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A traditional ruler in Ogun State, Olufemi Ogunleye, who recently obtained a degree in Law at the age of 73, has been admitted into the Law school.

Mr. Ogunleye, the Toluwade of Akinale in Owu Kingdom of Egbaland, graduated with a Second Class Upper degree from Crescent University, Abeokuta, an institution founded Bola Ajibola, a former Nigerian Attorney-General and ex-judge at the International Court of the Justice.
The traditional ruler was a journalist before mounting the throne, having served with the Daily Times for over a decade and as Group Public Relations Manager of the defunct Nigeria Airways.
Speaking on his law academic pursuit, he told PREMIUM TIMES in his palace on Sunday that after obtaining his degree he was set to commence his nine months programme at the Law School in Lagos.
‎The monarch said he is to resume class alongside his school mates on Monday.
He added further that he will live in the hostel with his course mates.
“I am to stay in the hostel, and have equally secured hostel accommodation,” he said.
“It is my choice to stay in the hostel. I don’t want to be isolated. In fact, we are four in the hostel, and it is a known fact that there is a difference between a traditional ruler and a student.
“The crown is in the palace, and the traditional ruler is in the palace‎. There is difference between Femi Ogunleye as traditional ruler and Femi Ogunleye as a student. I am in the school as Femi Ogunleye and not traditional ruler,” he said.‎
The Septuagenarian disclosed that on completion of the Law School programme, he will establish his chamber and specialise in alternative dispute resolution, which is in line with his role as‎ a traditional ruler.
“I am going to open a chamber and also employ lawyers, who will be appearing in court,” he stated.
Mr. Ogunleye was one of the pioneer law students of Bola Ajibola College of Law of the Crescent University, Abeokut‎a.
The course took them five years, while the university graduated 39 Law students in his set, one with First Class, 16 with Second Class Upper, 14 with Second Class Lower and three with Third Class.
The traditional ruler, who was the oldest among the law students, said his love for education saw him through the challenges of the programme.
“I enrolled for Diploma in Law at the university in 2012, to break the monotony of traditional mundane palace paradigm. But with an Upper Credit at the end of the Diploma, I was offered a direct entry to 200 Level, which now saw me acquiring an LLB degree with Second Class Upper,” Mr. Ogunleye recalled.
“By graduating in Law at 73, I have thrown a challenge to the youth and other senior citizens that there is no age barrier to educational advancement,” ‎ he declared.
Source: Premium Times

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