The General Overseer Worldwide of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, who said he dropped out of the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), has been conferred with a honorary doctor of philosophy (PhD) degree by the same university.
Pastor Adeboye was conferred the PhD degree as part of programme to mark the 46th convocation of the university, where 94 students bagged first class degrees.
Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Benjamin Ozumba explained that it is in keeping with the tradition of the UNN that Pastor Adeboye, and two other prominent Nigerians were conferred with the honorary doctorate degrees.
The VC of the university said a total of 12,448 students bagged various degrees. He said that while 10,425 obtained first degrees, diploma and certificates, 2,023 received post graduate diploma, masters’ degree and doctor of philosophy degrees.
The breakdown of the degrees shows that 94 students graduated with 1st class honours; 3,098 with 2nd class upper; 5,145 with 2nd class lower; 1,653, 3rd class; pass, 121; unclassified, 314, and diploma, 93.
Speaking at the event on Tuesday after being conferred with honorary Doctorate of Divinity, the World General Overseer of the RCCG said he would have graduated from the UNN but for the outbreak of the Nigerian civil war in 1967.
He said he gained admission into UNN in 1963 and his matriculation number was 1800.
“It was the order of the then governor of the Eastern region, Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu, that non Ibo should leave the East. That was why I finished at the University of Ibadan,” Pastor Adeboye said.
“I am happy that the first degree I missed in UNN has been replaced with honorary doctorate degree. I thank UNN for finding me worthy of this award,” he added.
Speaking before Pastor Adeboye was conferred with the degree, the VC had said that the university created the special convocation to reward excellence.
“This award is to an alumnus of UNN in the department of mathematics until 1966. Today, special convocation is to reward excellence to a man who, through the anointing of Jesus, has imparted much to humanity.
“Adeboye is a man whose accomplishments speak more eloquently and reverberate more clearly than the voice of an orator,” the VC said.
Ozumba said Adeboye was conferred with the honorary degree because of his immense contributions to mankind, especially Christianity.
The two other recipients also conferred with honorary degree are Engineer Emeka Okwuosa and Engineer John Obinna Chukwu in the presence of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State.