Connect with us

News and Report

President Buhari And The Resurrection Of Corruption In The Award Of Honorary Degrees In Nigerian Universities

Published

7 years ago

on

On Saturday, December 12, 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari shocked the Nigeria’s academic community when he went to Kaduna State University, KASU and received an honorary doctorate degree (Honoris Causa) barely seven months after his inauguration.

 

On the surface of it, one would be tempted to ask: is the president being honoured for his records of yesteryears or is he being honoured for his performance in the last seven month? If it is for his past records, the natural question is why now and why by KASU? That university existed for over a decade, why didn’t they honour Muhammadu Buhari last year or five years ago? If the honour is as a result of his present assignment, what has he done this far to earn him a honoris causa? Isn’t it a case of moral corruption for a serving president, who has a lot of favours to dish out, accept to receive an undeserved honorary doctorate degree from a state university whose vice chancellor was, in the last six months, queried by the Visitor to the University about three times?

Is it the case that, after the KASU formula, that the president will not attend the convocation ceremony of any university unless that university include the president as one its recipients of honorary doctorate degree. How not, since over a dozen universities have held their convocation ceremonies since the coming of PMB to office and he attended none, it is therefore safe to assume that his failure to attend was because they have not honoured him with a degree. These include the University of Ibadan, University of Benin, Obafemi Awolowo University, Federal University Owerri, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, etc. And none of them received the respect of the presence of the president. Now that KASU has shown the way, any university that wants the president to attend its convocation should simply include the president in the list of the recipients of its honoris causa. They are sure to have the president coming in person to be decorated.

The question is where is the shock? The president action is shocking for three reasons. First, his receiving an honorary doctorate degree, from any Nigerian University, while holding and elected public office is immoral, illegal and a crass violation of the existing regulation guiding the award of honoris causa in Nigeria’s University System. Section 2.0 subsection (a) of the famous Keffi Declaration which was enacted on the 24th September, 2012 by the Association of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (AVCNU) stated that:

“AVCNU member-universities hereby make it a policy not to honour with honorary degree anybody holding political office (elected or appointed) while such officers are still in service.”
President Buhari violated this rule and the president is an honourable man, apology to Shakespeare in his histo-drama book, Julius Caeser.
In 2012, worried by the spate of irregularities and the erosion of academic culture and university tradition especially in the indiscriminate award of honorary degrees in the university system, the vice chancellors of Nigeria’s federal, state and private universities met at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi and resolved, collectively, that the age-long best practices of university culture be restored and maintained. It was the case that politicians, public office holders and all manner of money-bags and favour-flaunters will be conniving with governing councils, vice chancellors or visitors to state universities all in the bid to cajole or hoodwink the university into awarding an undeserving honorary degree. It was so rampant that the credibility of any honoris causa by any Nigerian university was suspect. The Nigeria’s academic community was relieved when the Keffi Declaration on “Sustaining Academic Tradition in Nigerian Universities, Including Guidelines for the Award of Honorary Degrees” was made. It was even more refreshing seeing that all the federal universities, all the state universities and all the private universities at that time have signed the declaration.

But the action of President Buhari of accepting honoris causa, in complete violation of the Keffi Declaration, has done one of the greatest damages to the university system since the enactment of the declaration in 2012. The president has just killed the Keffi Declaration and therefore open the floodgate of irregularities and moral corruption in the award of honorary degrees. Will the president refuse to accept another honoris causas from other universities? No. All the remaining 140 universities will now line up with their ceremonial academic robes ready to decorate the president with honorary degrees. It will be a moral dilemma for the president to refuse to accept after receiving one from a sister-university. And not only that, the president cannot stop his cabinet members, other public officer holders, and including civil servants from haggling-and-bargaining to ‘buy’ honorary degrees and even stand on the same podium with the president to be decorated. The era of immoral impunity in the award of honoris causa has effectively returned. And it was declared open by the action of Mr President.

Second, and even more disturbing is the fact that Kaduna State University is not competent to award honorary doctorate degree to anybody. Information available on the National Universities Commission website indicates that there are only 22 out of 40 state universities with approval to run masters and PhD programs. KASU is not one them. How can you have an honorary doctorate graduands when you don’t have the regular program with regular students pursuing doctorate studies? More so, the Keffi Declaration, section 2.0 subsection (e) stated explicitly that:

“A university shall not award honorary degrees if it has not graduated any PhD or has no postgraduate school or program”
Because the president is an honourable man, I dare say that his idea of change is about changing the rule, it will be safe to say that he received a 419 degree that is not recognised by the NUC, a government institution under his watch.

The question is how many people graduated with PhDs at the 12th December convocation when President Buhari was decorated by KASU? Have KASU ever graduate a PhD since its establishment? When did they get the approval from the NUC to commence the PhD program? How could KASU award what it does not have? Why should NUC keep mute at this illegality and gross abuse of regulation? If the information they published in their website is correct, why should they allow KASU to award illegal honorary degree even to the resident of the Federation? It is amazing how politicians are always at the forefront of rubbishing our academic traditions and values.

It is very clear that the Visitor to KASU who is the Governor of Kaduna State is at the forefront of this manipulative scheme to rubbish the university system and smear the good name of the president of the country. Or why did he dissolved the governing council of the university simply because they allegedly drew his attention to the illegality and immorality of awarding honoris causa to a serving elected public officer? And the VC who was appointed by Governor Yakowa was rattled to his nerves with an array of queries to get him to accept political interference in the running of the university. How else, given the fact that section 2.0 subsection (c) of the Keffi Declaration states, in parts, that:

“…the award of honorary degree shall not be tied to wealth consideration or political alignment…”
Who will doubt that after sacking the governing council and sufficiently intimidating the vice chancellor of the university, the APC governor as the visitor to the university, is not bullying his way into forcing the university to award illegal degrees to an APC President and a business mogul exclusively for political and material reasons?

My third reason is even more scary. Is the Minister of Education so incompetent as not to draw the attention of the President to all these violations? Why wouldn’t the minister of education draw the attention of the president to the Keffi Declaration? And to the NUC guidelines on approved universities with graduate courses? Or better still shouldn’t the honourable minister make the moral common sense argument of not accepting a gift from an institution under ones superintendence? Or is it the case that the president, who ruled the country for over three months without ministers, is still living with that hang-over and is taking decisions without consulting the relevant ministers? If the minister of education is kept in the dark on the KASU honoris causa brouhaha, then our country is in trouble. It means the president will be relying on informal and unofficial (most of the time, misleading) suggestions to run the country. If the minister is in the picture and his opinion sought by the president and he misled the president into going to accept and illegal honorary degree, then some punitive action must be meted on the minister. If on the other hand, the minister was consulted and he advised the president against accepting the illegal degree and his advice was jettisoned by the president, then something is fundamental wrong – it means there is a crisis of confidence between the president and his ministers. And the earlier that crisis is resolved the better for our country.

It is important to note that PDP, in spite of its numerous ills had adhered to the Keffi Declaration. Former president Goodluck Jonathan, to his credit – (oh God, remembering PDP and Jonathan again) withstood all the pressures and declined many of such offers.

For me, President Muhammadu Buhari can still save the Keffi Declaration, save himself from further embarrassment and save the university system in this regard by doing two things: one, cause his handlers to issue a public statement returning the illegal and undeserved honorary degree back to the awarding university and stating his commitment to respect and protect the Keffi declaration; two, investigate and punish any persons that have hands in misleading him into this embarrassing misstep. Fighting corruption is not just about stolen wealth. It is about respect for regulations. It is about staying on the moral high-grounds. Over to you “Sai Mai Gaskiya.”

Dr. Mohammed Jibo Imran
Santa Clara County
City of San Jose, CA

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Advertisement

News and Report

Lagos to demolish unapproved buildings after 90-day amnesty — Official

Published

48 mins ago

on

May 8, 2024

By

The Lagos State Government has restated that it will demolish buildings without approvals after the expiration of the 90-day amnesty window.

This was disclosed by the Director, Public Affairs Unit, Lagos State Building Control Agency, Mr Olaoye Olusegun, on Wednesday in Lagos.

Olusegun said the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on e-GIS and Urban Development, Dr Olajide Babatunde, made this known during a workshop organised by the agency in Ikeja on Tuesday.

The workshop, titled “Understanding Building Control in Lagos State,” was aimed at addressing various issues and misconceptions regarding the agency’s activities.

Babatunde emphasised the importance of obtaining certifications and having insurance coverage in the construction industry.

He stressed that every building in the state should have a certificate of completion and fitness for habitation, as well as an insurance policy that can provide support during emergencies like fire incidents.

“As a step towards reduction in building collapse in the state, no building should be occupied in the state without possessing the Certificate of Completion and Fitness for Habitation issued by the State Building Control Agency, which is renewable every five years,” he stated.

Babatunde also emphasised the governor’s instructions for owners of buildings with attachments to promptly remove them.

He stated that these attachments would be prohibited in the state as they impede rescue operations during emergencies.

He explained that the Lagos State Building Control Agency, on behalf of the state government, had proactively notified owners about demolishing distressed buildings in the area.

He added that the state government published in three national dailies, 359 distressed buildings across the state, with over 90 per cent of such buildings pulled down by the owners to avoid disaster.

Earlier, the General Manager of LASBCA, Mr Gbolahan Oki, emphasised the importance of the workshop in providing clarity on LASBCA’s operations and guidance on obtaining necessary certifications from the agency.

Oki urged building owners in the state to adhere to rules and regulations governing the building and construction industry, emphasizing that it is cost-effective to do so.

He mentioned that after the governor’s amnesty period ends, LASBCA will require documentation such as a certificate for fitness and habitation issued by State Building Control, proof of meeting requirements, and a certificate of building insurance.

Oki advised developers to construct buildings according to approved specifications and permits.

An insurance consultant, Mr Yemi Solajoye, stressed the need for all buildings in the state to have insurance coverage against disasters like building collapse or fire outbreaks.

He called for mandatory enforcement of insurance coverage on buildings by owners as a means of mitigating losses during emergencies.

A retired Director General of the Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr Fuad Oki,advocated increased public engagement at grassroots levels where violations of building regulations are common.

In April, officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources commenced the demolition of buildings erected on drainages in the Ojota and Ogudu areas of the state.

The ministry’s Director of Public Affairs, Kunle Adeshina, said the demolition came after the expiration of notice given to the property owners to remove the contravening structures.

Continue Reading

News and Report

27 Rivers lawmakers lack powers to serve Fubara impeachment notice – G-60 Reps

Published

2 hours ago

on

May 8, 2024

By

A group of 60 federal lawmakers on Wednesday said the 27 lawmakers of the Rivers State House of Assembly whose seats were declared vacant in December 2023 following their defection to the All Progressives Congress from the Peoples Democratic Party, lack the powers to serve Governor Siminalayi Fubara impeachment notice.

In a telephone interview with PUNCH Online on Wednesday night, the spokesman for the group and member representing Ideato South/North Federal Constituency, Ikenga Ugochinyere, slammed the lawmakers for calling for Fubara’s impeachment.

“The call for the impeachment of the governor is a call to anarchy that will lead to the collapse of democracy if the President doesn’t call them to order.

“Unless there is a supreme order of the court, these 27 lawmakers have lost their seats. We cannot allow this absurdity because the APC Minister is working with the president and you now want to overthrow a legitimate Governor.

“The President needs to intervene because it is issues like these that led to the collapse of democracy in the 70s and 80s. If they are popular, they should contest fresh elections,” he said.

According to the G-60 lawmakers, the purported veto of the powers of the governor by the group of 27 persons “Parading themselves as Rivers State lawmakers” was nothing but legislative rascality taken too far.

The 60 federal lawmakers stated this in a formal reaction to the alleged overriding of the assent of Governor Fubara to pass the Rivers State Public Procurement (Amendment) Bill 2024.

Fubara has been involved in a fierce political battle with the lawmakers since falling out with his political godfather and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike.

In a statement signed by the spokesman for the group, Ugochinyere, the group described the veto as null and void.

Ugochinyere said, “These clowns as far as we are concerned, are still moving about freely parading themselves because of Governor Fubara’s mercy and largely in obedience to the peace accord brokered by President Bola Tinubu to end the political crisis in Rivers tate. However, while the Governor has stuck to the accord, his predecessor and Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike has not, with what his loyalists are doing.

“One of such evidence is the purported veto of Rivers procurement law which is an unenforceable legislative madness by impostors who are scared of the impact of Fubara’s infrastructure revolution.

“If not, how can people worth calling lawmakers even think that mobilisation fee of not more than 20 per cent of any contract sum is enough for suppliers or contractors to move to the site or provide goods and services in the present economic quagmire masterminded by their allies in the federal government?

“It is also on notice that these persons who sit in some hotel rooms in Abuja or anywhere their paymasters take them to, make such pronouncements, have lost the status of lawmakers ever since they dumped the party, the PDP which was a vehicle that brought them to power and joined APC.”

He added that their action “Violated Section 109 (1) (g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) which states that a member of a House of Assembly shall vacate his seat in the House if being a person whose election to the House of Assembly was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected.

“To this end, these people are not lawmakers and the Independent National Electoral Commission should rise to the occasion and conduct elections to fill those vacant seats and save Rivers State and Nigeria this continuous illegality that the embarrassment that non-existing lawmakers are causing too often.”

“We reiterate that the so-called veto will not be enforced, it is madness taken too far by crowns whose existence under the banner they claim is made possible by the mercy of Governor Fubara who chooses to respect the President and promote peace which to him is sin qua non for the development he is committed to bringing to Rivers State.”

 

Continue Reading

News and Report

How Access Bank’s Mobile App Failure Led To Death of my 9-year-old Girl – Father.

Published

16 hours ago

on

May 8, 2024

By

 

This is the sad story of how the failure of Access Bank’s mobile app led to the death of a nine-year-old girl. The bank’s app reportedly malfunctioned on Monday.

 

The father of the girl is currently mourning her demise.

 

The tragic incident, reported by an individual identified as PIDOMNIGERIA, underscored the devastating consequences of technological failures in critical moments.

 

According to the distraught father, whose identity remained undisclosed, the inability to transfer funds using the Access Bank mobile app directly contributed to his daughter’s demise.

 

The child, who was in urgent need of medical attention, was admitted to an emergency unit at a local hospital.

 

Tragically, she was left unattended as her parent grappled with the financial constraints imposed by the malfunctioning app.

 

The father, described as a single dad working offshore, recounted his harrowing experience, stating that failure of Access Bank @myaccessbank app to function since yesterday has caused him to lose his 9-year-old daughter in a medical emergency.

 

His anguish and frustration were palpable, echoing the sentiments of many who have faced similar challenges with the bank’s app reliability.

 

Expressing his grief, the father lamented the recurrent issues plaguing the Access Bank mobile app, condemning the institution’s lack of accountability and explanation for the frequent disruptions.

 

“Access Bank is a complete shit bank. They always have issues with their bank app without any explanation every now and then,” he asserted.

 

As the family mourns the loss of their beloved daughter, questions linger about the accountability of financial institutions in ensuring the seamless functioning of essential services, especially during emergencies.

 

Access Bank had yet to respond to the allegations or provide clarification regarding the reported app malfunction as of press time.

 

Meanwhile, the grieving father and his family are grappling with the devastating aftermath of the preventable tra

gedy.

 

Credit: Leadership

 

Continue Reading

Trending