuing
another Master’s degree at Oxford
University elsewhere in UK. He
earlier earned an MBA from US Harvard University “with distinction”.
another Master’s degree at Oxford
University elsewhere in UK. He
earlier earned an MBA from US Harvard University “with distinction”.
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| Author Louis Odion….Very Excited for the brilliancy of a Nigerian Business Man who has head for literary activities |
By Nigerian standards, Ibrahim’s feat is definitely uncommon.
At age 50 and with his considerable fortune, many would rather consider
themselves already “made”
to seek further education. In fact, not many billionaires like him would as
much as entertain the thought, much less abandoning the pursuit of more money,
to willingly submit to the discipline and regiment of student life again. And
to imagine that in a place like Cambridge
you cannot possibly hope to cut corners or “settle”
or engage in “sorting” to
bag the certificate. The programme requires 18 months of pain-staking study and
keen research to complete.
At age 50 and with his considerable fortune, many would rather consider
themselves already “made”
to seek further education. In fact, not many billionaires like him would as
much as entertain the thought, much less abandoning the pursuit of more money,
to willingly submit to the discipline and regiment of student life again. And
to imagine that in a place like Cambridge
you cannot possibly hope to cut corners or “settle”
or engage in “sorting” to
bag the certificate. The programme requires 18 months of pain-staking study and
keen research to complete.
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| Jimoh Ibrahim…..The Araba who hates to drink strange coffee…. |
The lesson from all of this is that
there is never end to the pursuit of knowledge if your ambition is to achieve
extraordinary goal in life. It is not just about memorizing a body of facts,
but also achieving a better character as human being. It is by the latter that
a society is ultimately enriched.
there is never end to the pursuit of knowledge if your ambition is to achieve
extraordinary goal in life. It is not just about memorizing a body of facts,
but also achieving a better character as human being. It is by the latter that
a society is ultimately enriched.
On a personal note, “Araba”, now I can see why you
always strive to avoid drinking “strange
coffee”.
always strive to avoid drinking “strange
coffee”.
