Abuja: Mrs. Christiana Akpunonu, an octogenarian and retired broadcaster with the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), has successfully defended her PhD thesis at the University of Abuja. The achievement marks a significant milestone, as Akpunonu becomes the first octogenarian to achieve this feat within the Department of Theatre Arts.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Dr. Roseline Yacim, the Head of the Department of Theatre Arts, revealed that Akpunonu, at 85 years old, defended her thesis on April 16. The thesis, titled 'The Impact of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria on Nigeria's Health Watch - Fistula Programme on Women in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja,' was presented to a panel of esteemed academics.
The defence was conducted in the presence of the external examiner, Prof. Irene Agunloye from the Centre for Gender and Women Studies at the University of Jos. Also present were representatives from the University of Abuja's academic community, including Prof. Isa Nurudeen from the Department of Economics, who represented the Dean of the Postgraduate School, as well as members of the Postgraduate Board of the Department of Theatre Arts.
In addition to her recent academic achievement, Akpunonu is currently a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication at Baze University and is pursuing her PhD in Media Arts at the University of Abuja.