“Your dreams do not expire because of your age.”
For Chris Osagbaekhoe, those words are not a motivational slogan but they are the lesson he has drawn from a journey that has taken him from Nigeria to south-east London, through academic setbacks and personal challenges, and ultimately to a first-class university degree at the age of 68.
The Nigerian-born grandfather has graduated from Goldsmiths, University of London, with first-class honours in Social Work, completing a four-year course he undertook as a mature student after enrolling at the age of 64.
His achievement is particularly important because the qualification is closely connected to experiences that have shaped his own life.
Osagbaekhoe is a father of four, grandfather of 12 and a person living with a disability. Rather than allowing his circumstances to define his limitations, he has turned his lived experience into a reason to advocate for others, particularly people whose struggles often leave them without a strong voice.
“There are abilities in disability. My lived experience has given me empathy, understanding and the determination to empower others,” he said in a report published by Goldsmiths.
That desire to empower people was also at the heart of his decision to pursue Social Work.
“Part of the inspiration was to empower people to empower themselves, and part of the motivation was to be a voice to the voiceless – that was my inner drive,” Osagbaekhoe told the BBC.
His path to the first-class degree was not a straightforward one.
Osagbaekhoe began his Social Work degree in 2022, but Goldsmiths said he later transferred to the university in 2024 after experiencing setbacks in his academic journey.
Yet the difficulties did not persuade him to abandon the goal and by the time he walked across the graduation stage, the qualification represented not only years of study but also the resilience required to continue when circumstances could easily have provided an excuse to stop.
“I’m happy there were challenges along the way, but because of resilience and faith, and the support from Goldsmiths University, we are celebrating success today,” he said after receiving his degree.
For a man who had already studied Psychology and Counselling between 2013 and 2015, returning to higher education was another chapter in a continuing pursuit of knowledge. Born and raised in Nigeria, Osagbaekhoe now lives in Thamesmead, south-east London but education for him, has never been simply about collecting qualifications.
Goldsmiths said his experience has strengthened his commitment to supporting vulnerable people, protecting families and helping individuals overcome difficult circumstances. He has found particular satisfaction in seeing people recover their confidence and regain their dignity.
“Nothing gives me greater satisfaction than seeing people overcome adversity, regaining confidence and living with dignity,” he said.
Now, even after reaching a milestone that many would regard as the end of an academic journey, Osagbaekhoe is already looking ahead.
Goldsmiths said he is seeking his first position as a qualified social worker. According to the BBC, he also hopes to establish a community project for young people, with the intention of helping them stay away from crime.
He also hopes his story will resonate particularly with mature students and people living with disabilities, encouraging them to reconsider the limits they may have placed on their own ambitions.
His message is rooted in the value of experience. Osagbaekhoe believes that the qualities accumulated through life including resilience, compassion and wisdom, can become powerful assets rather than obstacles.
“If I can achieve this at 68, others can too,” he said.
“People are often far stronger and more capable than they realise. Life experience builds resilience, compassion and wisdom, qualities that are invaluable in social work and in life.”
Dr Carmen Yau, a Lecturer in Social Work at Goldsmiths, described his journey as one of “extraordinary determination, courage, and hope.”
Yau said his experience demonstrates the transformative power of education at any stage of life and reflects core values of social work, including a belief in people's potential, resilience and hope.
For Osagbaekhoe, those principles are no longer merely academic concepts but have become part of a life story that began in Nigeria, continued through years of learning and challenges, and has now produced a first-class degree at 68.
His graduation may have marked the completion of one course, but the message he leaves behind is considerably bigger than the certificate he received.
Age may measure how long a person has lived but it does not determine how much more they can achieve.
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