Growing up in the turbulent Niger-Delta region of Nigeria, the author experienced first-hand the ravages of political and social instabilities. He also saw the limitations of underdevelopment and uninspiring existence arising from illiteracy and ignorance. In this setting, he found education to be an immense tool of individual and societal emancipation and growth. This was greatly influenced by his study of the lives of great people such as Helen Keller, Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, and other great spirits who shaped the socioeconomic landscape of their countries. Owing to lack of...