A viral report outlining that the National Universities Commission (NUC) had uncovered about 100 fake professors in universities across the country has elicited a flurry of reactions.
The viral list was published in December 2019 by Channels TV online platform but resurfaced on Nigerian social media platforms, especially Whatsapp, in January 2024.
This report was credited to the Executive Secretary of NUC, Professor Abubakar Rasheed, in a bulletin published by the commission in November.
Professor Rasheed made the disclosure at the annual retreats for Vice-Chancellors of all universities in the country which held between October 28 and November 5, 2019 at the NUC Headquarters in Abuja.
He explained that the fake professors’ details were posted on the commission’s website, forcing it to send the names to the various universities for verification.
Meanwhile, various universities in the country have denied having any fake professors in their employment.
The University of Lagos denied that five 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 the Communication Unit, Mrs Adejoke Alaga- Ibraheem, issued to newsmen on Saturday night.
Alaga- Ibraheem described the report as unsubstantiated and urged the public to disregard it
“The attention of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Management has been drawn to an unsubstantiated report on social media, claiming that the NUC has uncovered fake professors in some Nigerian universities, including ours.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the university management hereby explicitly refutes the five names listed as ‘fake’ professors of the university.
“ Members of the university community and the general public are enjoined to completely disregard the report as the persons listed are not our staff and have never worked at any point in time and in any capacity, at the university.
“Please be re-assured of the institution’s commitment to its mandate of being a topnotch citadel of higher education, in deed and in truth,” she stated.
Likewise, the Management of University of Ilorin on Sunday dismissed the claims that 11 fake professors were uncovered in the institution.
This is contained in a statement signed by spokesperson of the university, Mr Kunle Akogun,and made available to newsmen in Ilorin.
“We dont have fake professors and they do not exist in our university.
“The National Universities Commission had categorically dismissed the information as fallacious fabrication of mischief makers.
“The Commission has dissociated itself from the list that first surfaced in December 2019.
“We deem it expedient to categorically disassociate our institution from the story of the 11 fake professors listed against our university,” he said.
According to him, none of the persons on the list is on the 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.
He explained that the clarification was necessary to assure esteemed stakeholders that UNILORIN had built an age-long reputation for high standard, integrity and strict adherence to best global practices.
He added that issues of staff promotion remained unsoiled and it would never be compromised.
“We view the report as another antics of purveyors of fake news and mischief makers,” he added.
The Covenant University, Ota, Ogun Sate, also 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 the Communication Unit, Ms ChiChi Ononiwu, issued to newsmen on Sunday in Ota.
Ononiwu said that they had no such names as listed in the said article on their pay roll.
“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 in 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 pay roll.
“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 said that the institution wishes to put it on record that their 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.
Reacting to the viral list of fake professors, a former Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof. Idowu Olayinka on his verified Facebook page on Saturday argued that if there are fake professors, there must be fake lecturers and indeed fake students in the system.
Olayinka urged NUC to take a step further and publish the details of fake individuals polluting the system.
He said: “The report is dated December 2019. If indeed such a huge number of fake Professors were discovered within the Nigerian University System four years should have been more than sufficient a time for the NUC to invite the relevant security agencies to investigate the matter and the report made public.
“If there are Fake Professors there must be Fake Lecturers and indeed Fake students in the system as well. He who alleges must prove. The NUC should go a step further and publish the details of those fake individuals who must be polluting the system.
Any how, I speak for myself. The report is dated December 2019 by which time I was still the VC. I had a copy of the names and biodata of all our staff on my Laptop.
“There was just no way the list could have been infiltrated. Relatedly, we regularly conduct staff Audit, with the latest carried out in 2023 at the instance of the Federal Government. No ghost workers were found here. So to talk of fake Professors in UI is a joke taken too far.”
Also, Dr. Noel Abiodun Saliu, Deputy Executive Secretary, Academic Directorate, NUC, explained that such information should be taking as mischievous and unfounded.
Redeemer’s University in Ede, Osun State, also refuted claims of employing any of the purported fake professors.
Adetunji Adeleye, the Deputy Director of the Corporate Affairs Directorate at the university, clarified that the institution completely disavowed and disclaimed the “malicious publication.”
Adeleye said that the individuals labelled fake professors at Redeemer’s University have never been affiliated with the institution in any capacity.
Also, the management of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi refuted reports that seven of its staff are on the list of 100 fake Professors stressing that none of the seven names mentioned in the report are staff of the University.
It said: “While the authenticity of this story itself, remain in great doubt, the management of ATBU wishes to categorically state that none of the mentioned Professors is a staff of the University, nor have interacted with the University at any given time in whatever capacity.
“In view of the above, all our esteemed stakeholders are hereby advised to disregard this blatant untruth as it is a mere fiction and an imaginary act; a possible attempt to smear the hard earned reputation of our University.”
Similarly, the management of the Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti disapproved the list of fake professors credited to the University.
Reacting to the development in a press release issued on Saturday signed by the Head, Directorate of Information and Corporate Affairs, Bode Olofinmuagun and titled, “List of Fake Professors Not known to EKSU” the institution debunked the existence of Fake Professors.
The statement reads: “The attention of the Management of Ekiti State University, Ado – Ekiti has been drawn to a list of 15 fake Professors which purportedly emanated from the National Universities Commission (NUC) and associated with Ekiti State University, Ado – Ekiti.
“The EKSU Management wishes to make it abundantly clear that the list being circulated and credited to Ekiti State University did not emanate from the university.
“Moreover, none of the names that appeared there is known to the university as none of them has ever worked in the university.
“In spite of the NUC’s clarification on the matter, it is equally important for Ekiti State University to outrightly condemn, denounce and dissociate itself from the evil publication which could have negative impacts on the image of our esteemed university.”
Also, the University of Ibadan clarified that names in the viral list are not known to the university, stressing that the institution publishes its calendar wherein all the names of bona-fide academic staff are listed, but these names are not on the calendar.
A statement signed by its Registrar and Secretary to Council and Senate, G. O. Saliu noted that: “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 listed Professors have ever been listed as staff of the University. Bi-ennially, the University of Ibadan publishes its Calendar wherein all the names of 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.”
