Did you know that Professor Chinua Achebe never earned a Master’s or PhD degree?
And did you know that Professor Wole Soyinka also has no PhD?
Yet, both of them became global literary giants. With only their Bachelor’s degrees, they taught in top universities around the world—including Ivy League schools. They were recognized as professors because of the impact of their work and the immense value they created.
Achebe, in particular, remains at the heart of colonial and postcolonial African literary studies. His novel Things Fall Apart is not only the most widely discussed African text but also the most translated. Their works carry a weight far greater than any doctoral dissertation in African literature—they even serve as the foundation for PhD research today.
The lesson? What truly matters is your contribution. What do you have to offer? How do you add to the body of knowledge? These men inspired my own literary journey because they proved that value and originality outweigh certificates.
Of course, their era was different, and it may have been easier then than it is today. Still, the principle remains the same: substance over titles.
I am not dismissing the importance of a Master’s or PhD. But while you pursue those, remember that what will define you isn’t your thesis or dissertation. It’s the unique, creative, and thought-provoking work you put into the world—work that shapes minds, inspires scholarship, and stands the test of time.
At the end of the day, your greatest credential is not a certificate—it is the content of your character and the originality of your work.
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