If you take a look at the current lineup of governors (those staying and new ones) you would say that education in Nigeria is about to be rescued from doldrums. That’s only if you look at the lineup. Whether education would be granted a lifeline is a waiting game. And by the way, patience is a dangerous virtue.
Some dude put up an interesting data about these folks on Nairaland of recent. 31 (86%) of the governors have university degree and it’s not that the rest skipped school; of the 3 (8%) who had HND from polytechnics, 2 topped it with additional Masters. 2 (6%) are ex-military top guns and someone did a railway course. Only one governor doesn’t have a record but I can bet he must have had some school. And believe me, these guys are exposed: 8 (22%) have studied abroad, and 2 (6%) have PhDs. Of course Kayode Fayemi is the most educated, he had PhD from King’s College London. He’s my man any day.
What most did after school is entirely another kettle of fish: 9 (25%) learned politics from careers in civil service (now that sounds scary), of the 7 (19%) lawyers, 5 (14%) setup their private legal practice (fine-tuning election tribunal skills I guess). And talk is cheap in the south and lawyers do talk a lot, of the 7 lawyers; only 2 (6%) are from the north.
The two 2 (6%) ex-medicos had private hospitals. What became of their patients when they vied into politics is a question I would love to get an answer to. Apart from Peter Obi of Anambra who was chairman of Fidelity Bank Plc. all the other 3 (8%) ex-bankers are northern governors (I guess my chance of becoming a governor one day is next to nothing).
But like some people will tell you, facts are sometimes not reality. All these interesting bits could mean absolutely nothing. Notwithstanding, you can crank out your own insights using the data below or visit the Nairaland forum to vent your frustration.
| State | Governor | Degree | Career height | Party |
| Abia | Theodore Orji | BA English (University of Ibadan) | Career civil servant | PDP |
| Adamawa | Murtala Nyarko | Navy Training (Britannia Royal Naval College) | Vice Admiral (Nigerian Navy) | PDP |
| Akwa Ibom | Godswill Akpabio | LLB Law (University of Calabar) | Director, Corporate Affairs/Legal Services (EMIS Telecoms) | PDP |
| Anambra | Peter Obi | BA Philosophy (University of Nigeria) | Chairman (Fidelity Bank) | APGA |
| Bauchi | Isa Yuguda | BSc Economics (ABU), MBA (University of Jos), Chief Executives Programme (Lagos Business School) | CEO (NAL Merchant Bank), CEO (Inland Bank) | PDP |
| Bayelsa | Timipre Sylva | BA English Studies/Linguistics (University of Port Harcourt) | Career politician | PDP |
| Benue | Gabriel Suswam | LLB Law (University of Lagos), LLM Law (University of Jos), MA Public Administration (University of Abuja) | Owner (Private legal practice) | PDP |
| Borno | Kashim Shettima | BSc Agric Economics (University of Maiduguri), MSc Agric Economics (University of Ibadan) | GM (Zenith Bank) | ANPP |
| Cross River | Liyel Imoke | BA International Relations and Economics (University of Maryland, College Park), LLB Law (University of Buckingham), LLM Law (American University, Washington, D. C) | Private business | PDP |
| Delta | Emmanuel Uduaghan | MBBS Medicine, Diploma Anaesthesia (University of Benin) | Owner (Private medical practice) | PDP |
| Ebonyi | Martin Elechi | BSc Economics (Lovanium University of Congo) | Career politician | PDP |
| Edo | Adams Oshiomhole | Economics and Industrial relations (Ruskin College), Candidate (National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies) | President (NLC) | ACN |
| Ekiti | Dr Kayode Fayemi | BA History(University of Lagos), MA International Relations (Obafemi Awolowo University), PhD War Studies (King’s College, London) | Director (Centre for Democracy & Development), Visiting Professor in African Studies (Northwestern University) | ACN |
| Enugu | Sullivan Chime | LLB Law (University of Nigeria) | Owner (Private legal practice) | PDP |
| Gombe | Ibrahim Dankwambo | BSc Accounting (Ahmadu Bello University), MSc Economics (University of Lagos), Chartered Accountancy (ICAN) | Accountant General of the Federation (Nigeria), FCA (ICAN) | PDP |
| Imo | Ikedi Ohakim | BSc Business Administration and MSc Management (University of Lagos) | CEO (Alucon) | PDP |
| Jigawa | Sule Lamido | Course in Railway Engineering (Permanent Way Training School, Zaria) | Career civil servant | PDP |
| Kaduna | Patrick Yakowa | BSc Social Sciences (Ahmadu Bello University) | Career civil servant | PDP |
| Kano | Rabiu Kwankwaso | HND Civil Engineering (Kaduna Polytechnic), PgD Water Engineering (Middlesex University), MSc Water Engineering (Lagborough University) | Career civil servant | PDP |
| Kastina | Ibrahim Shema | LLB Law & MBA (Ahmadu Bello University) | Owner (Private legal practice) | PDP |
| Kebbi | Usman Dakingari | BA Geography (Ahmadu Bello University) | Career civil servant | PDP |
| Kogi | Ibrahim Idris | LLB Law (University of Abuja) | Private business | PDP |
| Kwara | Abdulfattah Ahmed | BSc Chemistry (University of Ilorin) | Senior Manager, Banking (GTB) | PDP |
| Lagos | Babatunde Fashola | LLB Law (University of Benin) | Managing Partner (K.O. Tinubu & Company), SAN | CAN |
| Nasarawa | Umaru Al-Makura | BA Education (Ahmadu Bello University) | Assistant Producer, News and Current Affairs (NTA Kaduna) | CPC |
| Niger | Dr Mu’azu Aliyu | BA Education (Bayero University) PhD Public Policy and Strategic Studies (University of Pittsburgh) | Career civil servant | PDP |
| Ogun | Ibikunle Amosun | HND Accountancy (Ogun State Polytechnic), MA International Finance (University of Westminster), Chartered Accountancy (ICAN | Owner (Private accountancy practice), FCA (ICAN) | ACN |
| Ondo | Dr Olusegun Mimiko | BSc Health Sciences Degree, MB & CH.B Medicine (Obafemi Awolowo University) | Owner (Private medical practice) | Labor |
| Osun | Rauf Aregbesola | HND Mechanical Engineering (Ibadan Polytechnic) | Owner (Private engineering firm), Commissioner (Lagos State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure) | ACN |
| Oyo | Abiola Ajimobi | BSc in Business Administration and Finance (State University of New York, Buffalo), MBA Operations Research and Marketing (Governor’s State University) | CEO (National Oil and Chemical Marketing Company) | ACN |
| Plateau | Jonah Jang | Air Force Training (Military Training Schools, Nigeria/Abroad), B.Div Divinity (Theological College of Northern Nigeria) | Air Commodore (Nigerian Air Force) | PDP |
| Rivers | Rotimi Amaechi | BA & MA English (University of Port-Harcourt) | Career politician | PDP |
| Sokoto | Aliyu Wamakko | BSc Education (University of Pittsburgh) | Career civil servant | PDP |
| Taraba | Danbaba Suntai | BPharm Pharmacy (Ahmadu Bello University) | Career civil servant | PDP |
| Yobe | Ibrahim Gaidam | BSc Accountancy (Ahmadu Bello University) | Career civil servant | ANPP |
| Zamfara | Yari Abubakar | Career politician | ANPP |
Disclaimer: Kindly take the validity of this data with a pinch of salt and don’t use it to decide on your political career. And don’t use it to tackle your governor either.
I started sutnprpiog the ACN in 2007 when I saw that they were slowly making fiscal federalism their wedge issue. However, it seems to have ebbed away and now, Bola Tinubu’s ambition is the wedge issue.But like you said, our parties need to adopt a lean startup approach to politics.If only they will learn