70-Year-Old Nigerian Man Achieves First-Class Bachelor's Degree at University of Jos
Ben Duamlong, reflecting on his transition from football to art, stated, "I have always loved the arts. Like I wrote in the handbook of my first and only exhibition, 'football and arts, to me, are one and the same. While football is performing arts, what I am doing now… painting is abstract arts. They all form the creative. Art to me is everything. Art is life." He initially wanted to study philosophy but eventually chose to pursue his true interest in the arts
AKACHI NOEL 
Ben Duamlong, a remarkable 70-year-old Nigerian, has accomplished a remarkable feat by graduating from the University of Jos, Nigeria, with a first-class Bachelor's degree. His life journey took him from a successful career as a football coach, where he led the Nigerian U-20 team to several world tournaments and served as an assistant coach for the Nigeria Super Eagles Football team during the 2022 Korea/Japan World Cup, to a pursuit of his lifelong passion for the arts.
Ben Duamlong, reflecting on his transition from football to art, stated, "I have always loved the arts. Like I wrote in the handbook of my first and only exhibition, 'football and arts, to me, are one and the same. While football is performing arts, what I am doing now… painting is abstract arts. They all form the creative. Art to me is everything. Art is life." He initially wanted to study philosophy but eventually chose to pursue his true interest in the arts.
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He enrolled for a degree in painting at the University of Jos and achieved a remarkable first-class degree at the age of 70. Ben Duamlong also earned the distinction of being the best-graduating student in his class.
While he admitted that the journey to his academic success was challenging initially, Duamlong persevered, saying, "It wasn't easy at the beginning as my first painting was nothing to write home about. Gradually, I came into it. Now, thanks be to God, I can do it. In fact, I have held my first exhibition titled SWITCH."
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Despite being discouraged by many at the beginning of his journey, Ben Duamlong's remarkable achievement serves as an inspiration to individuals of all ages. He was among the 20,532 students that the University of Jos graduated in 2023 and one of only 112 first-class graduates of the university.
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Commenting on his father's accomplishment, Gwandai Duamlong, Ben's son who is currently a 100-Level student, expressed his happiness at witnessing his father achieve his dream with an outstanding performance.
