Retired Professor bags another Ph.D. at 89

By Nehru Odeh

Professor Mark Nwagwu, renowned Nigerian scholar, poet, essayist and former Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology at the University of Ibadan, has added another remarkable chapter to his extraordinary academic journey, earning a second Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree at the age of 89.

Nwagwu was awarded a Ph.D. in Cultural and Media Studies by the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, three years after he enrolled for the programme at the age of 86.

He made this known via a post on his Facebook page on Monday,13 July 2026.
“Today my thesis came to life and history was made. I received the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Cultural anð Media Studies of the Institute of African Studies University of Ibadan,” he wrote.

The latest achievement further cements his reputation as one of Nigeria’s most accomplished intellectuals and lifelong learners. It also makes him one of the oldest scholars in the country to complete a doctoral programme.

Photographs from the convocation ceremony showed the elated scholar celebrating the milestone with the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, the Registrar, his supervisor, the Provost of the College of Postgraduate Studies and other university officials.

Already a respected scientist before venturing into the humanities, Nwagwu studied at the University of Ibadan and obtained a B.Sc. in Zoology in 1961 as well as an M.Sc. in Zoology in 1965 from the University of London before earning his first Ph.D. in Zoology from Stockholm University, Sweden, in 1965. He also undertook post-doctoral research at the University of Connecticut, United States, between 1966 and 1969.

He rose through the ranks from Senior Lecturer to Reader before becoming a Professor of Zoology and later Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology at the University of Ibadan. He retired in 2002 after a distinguished academic career and also served as Assistant and Associate Professor at Brock University in Canada.

Beyond science, Nwagwu has carved a distinguished reputation in literature, publishing several volumes of poetry, essays and memoirs. He remains the only Nigerian scholar who is both a Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science and a Fellow of the Association of Nigerian Authors.

In an interview with this reporter shortly after enrolling for the programme, the veteran scholar explained that his decision was driven by a desire to answer historical questions that could not be resolved through conventional writing.

“It required answers that can be provided only through hard research. There and then I told him I would carry out work for a Ph.D. to provide some answers to the thorny questions,” Nwagwu had said.

He recalled that the idea emerged while researching the biography of a prominent lawyer whose family history led to wider discussions about Nigeria’s past.

“During our discussions on our history, far too many questions lingered on my mind and could not be answered by a book,” he said, adding that the project demanded rigorous academic investigation rather than literary treatment.

Nwagwu is indeed an inspiration. The completion of the doctorate marks the fulfilment of that ambition and stands as a powerful testament to his belief that learning has no age limit.

For generations of students, academics and writers, Nwagwu’s latest academic feat is more than the award of another degree. It is an enduring lesson in intellectual curiosity, discipline and the relentless pursuit of knowledge.

At 89, when many have long retired from public life, Professor Mark Nwagwu has once again demonstrated that scholarship is not measured by age, but by an unquenchable thirst for discovery.