A Nigerian priest and scholar has successfully defended his doctoral degree after 4 years of rigorous research focused on finding indigenous solutions to challenges faced by the girl-child in Nigeria in accessing quality education.
Citing the age-old African proverb, “If you educate a man, you educate an individual, but if you educate a woman, you educate an entire nation,” Very Rev. Fr. Cletus Ikpa, immediate past Vicar General Administration, Bauchi diocese, northeast Nigeria, convinced the panel of examiners at the prestigious University of Jos and was declared a Doctor of Philosophy of Education during the Thursday 13 November 2025, virtual defence which lasted two hours.
His thesis, “Philosophical Analysis of Ubuntu Philosophy in Relation to the Right of the Girl-Child to Quality Education in Nigeria for Sustainable Development,” had Prof. Joseph M. Musa and Prof. Daku N. Jimba of the Department of Educational Foundations, Faculty of Education as supervisor and co-supervisor, respectively.
Fr. Ikpa stated that his research is “premised on the extant Child Rights Act of 2003 advocates for the protection and well-being of children, children’s right to physical, psychological, legal, and educational empowerment as enshrined in Section 21 of the Child Rights Act, and the plight of the 18.3 million out-of-school children in Nigeria according data released by UNICEF in 2024.”
According to him, “I leveraged Ubuntu African philosophy hatched between the 1850s and 1700s, as well as the 1950s (Jordan Kush Ngubane), to make a case for the right of the girl-child to education.”
The cleric disclosed that he was motivated by “the complex and multifaceted (epistemological and interpretational) perceptions about girl-child education, search for nuanced cultural, social, and historical answers to address factors militating against girls’ access to education, lack of consensus about sex roles and gender functions, challenges facing the girl-child’s access to quality education and factors that undermined sustainable development to fill gaps in knowledge about grounded approaches to address educational inequality in Nigeria.”
He argued that his work “determined Ubuntu philosophy as a catalyst for promoting girl-child education, identifying the intersection of the rights of the girl-child in Nigeria using the SDGs, and investigated how the rights to education of the girl-child can be achieved in Nigeria.”
Using the Social Contract Theory – Thomas Hobbes (1651), Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1762), and John Locke (1689), the researcher argued that “since the Social Contract Theory provides that citizens surrender their freedoms to the government in exchange for protection and the creation of a just and orderly society, the Ubuntu philosophy can adequately address the challenges faced by the girl-child in accessing quality education.”
The researcher who deployed the age-old methodology of philosophical research – Critical thinking, logical reasoning, conceptual and logical analysis, found that Ubuntu’s emphasis on community solidarity supports inclusive education, challenging patriarchal barriers that limit girl-child educational opportunities.
He underlined that “integrating Ubuntu principles into education fosters culturally sensitive strategies that empower the girl-child and encourage community engagement,” and also “improves policy effectiveness, promoting sustainable development through access to quality education for all children.”
In terms of significant contribution to knowledge, the scholar underscored that “the unique selling point of my research is that my research bridges African philosophical thought with modern human rights discussions,” adding that “it addresses how indigenous values such as Ubuntu intersect with the SDGs to address gender disparities in education across Africa.”
As regards policy recommendations, the Bauchi Diocesan priest, now a Fide Donum priest to the Archdiocese of Edinburgh in Scotland, United Kingdom, disclosed that his research would “benefit policymakers and educators in incorporating Ubuntu-inspired approaches to curriculum-development.”
With the words, “Civil Society Organisations should mobilise community support to provide supportive environments that uphold the girl-child’s educational rights,” the priest further advocated for “advancing Nigeria’s broader goals of sustainable and inclusive development through empowering the girl-child educationally.”
He holds two bachelor’s degrees in philosophy and theology from St. Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary, Makurdi and St. Augustine’s Major Seminary, Jos, respectively, as well as a master’s degree in Canon Law from the Catholic Institute of West Africa, Harcourt, affiliated to the University of Calabar, Nigeria.
Fr. Ikpa used the occasion to express appreciation to the bishop, priests, religious, and laity of Bauchi diocese, his parents and siblings, his supervisors and examiners, professors, and fellow students in the faculty of education, University of Jos, and as well as the parishioners of St. John the Baptist, Fauldhouse, for their support and prayers, which led to the successful attainment of this academic achievement.
