Ph.D. (In View): The Road to Recognition Without Achievement

There’s a peculiar sickness that has gripped our dear Nigeria, and Africa in general, one that doesn’t cause fever or headache but swells the ego faster than garri in hot water.

Somewhere in this jungle of academic aspirations, we have turned “in view” into a permanent residence. You cannot just be “Mr. Okoro.” God forbid! You must be “Dr. Okoro (in view).” Even if the view is still in the far horizon, like the Mambilla Plateau seen from Wukari.

The road to the doctorate, which should be a lonely and rigorous journey of research and reflection, has become an expressway of certificates for sale. Somewhere in the crevices of our educational system, PhDs are being awarded at a rate faster than sachet water. For the right price, you can get your “Doctorate in Leadership and Transformational Strategic Governance” from a mushroom university that doesn’t even have a functioning website.

We judge competence by the length of titles on letterheads. You can’t be appointed a consultant unless you have a Ph.D. Even if your field experience could fill ten libraries. We are quick to say, “We need qualified people,” when what we really mean is “We need titled people.”