Covenant University, U. I., UNILORIN ,others deny having fake professors

Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, has denied that four fake professors, among those purportedly discovered by the National Universities Commission (NUC), are from the university.

This is contained in a statement by the university’s Head of Communication Unit, ChiChi Ononiwu, released to newsmen on Sunday in Ota.

Reacting to allegations that the NUC had uncovered about 100 professors spread across some Nigerian universities, including Covenant University, Ononiwu said that they had no such names as listed in the said published article on their payroll.

“The attention of the university management was drawn to a purported publication by the National Universities Commission [NUC] titled “About 100 Fake Professors Uncovered in Nigerian Universities.”

“The publication listed four such professors at Covenant University.

“The University Management wishes to set the record straight, as we have no such names as listed in the said article in our payroll.

“Also, Covenant had never interacted with any of the four persons at any time and in any capacity, as the university would not appoint unqualified persons as professors,” she said.

She added that the institution wishes to put it on record that its recruitment exercise is always rigorous, adding that it was worthy to also note that appointments and promotions criteria were of world-class standard.

“By this statement, the university advised our esteemed stakeholders to kindly disregard this misinformation,” she said

Similarly, the Management of the University of Ilorin, Kwara State has said that the list of fake professors allegedly attributed to be working in the institution was not known to the university.

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The University in a press statement made available to journalists in Ilorin on Sunday and signed by Mr Kunle Akogun, Director, Corporate Affairs said that none of the names mentioned in the list were workers of the university.

“The attention of the management of the University of Ilorin has been drawn to a trending list of 100 fake professors in some universities in the country as purportedly uncovered by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

“Even though the NUC has dissociated itself from the list that first surfaced in December 2019, we deem it expedient to categorically disown the 11 so-called professors listed against the University of Ilorin in the recently exhumed report.”None of the persons on the list is on our University’s nominal roll, nor had any of them ever had any dealing with the University of Ilorin at any time or in any guise.

“This clarification is necessary to assure our esteemed stakeholders that UNILORIN’s well-heeled reputation for high integrity and strict adherence to best global practices in everything we do, especially on issues of staff promotion, remains unsoiled and it can never be compromised.

“We view the trending report as another antic of purveyors of fake news and mischief makers, and they should be rightly ignored,” the statement said.

Also, The University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, on Sunday, described as baseless the story making the rounds that some fake professors were identified in the institution.

The purported list from a government agency has been in circulation containing names of some professors who are said to be fake.

The university, in a statement by the Registrar and Secretary to Council and Senate, Ganiyu Saliu, in Ibadan, the state capital, said the names on the list were not bona-fide members of the institution.

“The management of the University of Ibadan read with dismay the baseless story making the rounds that some fake professors were identified in the University. The management categorically states that none of the professors listed have ever been listed as staff of the university. Biennially, the University of Ibadan publishes its calendar wherein all the names of the bona fide academic staff are listed. These names are not on the Calendar.

“Members of the public are enjoined to disregard such stories as the University of Ibadan would never jeopardise the integrity of its academic programmes by parading fake professors,” the statement added.

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Meanwhile, the National Universities Commission has denounced the list of fake professors in some Nigerian universities being circulated in the media.

The commission said the list could not have emanated from the apex regulatory educational body without due consultation with their accredited universities.

The Deputy Executive Secretary in Charge of Academic Directorate, Dr. Noel Abiodun Saliu explained that such information should be taken as mischievous and unfounded.

He asserted that such publication should be taken as the handiwork of mischief makers who are out to destroy the hard-earned reputation of those prestigious institutions whose names were mentioned.

.As NUC lists varsities under investigation for fake certificates

The Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Education, last week Tuesday, announced the suspension of evaluation and accreditation of degree certificates from the Republic of Benin and Togo.

The ministry noted that its decision followed the undercover investigation conducted by a Nigerian newspaper which exposed the activity of a degree mill in Cotonou, a major city of Benin Republic.

According to the investigation, the investigative reporter bagged a degree from Cotonou University within six weeks and also participated in the mandatory one-year scheme organised by the National Youth Service Corps.

The National Universities Commission, the regulatory agency for universities in Nigeria has also reiterated its commitment towards the eradication of fake universities in Nigeria.

With information from the NUC website, our correspondent  highlights the list of universities under investigation in the country in the ongoing efforts to weed out varsities awarding fake certificates.

1. National University of Nigeria, Keffi, Nasarawa State

2. North Central University, Otukpo, Benue State

3. Christ Alive Christian Seminary and University, Enugu.

3. Richmond Open University, Arochukwu, Abia State.

4. West Coast University, Umuahia.

5. Saint Clements University, Iyin Ekiti, Ekiti State

6. Volta University College, Aba, Abia State.

7. L. I.F.E Leadership University, Benin City, Edo State.

The NUC also, in a warning posted on its website, said, “ For the avoidance of doubt, anybody who patronises or obtains any certificate from any of these illegal institutions does so at his or her own risk.

“Certificates obtained from these sources will not be recognised for the purposes of NYSC, employment, and further studies. The relevant Law enforcement agencies have also been informed for their further necessary action.”

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Recall that a former minister of education, Adamu Adamu, in 2022, said the existence of illegal universities continued to pose a challenge to the attainment of quality education in Nigeria, adding that the government would not rest on its oars in cracking down on illegal universities in the country.

So far, the NUC said it has uncovered 58 illegal universities operating in the country.

.Ambrose Alli varsity tasks NUC on illegal satellite campuses

However, the management of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, Edo State has called for the arrest and prosecution of operators of illegal satellite campuses in the name of the university.

The university, in a statement on Saturday while reacting to a recent report credited to the National Universities Commission (NUC), described as disturbing the purported existence of illegal satellite campuses running in the name of the university.

The institution’s Head of Corporate Communications and Protocol, Mike Aladenika, advised the NUC to go all out to arrest and swiftly prosecute anyone found culprit in the illegal operation.

Aladenika applauded the reported NUC decision to “investigate the proprietors and recover illegal fees and charges on subscribers”.

The statement added that the institution neither ran any satellite campus nor did it give anyone the permission to do so on its behalf, either directly or indirectly.

“The Senate has not approved any satellite campus anywhere; it has not approved that any certificate be awarded in the name of the university to anyone emerging as “products” from such illegal campuses either.

“We have continued to emphasise this. We are glad that by reportedly using the tag “illegal” for such satellite campuses, the NUC is on the same page with us.

“Surely, anything the university has not approved is illegal, null and void,” the statement said.

The spokesperson asserted that the Ambrose Alli University was a frontline state university in Nigeria that had earned the respect of all stakeholders in the last 40 years.

“It is a respected institution; it is more than forty years old, and has produced world class alumni; its current student population stands at more than 36,000.

“For an institution that towers so high to be “milling certificates” through illegal satellite campuses must be a strange phenomenon.

“We cannot, therefore, wait to see the outcome of the reported NUC “further investigations” on these reported “illegal satellite campuses”.

Expressing delight that the regulatory body has come out strongly against institutions, issuing fake certificates, Aladenika said the school was satisfied that AAU was not listed among the “58 illegal degree-awarding universities in Nigeria”.

According to him, with the recent gains the university has made in research and innovation, it will only soar higher.

While assuring alumni, parents, students and all stakeholders that the current management under the leadership of Prof. Asomwan Adagbonyin, was more determined than before to take the institution to greater heights.

Covenant University, U. I., UNILORIN ,others deny having fake professors