A former assistant director of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has celebrated the conclusion of her doctoral studies at Babcock University. Odunola Aikomo shared how she worked at the CBN for 35 years before retiring as a deputy director and then pursuing a PhD program. Her story triggered reactions on social media, with many congratulating her in the comment section.
Nigerian Woman Earns PhD After CBN Retirement
Odunola Aikomo narrated her academic journey as she bagged a doctoral degree from Babcock University. The woman, who retired from the CBN after 35 years of service, shared what motivated her to go for a PhD degree.
CBN Retiree Bags PhD from Babcock University
On her LinkedIn page, Odunola Aikomo mentioned her thesis topic and the motivation behind it. Her LinkedIn post read:
"This day last week, I sat before a five-member panel — with Salami Afegbua (External Examiner) and Ezinwanyi Adam (Internal Examiner) — to defend my doctoral thesis: Stakeholders' Collaboration and Youth Empowerment in Lagos and Osun States, Nigeria. None of this would have been possible without the investment and guidance of my supervisors, Abidemi Isola Ph.D and Dr. Chibuzor A. Nwaodike.
"For 35 years, I served at the Central Bank of Nigeria, retiring as Deputy Director in 2022. Through every season of it, young people stayed on my heart.
"Long before the PhD, I was sitting in circles with teenagers across church halls, community spaces, and youth gatherings. That conviction gave birth to Project D24YT in 2012, and later Roots to Flight in 2025 — because you cannot send people skyward without first grounding them in values, identity, and purpose.
"When I retired, I chose not to wind down but to go deeper. I enrolled at Babcock University — not for titles, but for access: a credible platform to engage young people where they are. Every paper I have written has been focused on youth. That thread has never broken.
"My thesis examines how multi-stakeholder arrangements translate — or fail to — into real outcomes for young Nigerians. At its centre is the co-production gap: the structural disconnect between formal collaboration and genuine youth inclusion as co-producers of public value.
"Beyond the thesis: three conference papers on youth employment, multi-stakeholder collaboration, and digital governance; two IJRISS journal articles on climate governance and collaborative governance (2025–2026); and a publication in the CIBN Journal of Banking (Vol. 13, No. 2, December 2025) on digital banking and youth financial inclusion.
"Every paper. Every dataset. Every late night. All of it — for the young. Retirement may conclude a career — but refirement ensures it does not diminish purpose. I am open to consulting in youth governance, public administration, and institutional development, and to adjunct or visiting faculty roles at tertiary institutions.
"If you are building something that needs a researcher-practitioner who has lived what she studies, I would love to have a conversation. The journey continues, to the glory of God."
Social Media Reactions
In a related story, UNILAG's best graduating student shared how he was rejected by the University of Ibadan, while another graduate staged a one-man protest over unemployment. Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the Lagos State University's (LASU) best graduating student opened up about her admission experience in an insightful interview, sharing her admission struggle, experience in school, and future goals.
