Meet Africa's most educated Presidents

They don’t just wield political power alone, they are an authority in different fields of knowledge and the quote “readers are leaders” is manifested in them.

They are ranked basing on their academic qualifications.

1. King Mohammed VI (Morocco)

Here’s the first on the log; Mohammed VI- the King of Morocco. He succeeded his father as the king in 1999.

He completed his primary and secondary studies at the Royal College.

Later on he attained his Baccalaureate in 1981 and went on to gain a bachelor’s degree in law at the Mohammed V University at Agdal. He obtained his first Certificat d’Études Supérieures (CES) in political sciences and also obtained a Diplôme d’Études Approfondies (DEA) in public law.

He earned his PhD in law from the French University of Nice Sophia Antipolis. Amazing right?

2. Dr Peter Mutharika (Malawi)

Meet Dr. Peter Mutharika the President of Malawi. He earned his law degree at the University of London and went on to receive his LL.M and Doctor of the Science of Law degrees from Yale University. He is an expert on international economic law and comparative constitutional law.

3. Alassane Quattara (Cote d’ Ivoire)

Alassane Dramane Ouattara has been the President of Côte d’Ivoire since 2010. Quattara graduated with a BSc degree from the Drexel Institute of Technology, which is now called Drexel University, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He later obtained both his master’s degree in economics and PhD in economics from the University of Pennsylvania, United States. He was re-elected for a second five year term last year

4. Dr Mulatu Teshome (Ethiopia)

Fourth on the chart is Dr. Malatu Teshome. He has been the President of Ethiopia since 7 October 2013 after he was elected by an unanimous parliamentary vote. Teshome acquired his education in far away China. He earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy of political economy and a doctorate in international law at the Peking University.

5. Dr Ameenah Gurib (Mauritius)

She is Dr. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, the first woman to be elected as President in Mauritius. She assumed office in 2015 as the 6th president of Mauritius.

After completing her primary schooling at Saint-Patrice she moved to Mahébourg Loreto Convent.

She finished her Higher School Certificate at Loreto Convent Quatre Bornes. Later she moved to England and graduated from the University of Surrey in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry. She received her PhD in organic chemistry at Exeter University.

6. Ibrahim Boubacar Keita (Mali)

From Mauritius we are touching down in Mali where the sixth leader, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita is the president. Keita has been Mali's president since 4 September 2013.

The president boasts of Master of Political Science (M.S.), Master’s degree in History (M.A.) from Lycée Janson-de-Sailly in Paris, the Lycée Askia-Mohamed in Bamako.

He has an additional graduate degree in Political Science and International Law from the University of Dakar, and the Institut d’Histoire des Relations Internationales Contemporaines respectively.

7. Robert Mugabe (Zimbabwe)

And here comes the seventh on the log- Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe's President.

He is arguably one of world's ruthless leaders. But guess what? He is also an academic wizard.

Here is a summary of his qualifications: Master of Laws (LL.M.), Master of Science (M.Sc), Bachelor of Laws (LL.B), Bachelor of Science (B.Sc), Bachelor of Education (B.Ed), Bachelor of Administration (B.A.A), Bachelor of Arts (B.A.).

8. Faure Gnassingbe (Togo)

Eighth on the chart is Faure Gnassingbe of Togo. He has been president since May 2005 and the son of Togo former president, Gnassingbe Eyadema

Gnassingbe completed his secondary education at Lome before moving on to bag a degree in financial business management at Paris and an MBA at The George Washington University in the USA. Education : Master of Business Administration (M.B.A), Bachelor of Business (B.B.A)

9. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (Liberia)

On last spot is Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the President of Liberia. She is the first female elected head of states in Africa and was elected as the 24th president in 2006. She was re-elected in 2011.

The female President studied at the College of West Africa and the Madison Business College and later joined the Economics Institute in Boulder, Colorado, in 1970.

Summarily, she has Masters degree in Public Administration, Master of Public Administration (M.P.Adm.), Bachelor of Economics (BEc), Associate Degree in Accounting (A.A.).
Credit: African Exponent