A 61-year-old Nigerian woman, Dr Mosunmola Kudirat Ariwoola, has inspired many to always strive for more following her latest achievement in academia.
The academician recently bagged a PhD degree from the University of Ilorin, (UNILORIN) and gave a back story to what motivated her to attain the feat.
The sexagenarian who spoke during an interview with Legit, thanked Allah for making her pursuit of academic excellence a reality.
Dr. Ariwoola who possesses a PhD in Educational Technology, stated that she never imagined herself reaching such a high intellectual level.
She recalled being raised in a time when female education was not valued and had to return to her hometown at the age of 20 to enroll in school.
She said: “It was by myself that I traveled back to my hometown to ask to be enrolled in a school at the age of 20. I had no one to motivate or encourage me but I knew what I wanted, so I stuck to it.
“Frankly, my determination got me this far. A Ph.D. program is very tasking and demanding, more so if you are an older person like myself. But my strong will, determination, and the support I got from my children helped me to this level. I have to give adorations to Almighty Allah because, without God, it would not have been possible.
“My advice for women is that there’s no limit to what you can achieve. But you have to be diligent, focused and prayerful. I grew up at a time when female education wasn’t prioritized but I never let that hold me back.
“Also, there’s no deadline for any aspiration. Whatever you dream of, you can start working towards it at any age, especially for women. We should let the world know that we need more equal rights and empowerment for women, especially in educating and upskilling them.”
