I Wanted to Disgrace Tinubu — Omokri Reveals What He Discovered at Chicago Varsity

I Wanted to Disgrace Tinubu — Omokri Reveals What He Discovered at Chicago Varsity

Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to Mexico, Reno Omokri, has recounted what he described as an unexpected twist during his visit to Chicago State University (CSU) in the United States, saying he initially travelled there with the intention of scrutinising President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s academic history.

Omokri, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan and now a diplomatic appointee of the Tinubu administration, reportedly made the disclosure while recounting his earlier position on the controversy surrounding the President’s academic credentials.

According to the account circulating online, Omokri said his original objective was to find information that could be used to discredit Tinubu, particularly amid years of controversy over the President’s educational background.

However, he said what he encountered at the university changed his understanding of the matter.

Omokri was quoted as saying that he went to Chicago State University with a predetermined objective—to investigate Tinubu and, if possible, expose inconsistencies that could damage the President politically.

But, according to his account, the findings did not produce the outcome he expected.

Instead, he said he became convinced that Tinubu had genuinely been admitted to and attended Chicago State University.

The development is significant because Tinubu’s educational history has remained one of the most contentious issues surrounding his political career, particularly since the 2023 presidential election.

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The controversy intensified in 2023 when former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar obtained a United States court order compelling Chicago State University to release documents relating to Tinubu’s academic records.

The records were subsequently released following the order of a US federal judge. Reports at the time said the university’s records confirmed that Tinubu attended the institution and graduated in 1979.

CSU Registrar Caleb Westberg also testified under oath that Tinubu had attended and graduated from the university.

However, the controversy did not completely disappear because questions were raised about the specific diploma submitted by Tinubu to Nigeria’s electoral authorities.

Reports of the US proceedings indicated that the university had Tinubu’s academic record but could not authenticate a particular diploma presented to Nigerian authorities because that exact document was not in the university’s possession.

Against that background, Omokri’s reported admission represents a striking change in tone, considering his earlier opposition to Tinubu.

His account suggests that his visit to Chicago State University was initially motivated by political scepticism but ultimately left him convinced that there was indeed a genuine academic connection between Tinubu and the institution.

The development has generated reactions on social media, with supporters of the President viewing Omokri’s account as further vindication of Tinubu’s claim that he attended the Chicago university.

Critics, however, are likely to maintain that the issue was never simply whether Tinubu attended Chicago State University, but also concerned questions surrounding documents, identity details and the certificate submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The available reporting from the 2023 legal proceedings provides an important distinction. There is substantial documentary evidence that Tinubu attended Chicago State University and graduated in 1979. CSU’s registrar testified to his attendance and graduation, while the university released academic records pursuant to a US court order.

At the same time, the controversy over the particular diploma submitted to INEC was not identical to the question of whether Tinubu attended the university.

That distinction has continued to fuel political arguments between supporters and opponents of the President.

Tinubu’s education has remained a recurring political issue since the 2023 election, with opponents repeatedly questioning aspects of his academic credentials, while his supporters argue that the available university records establish his attendance and graduation.

The latest account attributed to Omokri therefore adds another dramatic chapter to a controversy that has survived the election, court battles and the release of university records.

For Omokri, the story appears to have taken an unexpected turn: he said he went looking for ammunition against Tinubu but returned convinced that the President was, in fact, admitted to Chicago State University.

I Wanted to Disgrace Tinubu — Omokri Reveals What He Discovered at Chicago Varsity