A dream that had been on hold for decades finally became reality as Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr Monday Ubani, earned a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Law from Babcock University, emerging as the institution’s best graduating PhD student in Law.
Ubani said the achievement fulfilled a lifelong academic ambition that was delayed for years by family responsibilities, a demanding legal career and personal challenges.
Speaking after the university’s convocation ceremony, the former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL) recalled that he had planned to begin his PhD immediately after completing his master’s degree.
However, he said friends advised him to wait for an opportunity to study abroad, a decision he now believes delayed his academic journey.
“I wanted to start my PhD immediately after my master’s degree, but some friends advised me to wait and study abroad. Looking back now, I believe I would have completed the programme much earlier if I had followed my original plan,” he said.
Ubani explained that marriage and family responsibilities also pushed his dream further into the future, as he chose to prioritise the education of his children before returning to school himself.
“When my children had completed their master’s degrees, I felt it was time for me to return to school and accomplish a dream I had always cherished,” he said.
He admitted that combining doctoral studies with legal practice, family life and church responsibilities was far from easy.
According to him, statistics and research methodology were among the toughest parts of the programme.
“Statistics was a major challenge for me at the beginning. I wondered why it was necessary, but I later understood its relevance to research and my thesis. I had to devote serious attention to it,” he said.
Looking ahead, Ubani said he intends to combine legal practice with a career in academia, with the goal of becoming a professor of law.
He disclosed that he has already published seven scholarly articles in reputable academic journals and hopes to contribute even more to legal research.
Reflecting on his journey, the senior advocate described knowledge as more enduring than material wealth, stressing that a PhD goes beyond earning another certificate.
“A PhD teaches you to think critically, question assumptions and provide solutions to societal challenges. It is not just about earning a degree but about contributing to knowledge and human development,” he said.
Ubani’s story is a reminder that while academic dreams may sometimes be delayed by life’s responsibilities, determination and perseverance can still turn them into reality
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