Flanked from left is Prof. Capo-Chichi, Chancellor; Dr. Musa AKINYEMI, 1st Class Honours Degree Graduate; Prof. Soncy, Vice-Chancellor; and Dr. David, Registrar at the 2021 Convocation of the ESGT University, Benin Republic, Cotonou on Saturday, 30th October 2021.
The Rector of Crown Maritime Academy (CMA), Musa Akinyemi has announced his academic landmark achievement, bagging a First Class in Transport and Logistics via sober reflection, thankful that an alleged arbitrary sack at the Nigerian Shippers Council, failed to destroy his vision or future.
Akinyemi who recently bagged the award of Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) Honours Degree at the ESGT University, Benin Republic; was reminiscing against the background of alleged victimisation, molestation and eventual (illegal) removal from work during the late General Abacha regime.
He thanked God for endowing him with what he called ‘evergreen brain’ despite the monumental and recurring challenges he had faced, especially those bordering on maltreatment by former senior staff, stressing that he was discriminated against, subjected to false accusations, and was a victim of fake news and hate speeches, without any honest reason or, valid proof.
According to him, he went through his predicament even without an official query, to enable him to explain or defend himself.
He thus felt totally ‘unsafe and exiled’ for 5 years, in Cote D’Ivoire, between 1996 and 2001.
About this time, he enrolled for a Bachelor of Science in Administration (BSA) Honours Degree from the University of Canada in Cote D’Ivoire (UCCIA).
He however could not complete the same, for insufficient finance.
“I remember how my inability to procure a personal computer then was one of the major reasons I could not complete the Canadian University programme.
“That was not all.
What about after (my) exile when I came back to Nigeria because of the restoration of peace and democratic governance? I suffered another terrible setback.
“I had written to the Ogun State University, Ago-Iwoye from exile for admission into their Post-Graduate Diploma in Transport Studies which I qualified for.
But l was shockingly short-changed. How? I was, after all, asked to surrender my Letter of Admission by the Provost of the Post-Graduate School. Prof. T. T. Hassan who then, was the Provost, PGS.
“But this is an academic environment, not the erstwhile political one that thought me a bitter lesson.
I believed, they would listen to me”.
“Wow!!! They never listened to me.
Then, I started writing for justice.
“Luckily, I had retraced my life back to godliness, though there is no state religion in Nigeria.
“I wrote to the Vice-Chancellor; Dean, Faculty of Social and Management Sciences; HOD, Geography and Regional Planning; and the Co-ordinator, Post-Graduate Transport Studies.
“Of course, Prof. Ademiluyi was a comforter then, as well as Prof. Kayode Oyesiku who took over from the latter as HOD. Even Dr. Sholanke and Dr. Badmus made me to continue the programme of 2001/2002 till 2002/2003 to no avail. But I did one thing, I started quoting the qualification, PGD (T.), i. e. Post-Graduate Diploma, Transport Studies”, he also recalled.
Still going through the memory lane,
Akinyemi said he had always been a 1st Position pupil in his Primary School days in Ogun State, and he remembers one Mulikat Ajibade, the daughter of a Headmaster as his main academic rival.
He recalled being so brilliant that he was engaged as a Primary School Teacher by the Ogun State Ministry of Education from 1979 during which period he humbly tasted stardom.
“l became a Class Teacher in the same school with my former Class Teacher/Headmaster. I could never have believed it to happen in my lifetime”, Akinyemi said, reminiscing on the most-dreaded teacher in his old school days.
But why 1st degree at adulthood?
Musa said he took his A’Level of London in 1983.
He also had an Associate Degree and had amassed up to 7 Chartered and Professional Qualifications, by the time he returned from exile, apart from the Doctorate Degree (Honoris Causa) which was yet to be received physically, but nonetheless conferred on him by the Commonwealth University and London Post-Graduate School.
Thus, the journey to this 1st degree was the only pre-requisite for his Admission to the Doctorate in Law programme, Juris Doctor (JD) of the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Australia since 2017.
“All tears and years of unfulfilled hopes and promises can never bury the dreams Or, aspirations of diligent hands, honest minds, cultivated and evergreen brains!” Musa Akinyemi finally concluded.
