It is no secret that one of the major qualifications to vie for the office of a governor in Nigeria is to have a school certificate or its equivalent.

However, a number of many politicians not only acquire the School certificate level but also add a higher qualification to their educational portfolio.

Well, amongst Nigeria’s sitting governors were the likes of Ben Ayade, Kayode Fayemi and some others who stand out for having Doctorate degrees.

Nigeria has at least six incumbent governors who are PhD holders.

Let’s take a look at these Governors, who are thought leaders and Doctors of Philosophy in their respective fields of study.

 

1.

Governor John Olukayode Fayemi of Ekiti State

John Olukayode Fayemi currently serves as the Governor of Ekiti State, an office he assumed on the 16th of October 2018.

He is one of the most influential Governors in Nigeria and the Chairman of the Governor’s Forum2.

Fayemi was born on 9th February 1965 in Ibadan, to parents who are of Ekiti descent.

He is a well-learned governor who obtained his degrees in History, Politics, and International Relations from the University of Lagos and Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (formerly the University of Ife).

In 1989, he enrolled at King’s College London for his postgraduate studies. There, he earned a Doctorate (PhD) in War Studies, specializing in Civil-Military relations in 1992.

Kayode Fayemi has lectured in Africa, Europe, America and Asia. He served as a visiting professor in the African Studies programme at Northwestern University, USA in 2004.

 

2.

Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State

Babagana Umara Zulum is the current Governor of Borno State in the Northeastern part of Nigeria.

He was born on August 25th 1969 in Zulum village, Mafa Local Government Area of the State.

He obtained his first degree in Irrigation Engineering from Ramat Polytechnic, Maiduguri in 1988.

He later proceeded to bag a Bachelor in Agriculture Engineering from the University of Maiduguri in 1994.

Between 1997 and 1998, Zulum obtained a Master’s degree in Agriculture Engineering from the University of Ibadan.

He later enrolled for a PhD in Soil and Water Engineering with the University of Maiduguri which he completed in 2009.

In 2010, he became a professor at the University of Maiduguri where he had started as an assistant lecturer in 2000.

He is a certified COREN Engineer.

Professor Babagana Zulum has been the governor of Borno State since 2019.

 

3.

Governor Benedict Bengioushuye Ayade of Cross River State

Ben Ayade is the current Governor of Cross River State. He was born on March 2nd 1968, and a native of the Obudu local government area of the state.

Ayade earned his B.Sc (Honours) in Microbiology from the University of Ibadan.

A year later, he proceeded to obtain his Masters Degree in Microbiology (1989-1990).

After this, he had his PhD in Environmental Microbiology from the same University of Ibadan in 1994 (1990-1994), where he won the Best Doctoral Dissertation Award in Environmental Microbiology.

In 2000, Ben Ayade continued his journey of bagging more qualifications as he enrolled for an MBA at Ambrose Ali University, Edo State.

After this, he pursued Law degree from Delta State University, Abraka between 2006-2010.

It was in the same university he worked as a lecturer and received his appointment as a professor.

 

4.

Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje OFR of Kano State

Abdullahi Umar Ganduje was born on the 25th of December 1949, in Ganduje village of Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area of Kano State.

He is currently serving as the Governor of Kano State after assuming office in 2015.

Ganduje attended Advanced Teachers’ College Kano between 1969 and 1972.

He proceeded to study Science Education from Ahmadu Bello University, where he obtained his B.Sc in 1975.

In 1979, he obtained a Master’s degree in Applied Educational Psychology from Bayero University Kano.

He later returned to Ahmadu Bello University in 1984 for a Master of Public Administration degree, which he bagged in 1985.

It was at the University of Ibadan in 1993, that he received his PhD in Public Administration.

 

5.

Governor Okezie Victor Ikpeazu of Abia State

Okezie Victor Ikpeazu was born on October 18, 1964, in the Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State.

At age 16, Okezie gained admission to study Clinical Biochemistry at the University of Maiduguri in 1980; there, he obtained his Bachelor’s degree (Second Class Upper Division) in 1984.

He returned to the University of Maiduguri for a Masters degree in Biochemical Toxicology and graduated in 1990.

In 1994, at the young age of 30, Okezie obtained a Doctorate, PhD in Biochemical Pharmacology from the University of Calabar.

He is the youngest governor to have bagged a PhD among the current Governors in Nigeria.

Okezie Ikpeazu had served as a lecturer in many Nigerian educational institutions before pursuing his political career.

 

6.

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State

Ortom was born on 23 April 1961 in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria.

Ortom attended St. John’s Primary School, Gboko but later moved to St. Catherine’s Primary School, Makurdi. He attended Idah Secondary Commercial College, Idah in Kogi State in 1976 but couldn’t finish due to financial reasons.

He later obtained Diploma Certificates from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and Benue State University.

He earned his Doctor of Philosophy, PhD from the Commonwealth University, Belize through distance learning in 2014.