Professor Wole Soyinka Sets The Records Straight - I Did Not Graduate With a 3rd Class, But a Second Class Upper!

Prof. Wole Soyinka speaking on Saturday in Abeokuta, the Nobel Laureate,  finally dismissed the rumours  that he graduated with a third class division from the University College, Ibadan as untrue when he hosted secondary school students across the country as part of the 2013 Open Door Series Project, an international cultural exchange programme. The event was organised as part of activities to mark his 79th birthday. Soyinka said that he graduated from the University College, Ibadan with a Second Class Upper.

He explained that although he had kept silent on the issue over the years, he decided to open up for the first time over the rumour as a mark of respect for the participants.

Earlier, Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State described Soyinka as a world citizen and encouraged the participants in the essay competition to emulate his life and be more studious.

Amosun commended the organisers and re-stated the commitment of his administration to celebrating prominent Nigerians whose lives have remained sources of inspiration to younger generations.

The event, tagged “Memoirs of our future,” was organised by a Lagos-based multimedia company, Zmirage, in conjunction with the Ogun State Government.

Soyinka also called on the Federal and State Governments to eliminate all barriers to children’s education.

He appealed to the students, particularly those studying in the violence-prone areas of the north, not to be discouraged by the activities of the Boko Haram sect.

He urged them to draw inspiration from the 16-year-old Pakistani girl, Malala Yousafzai, who was shot in the head on October 9, 2012 by Taliban fighters over her campaign for girl-child education in Pakistan.

Soyinka, who fielded questions from 79 student participants, charged them to cultivate zero tolerance for failure and strive to excel in all their endeavours.

“It might look very negative and hopeless, but we must not allow ourselves to be discouraged.

“The fact that people are still going to schools in those violence-prone areas shows that we should not be discouraged.

“You are not a complete human being if you are not educated, schooled or cultured.

“No matter what goes on around you, you must insist on your education,’’ he said.