Christiana Akpunonu Overcomes Poverty, Financial Struggles to Earn PhD at 85

Christiana Akpunonu, who once faced the real possibility of ending her education at secondary school due to poverty, has achieved a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Media Arts at the age of 85 from the University of Abuja.

Her academic journey began in the early 1960s under difficult financial conditions. As a secondary school student, she was on the verge of dropping out because her father, a poor farmer, could no longer afford her school fees.

She recalls that period as one of quiet acceptance, where it was clear that while others would continue their education, her own path might end early.

That situation changed following a decisive moment within her family. Her father, already elderly and struggling financially, reportedly walked into a church in their community — a church he had contributed to building — and made a public promise that his daughter would complete her education regardless of his circumstances.

“But he couldn’t work to pay it back,” Akpunonu said. “I saw him make that promise, and I was determined to see it through.”

After completing secondary school, she was unable to proceed directly to university due to financial constraints. While her peers advanced academically, she was forced to take a different route.

She joined the Nigerian Police as a cadet, not as a career ambition, but as a means of addressing the financial burden tied to her education. Through her earnings, she gradually repaid the debt incurred, effectively restoring her educational trajectory.

By the time she completed the repayment, she had already fallen behind many of her former classmates who had progressed into higher education.

“It looked like they were running,” she reflected. “And I was just crawling.”

Despite the setback, she remained determined to continue her academic pursuit, making a personal commitment to progress regardless of the delay.

Her journey, however, remained financially demanding. At various stages, she faced funding challenges that required her to borrow money in order to continue her studies.

“I had to repay bit by bit. It has always been like that,” she said. “Borrowing and paying back… and still moving forward.”

She eventually gained admission into a university programme, combining work with academic studies. Even then, financial constraints persisted, but she continued to push through them over time.

At 85, Akpunonu has now completed a PhD in Media Arts, marking the highest level of academic qualification and concluding a decades-long educational journey defined by persistence and financial sacrifice.

For her, the achievement is not only academic. It represents the fulfilment of a promise made many years ago in a small church — a promise she carried through hardship, delay, and repeated financial struggle.

That promise, she says, has now been fulfilled.