- By Tony Okafor
As the November 8 governorship election in Anambra State approaches, one would have expected campaign discourse to focus on the urgent needs of the people — security, welfare, infrastructure, jobs, and economic revival.
Sadly, what has taken centre stage are needless squabbles over whose degrees are genuine, superior, or internationally recognized.
This is not just a distraction; it is an insult to the collective intelligence of the people of Anambra State.
The average trader in Onitsha, the farmer in Ayamelum, the teacher in Nnewi, or the artisan in Awka is not concerned about whether a politician’s PhD came from Harvard or Nsukka.
What they care about is safety on the roads, opportunities for their children, affordable healthcare, and whether their government is responsive to their struggles.
Let us be clear: educational attainment is a good thing. No society should downplay the value of learning. Indeed, Anambra has been blessed with highly educated leaders in the past and present, and their expertise has often brought value to governance. But degrees should complement leadership, not substitute for it. When the pursuit of academic titles becomes a weapon for political mudslinging rather than a tool for service, it ceases to be noble.
Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, under Section 318, defines “school certificate or its equivalent” as the minimum qualification for public office — even for the presidency.
This is not accidental.Our founding laws recognize that leadership is about character, vision, and competence, not just academic titles.
History is replete with leaders across the world who, with little or no formal education, transformed their societies through clarity of purpose and integrity of heart. From Abraham Lincoln, who had less than 18 months of formal schooling yet led America through its most turbulent years, to Winston Churchill, whose academic record was unremarkable but whose leadership helped defeat fascism.
The people of Anambra are not looking for someone flaunting chains of degrees who may turn around to torment them tomorrow.
They are looking for a leader. A leader who can secure their homes and streets. A leader who can create policies that empower their businesses to thrive. A leader who can manage resources with transparency and deploy them for the public good. A leader who understands that governance is about the governed, not about personal ego or superiority contests.
We therefore call on the candidates in the November election to desist from this unproductive academic showmanship.
Tell Ndi Anambra how you will tackle insecurity. Show them your roadmap for industrialization. Convince them of your sincerity to rebuild schools and hospitals. Prove that you can build an economy that works for all, not just the privileged few.
The electioneering should be about ideas, not degrees. Ndi Anambra deserve better than this intellectual circus. Let the debates return to issues that matter.
