Press Release: CAPQAT Calls for Urgent Regulation of Honorary Degrees
Adeyemi J. Ademowo, PhD
PRESS RELEASE
Date:
23-08-2025
For
Immediate Circulation
CAPQAT Calls for Urgent Regulation of Honorary Degrees and Academic Titles in Nigeria
--Raises Alarm Over Abuse of Academic Titles
The Coalition of Academics and Professors for Qualified Use of Academic Titles (CAPQAT), comprising over fifty distinguished professors, academics, and professionals across Nigeria, has sounded a strong alarm over the growing abuse of academic titles “Dr.” and “Prof.” in Nigeria.
The Coalition emphasizes that it is not opposed to the legitimate award of honorary degrees by accredited universities, but rather the indiscriminate conferment and subsequent misuse of such degrees which has now become rampant. CAPQAT stresses that recipients of honorary degrees must never prefix “Dr.” or “Prof.” to their names, as these titles are reserved exclusively for those who have earned doctoral and professorial status through rigorous academic study, research, and peer review.
Background: The Nigerian Crisis
In recent years, Nigeria has witnessed the indiscriminate proliferation of honorary doctorates, many of them facilitated by unregulated institutions or outright diploma mills. Even more troubling is the widespread misuse of these titles, where individuals ranging from hairdressers and traders to motivational speakers and food vendors casually style themselves as “Dr.”, while others falsely adopt the title of “Professor” without any institutional affiliation.
The Coalition describes this situation as ignoble, alarming, and a direct assault on Nigeria’s academic integrity. Left unchecked, it risks creating a culture of intellectual fraud that diminishes the value of genuine scholarship and confuses the public.
Lessons from Other African Countries
CAPQAT notes that other African countries have already recognized and acted upon the dangers of this abuse:
Ghana: In 2022, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) issued a directive banning the use of honorary titles such as “Dr.” or “Professor” by recipients of honorary degrees. The Commission ruled that such awards are purely ceremonial recognitions and must not be converted into academic qualifications.
Uganda: The National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) has consistently warned that honorary degree recipients should never prefix “Dr.” to their names. In 2019, it intervened against institutions and individuals parading honorary doctorates as earned titles, stressing that such conduct amounts to academic fraud.
Ethiopia: The Ethiopian Ministry of Education in 2020 issued a clear ban on the use of honorary titles in professional or academic settings. The government noted that misuse of honorary recognitions had become an avenue for abuse and corruption, undermining public trust in universities.
These actions demonstrate a continental consensus: honorary awards must remain symbolic gestures of recognition, not gateways to false academic prestige.
Voices of Petitioners
Prof. Adeyemi Johnson Ademowo, Convener of CAPQAT, stated:
“This campaign is not against the award of honorary degrees, but against their misuse. Academic titles are sacred and must not be trivialized. We call on the Federal Ministry of Education and the NUC to follow the examples of Ghana, Uganda, and Ethiopia, by issuing clear regulations to protect Nigeria’s academic system. Honorary recognition must never be confused with earned scholarship.”Adegoke Olukayode Adepoju warned:
“The rate at which honorary doctorates are being paraded across our country has been alarming and confusing. We must put an end to “some idiots” being addressed with the nominal letters Dr. or Prof.”Dr. Busari Jamiu Muhammad added:
“The offenders must be sanctioned. Stop unlawful use of Dr. and Prof. titles outside academia!”
Call to Action
CAPQAT calls on the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Universities Commission (NUC) to:
Streamline the award of honorary degrees to deserving personalities only, and prohibit institutions from trading such recognitions as fundraising schemes.
Ban the use of honorary titles “Dr.” and “Prof.” by recipients, in line with international best practices and African precedents.
Sanction individuals and institutions who unlawfully parade honorary recognitions as earned qualifications.
Issue a national directive clarifying the distinction between honorary recognition and academic achievement.
H
onorary
Recognition ≠ Earned Doctorate.
Prof. Adeyemi Johnson
Ademowo
Convener,
CAPQAT
08121210824
| capqatse...@gmail.com
Petition Signatories (Selected)
1. Dr. OROGBEMI Elias Olajide, fisn, fcaars, fipmld, mniia
2. Dr. OBELE Tolulope Elorhor, fcaars
3. Prof. NWAODU Nnamdi Okechukwu, DG-CAARS
4. Prof. AZEEZ Ademola
5. Prof. MASAJUWA Florence
6. Prof. VAASEH Godwin
7. Dr. IDOWU Oluwafemi Amos
8. Dr. BATURE Elizabeth
9. Dr. UKEH Moses
10. Prof. ADESANYA Olusegun Paul
11. Dr. ADE-IBIJOLA Opeyemi
12. Prof. OGBONNA Chijoke
13. Dr. ZAKARIYAU Rauf Babatunde
14. Dr. IGBAEKEME Goddy
15. Dr. FALOLA Ifeoluwa
16. Prof. ONI Julius Kayode
17. Dr BUSARI, Jamiu Muhammad
18. Prof. FAYOMI Oluyemi
19. Dr. IYANDA Kamoru Ahmed
20. Dr. ONAGUN Rasheed
21. Dr. AKAN Kevin Akpanke
22. Prof. ENUKA Chika
23. Prof. IKUEJUBE Ajigbade
24. Prof. ADEREMI Adewale
25. Prof. SANI Habeeb Abiodun
26. Prof. UMUKORO Nathaniel
27. Prof. JATAU Gaius
28. Prof. ASHAFA Abdullahi Musa
29. Dr. AKPAN James
30. Prof. GORONDUTSE Abdullahi
31. Prof. SAYE Suleiman
32. Prof Toba Bamitale
33. Dr Noah BALOGUN
34. Prof Olusola Oyewole, Secretary General, AAU
35. Prof Saheed Aderinto
36. Dr Esther Ololajulo
37. Maryam Muktar
38. Dr Olufemi Oloba
39. Dr Ibraheem Salako
40. Dr BUSARI JAMIU MUHAMMAD
41. Philip Soyemi
42. Lanre Biobaku
43. saka adebayo
44. Sulaiman Alagunfon PhD
45. Dr. Iwuagwu Chinonso Chiamaka
46. Dauda Aderemi Busari
47. Adegoke Olukayode Adepoju
48. Taiwo Peter AJAYI PhD
49. Rhoda Adinoyi
50. Seun Williams
51. Busayo Fabunmi
52. Oba Oyedele
53. Anbali Rasheed
54. Olaolu Oluwasanmi
55. Sunday Jijiya Bwala
56. Dr. Victor Olaoye'
57. Dr. Nasir Danladi Bako, OON
