80-Year-Old Nigerian Journalist, Dayo Duyile, Becomes The Oldest Man To Bag PhD From UNILAG

An 80-year-old Nigerian journalist, Dayo Duyile, has become the oldest man to bag a PhD from the University of Lagos.

Dayo is one of more than 2,251 postgraduate students to graduate from the University of Lagos (UNILAG) during the institution’s 53rd convocation.

The convocation ceremonies, which have been scheduled to commence on Friday, will, for the first time in many years, feature no single undergraduate among the graduands.

The development is not unconnected to the university workers’ prolonged industrial action that paralysed academic and non-academic activities across major Nigerian public universities in 2022.

Recall that ASUU shut down public universities in the country on February 14, 2022, to demand full implementation of agreements it entered into with the Federal Government a few years ago.

On October 14, 2022, the Academic Staff Union of the University (ASUU) suspended the conditionally suspended 8-month-old strike.

Speaking on Tuesday at a pre-convocation media briefing, Folasade Ogunsola, vice-chancellor of UNILAG, said Duyile is the oldest male graduating student.

Duyile, born in October 1942, is a former provost of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ).

According to the vice-chancellor, Duyile “was the Daily Times of Nigeria journalist who covered the opening ceremony event of the University of Lagos on October 3, 1962″.

Speaking with Lekan Otufodunrin, executive director of Media Career Development Network, in 2018, the veteran journalist had said he always wanted to get a doctorate.

“I have always wanted to get a PhD in Mass Communication, which I teach, and Journalism, which I have practised for 55 years. It’s never too late to get an additional qualification, including a PhD,” he said.

Giving a breakdown of the statistics of graduating students, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Folasade Ogunsola, added that a total of 2,251 students would receive degrees at different levels.

“A total of 2,251 graduating students will receive their degrees, diplomas and certificates. Out of this number, 67 will receive postgraduate diplomas, 2,119 will receive masters degrees, while 65 will receive doctorate degrees,” the Vice-Chancellor said.

Meanwhile, apart from Mr Duyile, another 82-year-old grandmother, Obiageli Okonji, will also receive her Master’s certificate.

While Mr Duyile will receive his PhD certificate in Mass Communications, Mrs Okonji will graduate from the Guidance and Counselling Department in the University’s Faculty of Education.