Former Edo State lawmaker Hon. Abdul Oroh, alongside three others, was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Public Governance and Leadership on Thursday at the Abuja Leadership Centre (ALC) at Yakubu Gowon University, formerly known as the University of Abuja.
According to the external examiner, Professor Akongbowa Bramwell Amadasun from the Federal University Wukari in Taraba State, the academic achievements were conferred after the candidates successfully fulfilled all requirements, including defending their theses on October 30, 2025.
Among the recipients of the Doctoral degrees in Public Governance and Leadership were Gender Advocate and Women’s Rights Activist Asmau Benzies Leo, and Bamanga Mohammed. Gregory Wilfred Asuquo received a doctoral degree in Policy and Strategic Studies.
After the event, the Centre’s Director, Professor Philip Dahida, lauded the external examiner for his professionalism, knowledge transfer, and commitment to evaluating the candidates’ work.
He encouraged all graduates to heed the advice of both external and internal examiners, stressing the importance of applying their research to improve Nigerian society.
In her remarks, Asmau Benzies Leo, one of the doctoral awardees, described the academic achievement as a significant feat, pledging to use her acquired knowledge to empower women and advocate for increased female representation in governance and leadership positions in Nigeria.
She highlighted the significant challenges that Nigerian women face regarding exclusion, which she said stem from cultural norms and institutional frameworks that hinder women’s access to leadership roles. She joined the call for special seats to be reserved for women in the National Assembly.
Leo stated, “I look forward to using this knowledge to empower many women and also to encourage other women pursuing doctoral degrees, utilizing this knowledge for nation-building.
“My focus moving forward is to engage with other policymakers, academics, and all well-meaning Nigerians who are willing to support women.”
Calling for increased parliamentary representation for women, Leo noted, “We currently have less than 5 percent representation of women in the parliament, and Nigeria cannot grow this way. I fully support the idea of special seats for women in the National Assembly.
“I am pleased that conversations are ongoing regarding reserved seats for women in the National Assembly, and we hope to see more women in the next Assembly because the more women present, the more gender-sensitive our society becomes.”
The Abuja Leadership Centre at Yakubu Gowon University is recognized as a TETFUND Centre of Excellence for Public Governance and Leadership, dedicated to enhancing public governance and leadership in Nigeria and beyond.