Nigerian entertainers who break the ceiling without varsity degrees

Often times, success is tied to how much education one is able to secure for themselves. Nonetheless, these celebrities have defied all odds and been able to carve a niche for themselves without attaining their university degrees. Weekend Magazine spotlights the Nigerian entertainers without university degrees.

Tuface: Innocent Idibia is well-known for his musical achievement both nationally and internationally. Tuface, as he is more well known, attended Saint Gabriel’s Secondary School in Makurdi, Benue State. He enrolled in the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) Enugu’s National Diploma Programme in Business Administration and Management after completing his secondary education. He began performing while still in school at events and gatherings, as well as at schools like the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT). He later dropped out of school. He once claimed that he had been robbed of all of his CDs and tapes and was so devastated that he was unable to continue.

D’banj: Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo, better known as D’banj, was born on June 9, 1989. He is a model, songwriter, TV personality, musician, and entrepreneur from Nigeria. His songs have gotten extensive exposure in various African nations, including Tanzania, South Africa, Namibia, Malawi, etc. His best-known singles include Oliver Twist, Scape Goat, and Fall in Love. D’banj dropped out of school in his third year of mechanical engineering. His ambitions to complete his mechanical engineering studies in London after moving to the UK in 2001 were side-tracked when he met Don Jazzy, who was trying to break into the music industry as a songwriter and producer.

Genevieve Nnaji: Genevieve Nnaji is a brilliant actress with a solid command of the English language. However, one might be surprised to learn that she has not attended the university. She was born into a middle-class family, where her mother taught nursery school and her father worked as an engineer. At the age of eight, she made her television debut in the soap opera “Ripples”. She is the fourth of eight children and attended Methodist Girls College in Yaba, Lagos, before quitting school when she landed her first role.

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Don Jazzy: Given that he is one of the wealthiest Nigerian music producers and the CEO of Mavins Records, the music mogul has unquestionably disproved the notion that you need a lot of academic training to succeed. He was formerly in the United Kingdom before moving to Nigeria to handle his father’s business. He had previously attended Ambrose Ali University (AAU) in Ekpoma, Edo State, but left after his first year.

Mercy Johnson: Mercy Johnson was raised in Lagos and is the fourth of seven children born to Mr. Daniel Johnson, a retired naval officer, and Mrs. Elizabeth Johnson. She began attending auditions for movie parts before she was offered a part in “The Maid,” the film that would make her famous and open the door to future opportunities. She is currently one of Nigeria’s most in-demand and well-paid actresses. The actress once admitted in an interview that she started attending movie job auditions because she was irritated after repeatedly failing the entrance exam (JAMB).

Ramsey Nouah: Ramsey Nouah was born in Edo state. He attended Community Grammar School and Atara Primary School while growing up in Surulere, Lagos. He pursued a career in acting after receiving a diploma from the University of Lagos. Ramsey admitted in an interview that he did not have a college degree, yet it is reasonable to say that his entire career has been a big success.

Bisola Aiyeola: She was the former host of Silver Bird Television’s Top 10 Bill Board Countdown and the first runner-up in the competition. She was one of the most popular BBNaija Housemates during the 2017 season. She argues that her inability to pay the high tuition costs demanded of her whenever she gets admitted prevents her from attending the university.

9ice: The “street credibility” singer attended CMS Grammar School and Abule Okuta Primary School. He was very diligent and even continued his law studies at Lagos State University (LASU) before quitting to concentrate on music. In 2015’s general elections, he also got involved in politics and ran for the House of Representatives, although he was unsuccessful.

Wizkid: Wizkid’s career dates all the way back to his early years. He began singing at the age of eleven, and until 2006, he went under the stage name “Lil Prinz” before switching to “Wizkid.” He was raised in a polygamous, multireligious home where his father was a practising Muslim and his mother was a Christian. He once attended Lead City University but left after his second year.

Chidinma Ekile: Chidinma won the third season of MTN Project Fame West Africa in 2010. She was born on May 2, 1999, as the sixth of seven children, and was reared in Ketu, Lagos. Her well-known stage name, “Ms. Kedike,” was inspired by her smash hit “Kedike.” After the music video for her popular single “Emi Bi Baller” was released, the petite singer became the first female Nigerian artist to reach the top spot on the MTV Base Official Naija Top 10 Chart. She has worked with a number of well-known performers, including IllBliss, Clarence Peters, Tha Suspect, Flavour N’abania, Phyno, and Wizkid. Before submitting an audition for the competition, she had already taken the Post UTME to enrol in the University of Lagos to study mass communication. She turned down the admission after winning the competition. She stated in an interview that she takes her studies extremely seriously and intends to go back at some point.