February 16, 2025

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Dr Eniola Ladipo Emergence as UNILAG Best PhD thesis in Humanities 

By Azeezat Olatunde

From having no interest in the Yoruba language to earning a PhD in it, Dr Eniola Ladipo’s journey embodies the popular saying, ‘It is possible to do great things from small beginnings.’ In an interview with UNILAG Sun, she shares her inspiring story

Can you introduce yourself?

My name is Dr. Eniola Ladipo. I have a PhD in Yoruba language and my first, second, and third degrees in Yoruba Language from the University of Lagos. At the 55th convocation ceremony, I emerged as the best PhD awardee in the humanities.

How did you react to receiving the best thesis award?

I was very excited. It was a shock, and I wondered if it could be true. Like, in the whole of humanities, you know, coming for somebody that studied PhD in the Yoruba language. It is indeed a very outstanding achievement. I did not intend to study Yoruba for my undergraduate degree. When I applied for linguistics. I was shocked when they separated the people interested in yoruba from those interested in Igbo. After my NYSC service, I saw the need to go for my masters in the Yoruba language. I had fallen in love with yoruba, and I knew some people were doing great things with the Yoruba language in academia or the secular world.

We explain the problems you tried to solve in your PhD thesis. 

My PhD Thesis is titled “The semantics of Polar, disjunctive, and alternative question constructions in Yorùbá.” It explores three types of question formation in Yoruba: polar, disjunctive, and alternative questions. It reveals that Yoruba’s diverse question markers have semantic significance, not random usage.

What were the challenges you faced during your PhD? 

I didn’t face many challenges. I’m lucky to have the best supervisors, who are always available to help me whenever needed. I do not need to book an appointment for three months before seeing them. They are always readily available to provide me with anything I need and are supportive.

Were you at any point discouraged during your PhD?

I never felt discouraged. The only challenge was starting the program during the lockdown, which coincided with a strike. However, this did not stop me from continuing my work, and I was able to finish my PhD in record time.

What are your plans, and how do you hope to make more impact?

No research can be completed, so we’ll continue to do it repeatedly. Just because I have finished writing the PhD thesis does not mean it ends there. Even if I pick up the PhD thesis today, I’ll still see some areas I need to expand on because research is inexhaustive. I am an adjunct lecturer at the Department of Linguistics, African and Asian Studies, so my knowledge will benefit my students.

What advice do you have for aspiring PhD students?

Aspire to be a better version of yourself with persistence, consistency, perseverance, and hard work. You can be whatever you want, which will take you very far. And on top of it all, you should trust in God. You can pursue your PhD to advance in your career. Some people would just like to reach the highest level of education; for now, a PhD is the highest level. It doesn’t mean that they want to lecture. They just want to get to that height, which is also good.