On the Matter of Fake Degrees in Nigeria {Re: - [Facebook Post] Farooq Kperogi on Buhari's appointee and phantom degrees

[Mobolaji Aluko]

Salimonu Kadiri:

Kwaku is right:  you are asking one or two questions TOO MANY about GEJ's PhD degree.  Once a university affirms the authenticity of a degree, then date of registration and comments of internal or external examiners are COMPLETELY irrelevant, completely non-sequitor.  Completely so.

My interest was piqued on this matter at the material time because two publications of the President's certificates were made available online, but either by mischief or inadvertently, the dates of their awards were obscured...see appendix below for a JPEG copy of his PhD certificate, and http://aquaticcommons.org/3411/1/PAGINA197.pdf where the title of his MSc thesis is listed in the reference.

Luckily I made - and completed - my own private investigation JUST about when the University of Port Harcourt released the following information as reported by PUNCH in January 2015.  Just in case you missed it, here it is:

QUOTE

http://www.punchng.com/news/jonathans-phd-certificate-authentic-uniport/

Jonathan’s PhD certificate authentic — UNIPORT

JANUARY 25, 2015 : CHUKWUDI AKASIKE

FOLLOWING speculations in some quarters that President Goodluck Jonathan did not complete his doctorate degree programme at the University of Port Harcourt, the institution has come out in his defence.

But the Uniport Deputy Registrar (Information), Dr. William Wodi, explained that apart from acquiring his first degree in the institution, Jonathan also got his Masters and Ph.D in the same institution.

Wodi, in a statement sent to SUNDAY PUNCH via electronic mail, described the rumour about the President’s educational qualification as baseless.

The deputy registrar of the university specifically stated that Jonathan was among 422 students that matriculated in the school in 1977 and was admitted in the Department of Zoology, which had been renamed Animal and Environmental Science.

“The authorities of the University of Port Harcourt are aware of rumours that are now spreading like harmattan fire over the doctoral degree status of President Goodluck Jonathan. The allegations have neither legs nor grounds to stand on and we hope that its purveyors will now rest in silence.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the authorities of the University wish to state without equivocation that Mr. Goodluck Jonathan, as he then was, was among 422 students, who matriculated in 1977. He was admitted into the then Department of Zoology, now Animal and Environmental Biology in the then School of Biological Sciences, now a Faculty in the new College of Natural and Applied Sciences.

“At the end of a successful residency period, Jonathan was awarded the Bachelor of Science (Upper Division) in 1981. It was rumoured among students that the young university was reluctant to award the First Class to its pioneer class in an effort to consolidate its academic profile,” Wodi said.

He said the President later enrolled into the postgraduate programme and obtained the Master of Science degree in Hydrobiology and Fisheries in 1985 and crowned his academic pursuit in the University with the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Zoology in 1995.

He said, “From the above account, it has become obvious that Dr. Jonathan successfully completed the prescribed courses and programmes as specified by the Senate of the University of Port Harcourt to earn his degrees from the university.”

Stressing that the university remains proud of Jonathan, Wodi advised any person or organisations in need of further information on the educational qualification of the President or any other student of the institution to contact authorities of the university.

“We have absolutely nothing to hide as an institution that has a statutory mandate to advance the frontiers of knowledge,” Wodi added.

UNQUOTE

That should have killed further speculations on this particular subject - but Nigerians can be forgiven for loving scandals, especially during political periods.....certainly Dr. Ofure Aito does, but hopefully not you, Salimonu.

But I must admit that it should not be this difficult to INDEPENDENTLY verify certain MINIMUM information about ALL earned Masters and PhD degrees in Nigerian universities WITHOUT referring to the awarding universities, ONCE they have been verified such JUST ONCE.  By now, authentic information about ALL past such degrees should have been ARCHIVED somewhere, either private (eg some education private concern) or public (eg by NUC), which would then be UPDATED on a yearly basis.  This is what is done in other nations - but in Nigeria, it always seems as if we deliberately leave official "holes" for Mack trucks to drive through.

For example, a candidate not too long came to FU Otuoke with three FAKE UK university degrees - BSc (First Class), Masters and PhD, all from the same university. He did well in the interview, and was recommended to me as VC for appointment in the Computer Science Department.  Before making a final decision on hiring, I always look at the resume/CV for a last time, starting from the date of birth, and then discounting when each degree was received, and I try to fill in the gaps in terms of education and work experience.  Something just did not sit well with me about this particular candidate - first he got his First Class at age 20 (same age as I did), and had never attempted to work in a university until now (he was into "consulting"), and his theses titles were odd, so I held off.  Then he started calling my telephone number asking about his appointment letter,  and started dropping names about this President or that Bayelsa monarch, and that put me off.  I finally invited him for a one-on-one interview with me in my office, and he came - young, well-spoken with a slight English twang, but something about his attire - and more name-dropping -  again put me off.  Again I held off his appointment, but this time, I asked him to drop off in my office copies of his Masters and PhD theses.  After a long delay, he dropped off two poorly-bound theses.  More alarum bells: only two supervisors per thesis, and some of the supervisors' names were wrongly spelt...but he was still pressing for appointment....and I held off.  Finally, I sent off his name to an associate in the UK to use all the resources at his disposal to ferret out from the home university ANY information on this particular student, whereupon I obtained back this information:

QUOTE

From: Registry <registry@....ac.uk> Sent: Tuesday, 17 March 2015 3:22 PM To:  Subject: RE: ATTN: Request for Authentication of PhD Thesis: The Application of Computational Analysis and Artificial Intelligence in Public Key Infrastructure."

Dear ...,

 

Further to our telephone conversations over the past week, I am writing to confirm the outcome of my investigation.  I can confirm that we do not hold any records of a ‘J... J.. either as a registered student or as a graduate of the University of E....  It is therefore my belief that the documents you have attached are forgeries.

 

If J. J. believes that he did study here and that our records are inaccurate or incomplete, then I would encourage your Vice Chancellor to pass on my contact details, as a point of reference for Mr J. to contact me, to further discuss this matter.  However, given the information provided to date, Mr J. should be aware that he should not present himself as a graduate of the University of E.... 

 

I’m sorry I cannot give you better news, but I hope the information I have provided is helpful. 

 

Kind regards,

 

C... B..

..

Registry

University of E..

W. P.

C.., E.

UNQUOTE

My suspicion was confirmed....but was not conveyed to him yet.  He continued to pester me for his appointment letter, dropping more names, with hints of ethnic coloration on my part,  so I invited him over to my office a second time, but this time I had the University Registrar, the Dean of his intended Faculty (who had presided at his interview), the Chief Security Officer of the University, and our Legal Director to be present.  No one of my staff really knew WHY I had invited them to the meeting - I did not want ANY tip-off -  except to further interview this candidate.  So after the fake candidate sat down, I asked him to "re-validate" by voice his resume, as well as the two theses that I had at hand, which he did.  I then coolly showed him the correspondence with his so-called UK university, and asked why it would disown complete knowledge of him. he vehemently protested his innocence and said that he would sue.  Well, I told him that I was disposed to hand him to the police at that point, but would wait for the outcome of his law suit, and had him escorted out of my office.

Rather than sue, he started to send threatening SMS to my phone,  accuing me of "jealousy" (I guess because I wondered how he got his PhD at age 20, like myself! :-)) and threatening that I would soon lose my job since he was being backed by those who gave me my VC job. 

QUOTE

Message 1 from Dr. J. J.:

Prof. B Aluko, I am so disappointed in d things u said today.  It is like have this bad blood against me from d very beginning.  Whatever u have thought about me u are definitely wrong.  U will be hearing from me soon.  Dr. J. J., PhD

Message 2:

Bolaji Aluko Its a pity that u misrepresented me and d whole event.  U owe me an apology. aside from that u also owe me my job as a lecturer in that school.  Having passed d interview u do owe me my appointment letter.  Your jealousy and ur intimidation cannot stop me.  U run data schol as if its ur own empire?  In d first place what gave u d impression to doubt my personality and my thesis having worked for various govt agencies in this country?  U owe me.

Message 3:

I have gotten back to d men that sent me as a Bayelsan to work in dat schol and I also gotten back to Mr. President.  this is not to intimidate becos you always misrepresent anything I say or do and for ur information they are going to call u.  U will also be hearing from me.  For d embarrasment u caused me on Monday you own me an apology and my letter of Appointment.  Dr. J. J.

....

Message 6:

Bolaji Aluko u have intimidated people for too long in that institution ur time will soon be up.  ......Your days are numbered in that institution.  U will be hearing from d appropriate authorities...

UNQUOTE

I then warned him that I had sent his messages to the police, and he would be picked up any moment from then if he sent me any further ones.  He stopped, but I am sure that he is smarting somewhere now, and coming to think of it, I truly hope that he has not been hired by some unsuspecting university in the country, while dredging up calumny against me somewhere!

The morale of the story?  I don't mind someone parading a fake degree, but when he wants to pass it off as an authentic one - including working in a university that I head (remember that the President GEJ was then the VISITOR of FU Otuoke) - then I mind, especially when I know how much I worked for my own PhD degree!  :-)

And there you have it.

Bolaji Aluko

APPENDIX

On Sun, Aug 23, 2015 at 12:11 AM, Mensah, Edward K <deha...@uic.edu> wrote:

Kadiri 

You must be fishing or dreaming if you think any university administration will release these data to a Web portal.

The title of the dissertation and year of graduation are public information you may actually get on line.

But name and comments of the external examiner?

Do you have a PhD degree? 

If yes then try getting your own external examiner's comments from the rehistrar. If you are not lucky he or she may think you are up to something awful and call the campus police on you.

Kwaku

Chicago 

Sent from my T-Mobile 4G LTE Device

-------- Original message --------
From: Salimonu Kadiri <ogunl...@hotmail.com>
Date: 08/22/2015 6:00 PM (GMT-06:00)
To: usaafric...@googlegroups.com
Subject: RE: USA Africa Dialogue Series - [Facebook Post] Farooq Kperogi on Buhari's appointee and phantom degrees

Dear Bolaji,
Titles in Nigeria whether real or imaginary are only decorative. That is why I think Farooq Kperogi piece on Fowler's doctorate attire is non-issue for debate. I am, however, excited to read that your own private investigation actually showed that Goodluck Jonathan was a true holder of PhD from University of Port Harcourt. In view of your assertion, I will be very grateful if you can share with us on this forum the following information: (i) The title of Goodluck Jonathan's doctorate dissertation; (ii) Year of Registration as a doctorate candidate; (iii) Name of his doctorate supervisors; (iv) Name of his external examiner; (v) Comments/reports of the external examiner of the dissertation/thesis; (vi) Date of graduation from the University of Port Harcourt. Providing the above information, I think, will seal the mouth of Dr. Ofure Alto on his/her assault on Jonathan's academic qualification.
 

---

Date: Sat, 22 Aug 2015 18:07:41 +0100
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - [Facebook Post] Farooq Kperogi on Buhari's appointee and phantom degrees
From: alu...@gmail.com
To: usaafric...@googlegroups.com

Dr.  Ofure Alto

As a lecturer in our Redemer's University, you have a particular responsibility not to bear false witness against anybody.

You wrote below that President Goodluck Jonathan's PhD was "falsified".  That is false.  Not only has the University of Port Harcourt certified it, but my own private investigation of the issue at its height (or depth) of the accusation indicated that he truly earned the PhD.

So let's stop denigrating his degree for petty political reasons, otherwise I might ask my colleague at Unilag to withdraw your own PhD degree for suspicion of discriminatory gullibility.

And there you have it.

Bolaji Aluko

On Saturday, August 22, 2015, Ofure Aito <ofur...@gmail.com> wrote:

Mr Bayo,
First, I neither disdained the work profile of Fowler nor disregarded his work ethics. However, for such a high flier, I do expect him to have pruned the institution offering such an award and to what end? That speaks your language: gullibility...  and that is intolerable! Note also that we are experiencing a new season of accountability and probity, so, what was taken for granted yesterday may not pass the test today no matter what your record says. I was enthralled by his appointment but that minor omission in the desire for an appellation says a lot. Yes, I actually campaigned against Mr Jonathan and his falsified PhD. Obviously, we are a people titles.
Second, on Tinubu nominating candidates to meet his financial thirst, I do see a lot wrong in that. Here we campaigned for change and not for one man to control my economic contribution to the development of the State! It is the accommodation of such that built hydra-headed corrupt practices in the nation. Nigeria is owned by an appropriated 170million people. The Tinubu investment in PMB is not for the 170million Nigerians' interest. PMB was an instrument to a dream and drive. But to the man on the street, including I, PMB is a stable presence needed to drive Nigeria to the next level.
Third, if a Nigerian left the shore of home country for another and he/she was scammed by such institutions, he/she must take the blame alone without the usual passing of the blames to another by way of making room for excuses.
Whatever decision one makes, he/she must take the consequences that go with such: whether positive or negative. It is the personality and work ethics of PMB that garnered the political support and respect for him when it was most needed. Even you and I as academics must submit to such public scrutiny if offered public offices.

Ofure O. M. Aito (PhD) (University of Lagos)
Department of English and Communications
College of Humanities
Redeemer's University, Mowe
Ogun State, Nigeria

On Aug 22, 2015 1:32 PM, "Bayo Amos" <aae...@gmail.com> wrote:

What exactly is Fowler's offence? And when has it become a crime for Tinubu to lobby for anyone?

1.Irish International University, though unaccredited by UK authorities, was in existence at the time it awarded honorary degrees to Fowler and others. In addition, it secured UK visa for  thousands of students from all over the world.

Besides, it used facilities of reputable institutions such as Oxford and Cambridge to conduct its affairs. This would have been a real scandal had Fowler claimed to have an honorary doctorate from a university, accredited or otherwise, when such was not conferred on him. That's where an issue of dishonesty can arise. In addition, he is not misrepresenting the importance of the degree; even the word "honorary" was not missing in the citation read by Femi Adesina, the presidential spokesman. As it is now, the best anyone can say: Fowler was gullible for him not to have done due diligence about the school in the first instance. Others were also gullible too. 

https://youtu.be/rqe-0q_RoRE  

Are thousands of students who left their respective countries, and perhaps passed through hell to secure UK visa, also dishonest? This is not an issue of dishonesty as some would choose to interpret it. If we pause and reflect, we would realize that, in this case, Fowler is more a victim of a scam  than a dishonest person.

2. If Fowler chose to call himself Dr. Fowler based on what he thought was a genuine honorary doctorate, he wouldn't have contravened any law. The most important thing is the disclosure that the degree is honorary, not what he chose to call himself. Others can address him as such or simply call him something different. Nigerians should desist from inventing a crime where none exist. We have the likes of Dr. Ayodele Fayose, Dr. Urji Uzo kalu, Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe. None of them had or has a doctorate but that's what they chose to call themselves. Is it a crime? The simple answer is NO. However,  knowledgeable government institutions, presidency' speech writers or presidential aides should not dignify them with such appellations. But in the real sense of the word crime, I don't think we can criminalize their actions. If something is not expressly against the law, we should not make it against the law.

3.Now, Mr. Ofure, if Tinubu decides in his own decisive decision to control the Nigerian treasury (as you put it), what exactly is wrong with that? And if I may add, what are you going to do about it? Is it morally wrong? legally wrong? What exactly is wrong with Tinubu doing just that? Because we are fixated on personalities, we lost focus of the key things. As far as I am concerned, the most important things are as follows:

(a) Fowler has a degree in Economics from the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater. He has years of experience working in financial institutions (especially banks).

(b) He grew the IGR (Internally Generated Revenue) of Lagos State from about  3  to 20 billion naira (monthly).

(c) Apart from Fowler who has experience in actually growing a tax base of a major state in Nigeria, which other candidate(s) compare(s) or compete(s) with him at this time when oil revenues are plummeting? Who should get the job?

I think Fowler's appointment is well deserved and should attract commendation, not condemnation.

It is easy for many to see the hands of Tinubu in everything but it is doubtful a Buhari would appoint a nonentity simply because such a person is nominated by Mr. Tinubu. The reality of this case is simple. If Buhari is genuinely concerned and motivated about growing Nigeria's tax base, Tinubu or no Tinubu, there is just no way Fowler's name won't be among the top three on the strength of what he has done in Lagos alone. In other words, his competence fetched him the job. If he performed woefully in Lagos,  he would not be considered for this position. There is just no way Tinubu would manipulate Buhari to appoint him and if he did, it would be obvious as an unmerited appointment.

Nigerians should discuss real things, not gossips or inconsequential stuffs. Many have been convicted on the pages of newspaper for a crime that doesn't exist. He is corrupt, he is a liar, effing dishonest yet not a shred of evidence to substantiate all these seemingly weighty allegations. There is a difference between someone who lied about his qualifications and another that was deceived and scammed. The real issue we should interrogate is how  it was possible for an unaccredited university in the UK, of all places, to scam unsuspecting students all around the world. How did they do it for  seven years before the BBC exposed them? Call out the real liars, the real criminals, not the victims.

Thanks,

Bayo.

On Sat, Aug 22, 2015 at 2:56 AM, Ofure Aito <ofur...@gmail.com> wrote:

My concern is if we can trust Fowler in greater things when he is so dishonest is small things like degrees and laundered profile. Here is a man who is not honest enough with himself and the public he is expected to serve yet, he controls FIRS: our Inland generated funds (taxes).
Obviously, from the excerpts provided on this platform, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu facilitated Fowler's appointment and as usual to control Nigerian finance as he did Lagos. His henchmen are being scattered everywhere like the proverbial seeds scattered on the rocky, sandy and fertile grounds.
Ofure

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[Chika Onyeani]

Bolaji,

There are people who will go to any lengths to fabricate information that would tarnish the image and accomplishments of Goodluck Jonathan, without according him a modicum of what he did for Nigeria in engendering a solid foundation for the growth of democracy in the country.

Thank you for setting the records straight about his educational qualification.

Chika Onyeani

[Farooq A. Kperogi]

Professor Aluko,

Unfortunately,neither the University of Port Harcourt's press statement (as reproduced in the Punch) nor the evidence of your private investigation presented here answers the  crucial question of whether  or not Goodluck Jonathan actually earned a PhD  in Zoology at the University of Port Harcourt. More than a copy of a diploma, we need to know the title of his dissertation (or, as we call it in Nigeria, thesis), the  name of his committee chair and the members of his dissertation committee. That shouldn't be a state secret. Those of us who did a little digging have found out that the title of his master's thesis is: "Stage l larvae of fresh and brackish water decapod crustaceans (excluding Natantial) Of the Niger Delta." He self-referenced it in this 1985 conference paper he co-authored with a C.B. Powell and an I.A. Hart, perhaps his thesis committee members. However, although Jonathan's official CV says he earned his master's degree in 1985, the citation in the conference paper says the  thesis was submitted and approved in 1984. Now, if we  know the title of his master's thesis, why can't we know the title of doctoral dissertation? 

An NGO made an FOI request to the University of Port Harcourt early this year for information about the title and committee members of  Jonathan's dissertation, and the University of Port Harcourt said it would not  release the information to the public. Why is basic information like the title, chair and committee members of a dissertation such top secret that a university would refuse to share it with the public? A thorough journalistic search for this information using both formal and informal channels suggests that Jonathan might hot have earned the PhD he claims he has. I'm really interested in knowing what your private investigation found, that is, beyond a copy of his Ph.D. diploma (or, as we say in Nigeria, certificate), Anyone can forge a certificate. You  probably will also be able to tell us who his  classmates were. No one, to my knowledge, has ever come out to  say he was in the same doctoral  graduating class with Jonathan.

Farooq

Personal website: www.farooqkperogi.com

Twitter: @farooqkperog

Author of Glocal English: The Changing Face and Forms of Nigerian English in a Global World

"The nice thing about pessimism is that you are constantly being either proven right or pleasantly surprised." G. F. Will

[Okey Iheduru]

Dear Professor Kperogi:

I've copied and pasted below some information that could help answer some of your questions about Pres. Jonathan's doctorate degree. 

It's necessary to caution that we don't confuse the US graduate education system with what obtains in Nigeria or most former British colonies. In most cases in these countries, you obtain the doctorate by research only. The PhD is generally NOT a taught degree, unlike the US/Canadian system where you must take and pass a minimum of 24 credit hour courses beyond the master's degree PLUS the Comprehensive exam.

Yes, it's possible to be the sole student and/or graduate in a doctoral program--and for several years, for that matter. This is not to say that Dr. Jonathan did not have classmates.

Getting a PhD in Zoology at Uniport in 1995 would not have been that particularly attractive in the world of academia. Perhaps, Prof. Kperogi could tell us how many people graduated in 2014-2015 with a PhD in Zoology from Uniport. And, I dare say that Zoology is certainly not the same as Mass Communication, in terms of numbers of people wanting to earn a PhD. 

It's also possible--and often is the case--to have only ONE supervisor/teacher for the PhD, although there may be an external examiner.

Like VC Aluko, I'd like to advise that since there's obviously nothing in that rabbit hole, it's time to move on.

Peace as always!

Okey

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Unveiling President Jonathan’s Classmates & His Msc, Phd Supervisor by lalasticlala(m): 7:58am On Dec 21, 2014

The social media has been awash with comments bordered around President Goodluck Jonathan‘s University of Port Harcourt(UNIPORT) M.Sc and PhD. We can authoritatively tell you that the late Prof. Charles Bruce Powell was supervisor for his Master’s and PhD in Hydrobiology. President Goodluck Jonathan, who had his first degree in Zoology t UNIPORT, was a lecturer in the Rivers State College of Education, from November 1983 to March 1993. He served under the following Heads of Department, Mrs. Kini, an Indian lady; Dr. McQuin, an American; and some Nigerians – Dr. Mensah Blankson and late Dr. Helen Bozimo. His other colleagues included Peter Idabor, Dr. Jane Onwugbuta-Enyi, Dr. F.G. Bob-Manuel, Dr(Mrs) Rosetta Bob-Manuel, late Mr. Sokari George and others. It was at the Rivers State College of Education Goodluck Jonathan became known as “GEJ”. One of his students at the college is his wife Dame Patience Jonathan. Below are some of his secondary school and university classmates: Mater Dei High School – Benson Agadaga – Sonitabai Sakurogha – Barr.Roselyn Biobaragha – Partner Jim-Ogboho University of Port Harcourt ( as course mates and/or hostel mates) – HRH King Amalate Turner (also at St. Michael’s School, Oloibiri) – Prof. Bernand Achinike – Amb. Godknows Igali – Theresa Ita Joseph – Chika Mercy Mgbeogu – Anyalebechi Njoku – Mr. Oluyori Aguda – Prof. Akaja Akonye – Donatus Nwabueze – Ferdinand Anikwe – Adesonji Olaoba Efuntayo – James Okoagba. http://citypeoplegroup.org/i/unveiling-president-jonathans-classmates-his-msc-phd-supervisor/

Okey Iheduru, PhD

[Mobolaji Aluko]

Dr. Onyeani:

Thanks a bunch.

You yourself were a victim of a serious cybernetical attack some years back on Naijapolitics  over your honorary doctorate degree. I remember coming to your defense then, Ogbuefi.

And there you have it.


Bolaji Aluko

PS. Old Naijanetters will recall that I was the first netter to point out that Dr. Azikiwe earned multiple Masters but no PhD before using the title "Dr.", but that (using archival documents) after a generous donation, he was first honored with it at Storrs College in 1938 or so (his first undergraduate school in the US, which closed down soon after). He went on to receive several deserved honorary doctorates around the world. I was accused furiously of being an Awo partisan and Igbo hater by the usual caterwauling suspects, with the argument that he was referred to as "Doctor" early in his political life upon retun from the US,  but that  he never referred to himself as such until he got his honorary degrees.

I moved on to more important matters....because I do know that even today, our newspaper very often GLIBLY refer to people as "Dr This" or "Dr That" without bothering to inquire from them. (Dr. Aganga, Dr Omobola Johnson, Dr Ezekwesili were cases in point. Oby has since arned a number of honorary doctorates.)

> <https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/LSxV4UPxWZM9RSYvXDkDd-8mIQ6CaT3g3_yS_xi2zyDNytAeog5sEfRhASQoj0RoAssM9LIgGn-rIQcv0Q3RZ5yi90AZPU-HY6EngJ0Hj-WhT7T9XSMx1g=s0-d-e1-ft#http://newsrescue.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/jonathan-cert.jpg>

[Farooq A. Kperogi]

Dear Professor Iheduru,

Knowing the name of Goodluck Jonathan’s Ph.D. supervisor takes one piece out of the puzzle of his putative doctorate, but it frankly says nothing. For one, Prof. Charles Bruce Powell is dead and there is no way to confirm if Jonathan actually defended his dissertation.

 He may very well have legitimately earned his PhD, but we have no firm evidence to establish this. So far, protestations of the authenticity of the claims of his having earned a PhD hang on a very slender thread of evidence.

It is entirely possible that he enrolled for the  Ph.D., was assigned a supervisor, perhaps did some field work, but  became too swamped by the demands of his work at OMPADEC (where he was assistant  director) to write up his dissertation. Then the overly perverse differential Nigerian culture that conduces to the conferral of anticipated titles on people led people to start addressing him as "Dr. Jonathan." He probably got habituated to answering the anticipatory but unearned title and later embraced it. That has happened countless times in Nigeria.

One of my professors at Bayero University Kano once told me how people kept calling him "Dr." when he returned to Kano after 7 years of an unsuccessful bid to get a PhD in English at the University of London. He chose to write his dissertation on Shakespeare and couldn't demonstrate to his committee that his research made any "original contribution to knowledge." But upon return to Kano, people started to prefix "Dr." to his names. He said he protested loudly to everyone that he wasn't a PhD. Nobody gave a care. He said the embarrassment of being called a “Dr." when he didn't actually earn a PhD became so intolerable that he was compelled to re-enroll for another PhD at the Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria.  He earned the Ph.D. three years later.

Former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso also used to be called "Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso” because he enrolled for a PhD in engineering in Poland, which he didn't complete. Upon returning to Nigeria, his people started to address him as a "Dr.” Like I suspect is the case with Jonathan, Kwankwaso got too comfortable with the false title in time. But when the Salisu Buhari Toronto certificate scandal broke and the searchlight was being beamed on public officials with bogus certificates, Kwankwaso preemptively called a press conference and said he had never called himself a "Dr."; that it was other people who called him a doctor because he was once enrolled in a doctoral program at a Polish university. (He later earned a PhD at the University of Maiduguri after, I think, his first term in 2003).

I, too, had been addressed as "Dr." by readers of my weekly newspaper columns years before I earned my Ph.D.  Being enrolled in a Ph.D. was sufficient basis for them to call me a “doctor.” I was forced to write a column that I titled "Not Yet a Doctor."

I brought all these examples to make the case that merely saying someone had a dissertation adviser does nothing to prove that they actually wrote and defended their dissertation— and EARNED their PhD. What is the title of Jonathan's doctoral dissertation? Who was his external supervisor? I imagine that his external supervisor is a Nigerian. Or is he dead, too? Why can't his doctoral dissertation be found in the library of the department he graduated from--or even from the records of doctoral dissertations in the library of the University of Port Harcourt? But, most tellingly, why is everyone who should have answers to these questions suspiciously secretive and guarded?

Lastly, you of all people should know that giving a list of Jonathan's high school and college classmates, colleagues, etc. is irrelevant to establishing the case that he indeed earned the PhD he claims he has. Plus, why should I trust a man who can't even reconcile the years his official resume says he got his master’s degree (1985) and that a conference paper he co-authored says he got it (1984)?

 

Farooq

Personal website: www.farooqkperogi.com

Twitter: @farooqkperog

Author of Glocal English: The Changing Face and Forms of Nigerian English in a Global World

"The nice thing about pessimism is that you are constantly being either proven right or pleasantly surprised." G. F. Will

[Segun Ogungbemi]

Farooq,
If we are looking for core evidence to prove that our former President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan actually got a Ph.D, we have to consider the statement credited to Chief. Obasanjo his political father who said that Jonathan did not have a Doctorate degree. He was emphatic about it. Jonathan probably started the program but he did not complete it.
Another evidence that is needed is if Jonathan earned a Doctorate degree by research, a copy of it should be in the Library and from it we can get the title of his dissertation/thesis, the supervisor who signed it whether he is alive or dead and date/year of completion. In some instances, the HOD of the Department signs the dissertation/thesis in addition to the supervisor of the student. In the case of Jonathan, do we have the proof?
The Senate that approved the title of his dissertation/ thesis and the final completion of it should have what we call Senate Extracts.
If Jonathan completed his Doctorate degree as some people would want us to believe, has anyone cited or made references to it?
These are critical issues that someone must sincerely unravel.
Prof. Segun Ogungbemi

> On Aug 23, 2015, at 7:09 PM, "Farooq A. Kperogi" <farooq...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Farooq

[Victor Okafor]

Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria is still alive. Right? So, is it possible to get him to directly answer these probing questions as to whether or not he earned a doctorate degree from a Nigerian university? Does any member of this forum know how to contact the former president by email? If so, can that person reach out to him and acquaint him with these expressions of doubts or questions being raised about his academic credentials and then get him to respond to the doubting Thomases? In our age of instantaneous mass communication, this should not be a difficult or complex task.

If I were the former president, I would be very appreciative of an opportunity to clear the air publicly about his academic credentials. Such a swift response, would put all the speculations to rest.  If I may, let me remind ourselves that here in the United States, President Barack Obama boldly and publicly responded to cynics who expressed doubts about his American citizenship.

---

From: "Segun Ogungbemi" <segun...@gmail.com>
To: usaafric...@googlegroups.com
Cc: usaafric...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Monday, August 24, 2015 12:52:21 AM
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - On the Matter of Fake Degrees in Nigeria {Re: - [Facebook Post] Farooq Kperogi on Buhari's appointee and phantom degrees

[Mobolaji Aluko]

Victor Okafor:

Are you kidding me?

I have seen President GEJ since May 30....I am one of those many that you are probably "reaching" out to to ask him "(im)pertinent"....do you think that I would now ask him what you just  asked me to?

You know what?  I invite you to the university at Otuoke, and I will have you be my guest at the VC's Lodge..... then I will arrange for you to go and visit GEJ, and you ask him all of these questions that you set out...

It is easy for you to sit somewhere FAR away in Michigan and propose cat-belling questions by a mouse....no pun intended....

Oya, take my offer....same as I made to "Dr." Aito under different guise.

I think some of you fellows are taking your oppositional stance too far....

And there you have it.

Bolaji Aluko

[Anunoby, Ogugua]

Obasanjo does not hold a university degree. I am not aware that he was ever directly associated with the University of Port Harcourt in official capacity during and after Jonathan's studentship at the university. Obasanjo has never been appointed to speak for the university. He should make public the evidence that informed his claim.? Should be forgotten that Obasanjo chose/recommended Jonathan as vice president as Dr. Jonathan. He is a champion of "politics with bitterness". Anyone who believes him in the absence of incontrovertible evidence does so at their own risk.

oa

[Funmi Tofowomo Okelola]

FYI

"Goodluck Jonathan's Ph.D. thesis cannot be found." Tam David West

https://www.thecable.ng/jonathans-ph-d-thesis-not-found-tam-david-west-alleges

Jonathan’s PhD certificate authentic — UNIPORT

“We have absolutely nothing to hide as an institution that has a statutory mandate to advance the frontiers of knowledge,” Wodi added.

http://www.punchng.com/news/jonathans-phd-certificate-authentic-uniport/

UNIPORT hides Jonathan’s doctorate details

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/178796-uniport-hides-jonathans-doctorate-details.html

The University of Port Harcourt has declined a Freedom of Information, FOI, request for the doctorate degree records of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Funmi Tofowomo Okelola

-In the absence of greatness, mediocrity thrives. 

http://www.cafeafricana.com

[kojo]

Why couldn't the vc simply request transcripts from the University the applicant said he attended?

[Okey Iheduru]

You cannot request a university to send you someone else's transcript. The student/graduate is the only person who may request the transcript. Universities can--and do--VERIFY whether an individual is/was a student and/or completed the course of study or graduated. Legally, they may not release any other information or student's record beyond this verification.

In order to for the transcript of academic record to be authentic (assuming you have --generally an official--need/reason to have this record), it must be sent DIRECTLY from the university registrar's office to the third party. Student's copy is generally not accepted as "official" copy.

[Segun Ogungbemi]

oa,
In Nigeria, we have some people addressed as Dr. so and so and in the real sense of it they are not. I don't know the source of information Chief Obasanjo has on Jonathan on his educational qualification. But what is clear to me is that if someone is very close to me as Jonathan had been to his political godfather his testimony must not be ignored on a matter of public concern.
I expect your reaction to other issues that I have raised in my post because they are important as well. They serve as core evidence that someone like you should help us pursue.
Prof. Segun Ogungbemi

[Kasim Alli]

Mr. Ogungbemi:
Help us in answering some of your questions:
1. Provide a reference to Obasanjo's statement indicating Jonathan has no Ph.d.
2. Must a dissertation title be approved by the university senate?
3. Must every dissertation be cited by other authors?
4. Since you are in Nigeria, maybe you can get a copy of the graduation program fr the university for the year of graduation that will list the names of all degree recipients.

Kasim Alli.

Sent from my iPad

[kenneth harrow]

this is completely true; transcripts are personal records, not public at all.
but graduation data are public.
ken

-- 
kenneth w. harrow 
faculty excellence advocate
professor of english
michigan state university
department of english
619 red cedar road
room C-614 wells hall
east lansing, mi 48824
ph. 517 803 8839
har...@msu.edu

[Ibukunolu A Babajide]

Anunoby,

I  thought we were trying to root out those parading with fake degrees?

When did you turn it into anti-Obasanjo campaign?  Ask Joe na tan where he got his PhD degree from?

Cheers.

IBK

[Anunoby, Ogugua]

so,
I expect you to know that many relationships in Nigerian politics are contrived and driven by opportunism. Only Obasanjo and Jonathan can tell us how well they know each other. Nigeria knows enough about Obasanjo to know that his characterization of people he disagrees with must be received with a pinch of salt and perhaps pepper too.
The other issues you raised in your posting have all been answered in my opinion. Bolaji Aluko answered them in one of his postings I believe. Given his position in Nigeria's university system, the presumption must be that he knows what he was talking about. Do you have any good reason not to believe him? I do not.

[Bayo Amos]

1.We can argue from now till eternity on whether Jonathan merits his PhD or not but the incontrovertible fact is that he has a PhD because the institution competent to award it has stated so. If the University of Port Harcourt has stated explicitly that Jonathan has a doctorate degree, why should we doubt this?

2. If there are still doubts, in my opinion, the heat should not be on Jonathan but on the University of Port Harcourt. After all, we can't claim his PhD is fake when the school has validated it. However, except Uniport has a policy (and it would be a funny policy) that forbids disclosure of basic stuffs as the title of a thesis, there is no good reason why his thesis' title should not be a public knowledge.

One more thing though, one could be a 'bad' or an 'incompetent' president and at the same time be a good zoologist. I hope we get the message.

Thanks,

Bayo.

[Segun Ogungbemi]

> Kasim Alli',
I can offer you a suggestion on the first question. It was the PDP campaigners that first began the allegation that Buhari did not have a secondary school certificate and that if he had he should show it. Then some APC campaigners raised the issue of Jonathan not having a Ph.D and if he had one he should show it. Obasanjo wanted to clear the air of who earned a certificate and who did not during the last political campaigns. He said that Jonathan did not complete his doctoral program. Which means, according to Obasanjo, Jonathan does not have a Ph.D degree. Don't forget, Obansajo was the political mentor and godfather of Jonathan.
So you can google on Obasanjo's speeches during the last campaign on the issue and get the details.
I have been a member of Senate of several Universities in Africa. My experience is that, it is the Senate that approves the title of Ph.D Thesis on the recommendation of the Postgraduate Board of any student pursuing the degree.
It is common knowledge that having the name of a student on the graduating list does not necessarily mean that such a student has actually completed his program in the university.
We have witnessed cases of students who have their names listed in error on the graduating list and such students used the list to get employment in Nigeria.
If a student has his Ph.D Thesis in the Library, some curious researcher can cite the work. It happens everywhere.
I used the Senate Library of University of London in 1982. I was curious to know several Nigerians Scholars who got their Ph.D degrees there. I laid my hand on the Theses of Professors Idowu, Ayandele and Ajayi. I did notice that if I wanted to use any part of the Theses in their Library specific instructions were given. For instance, some would request you to seek permission from them.
A Ph.D thesis is not a hidden material, it is for academic/public use. You can cite mine at UT-Dallas, Texas USA. I did not put any restriction on it. Some did on their own. In some cases anyone who wants to use any part of the work has to pay.
One does not need to ask Jonathan whether he has a Ph.D or not. All you do is to go to the University where he earned the degree and interact with the Thesis, if it is available in the Library and if it is not there you can go to the Postgraduate School and find out if the copy is there.
Normally, they should have a copy there. Prof. Tam David-West said that he sent people to look for the Ph.D Thesis of Jonathan at Uniport and they couldn't find it. Maybe they did not search enough but up till now nobody claimed to have seen it. And that why we are curious.
As a philosopher we are after truth. Is it true or false that Jonathan has a Ph.D? Is it true that he wrote a Ph.D Thesis? Or was he awarded a Ph.D degree in Zoology without writing a Thesis? We need to know the truth.
Prof. Segun Ogungbemi

[Segun Ogungbemi]

"Only Obasanjo and Jonathan can tell us how well they know each other. Nigeria knows enough about Obasanjo to know that his characterization of people he disagrees with must be received with a pinch of salt and perhaps pepper too." oa
Yes, you are right in your observation. I believe many of us know that much about Obasanjo and his intrigues the moment you are not on the same page with him. But then the issue goes beyond the characterization of Obasanjo.
Please read my response to Kasim Alli. I have already answered your question too.
Prof. Segun Ogungbemi

[olaka...@aol.com]

Segun et al:

If we set aside for a minute the unresolved issue
of whether or not President Jonathan completed
his doctoral thesis at UniPort and accept as given
that claiming to have a degree that one does not
possess is unbecoming of any one not to mention
a Head of State of any nation in the world:

we need to evaluate whether or not President Jonathan's
PhD course of studies in Zoology
(either completed or not completed)
had any impact on the decisions he made or did not make while in office
that would have allowed him to have governed better than
he did.

In other words, does the acquisition of a PhD or any higher
degree influence a President's performance in office?

Bye,

Ola

---- Original Message ----
From: Segun Ogungbemi <segun...@gmail.com>

[Ibukunolu A Babajide]

My dear Prof. Ogungbemi,

It is written that "Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free!"

Those who defend Goodluck Jonathan's acquisition of a Ph.d degree and the University of Port Harcourt that is willing to cover up its award of a  Ph.d to him at the risk of losing institutional integrity know the truth but prefer to live in bondage.

The public utterances, the mien, and the carriage of Goodluck Jonathan coupled with his inability to produce his Ph.d thesis convinces me that he never genuinely earned one.

The attempt to cover up the Jonathan fraud will do lasting damage to the reputation of University of Port Harcourt just as Jonathan's tenure as President damaged the reputation and standing of Nigeria.  As long as we delight in lies and flaunting fake certificates we destroy the underlying industry and hard work that leads to certification and undermine public trust in the University system.

When graduates of Universities are unemployable and they destroy companies who employ them or with crass incompetence govern a country that elects them it destroys confidence in the university educational system. Universities become mere certificate issuing factories lacking the attendant effort and industry necessary before the certificates are earned.

Jonathan is a monumental failure! The way and manner he acquired his Ph.d contributed to his failure as a President who presided over the greatest looting of the Nigerian treasury ever!  Defend him if you wish but you can not defend his ugly legacy and failure as a President.

Cheers.

IBK

[Mobolaji Aluko]

Ola:

The performance (PEF) of a person in any given job is a function of:

   (ICM) innate character (both good and bad) and maturity (acquired over time) and health

   (CQD) certified qualifications and degrees (progressively, from primary, to secondary, to tertiary, etc.)

   (SPJ)  specific successful training for the particular job itself

   (EXP) experience, (which one acquires over time, in various positions of responsibility)

   (ADV) advisers (both self-chosen and sometimes forced upon)

   (COW) co-workers (most often, one has no hand in this matter)

   PEF = ICM + CQD + SPJ + EXP + ADV + COW

The relationships in this formula that are not necessarily as linear as they look.

The weight that one gives to any of these factors depends on the job itself.  One would hope that d(PEF)/d(CQD) would always be POSITIVE - that is,  performance would increase with increasing certification, and decrease with decreased qualifications, but how positive it is depends on the job itself.  Due to the rigors of getting an earned PhD, and the confidence that such a successful completion confers, one would expect that a PhD would BOOST the performance of any holder compared with that of a School Certificate holder.  However, a School Certificate holder who has been trained as a motor driver will perform more successfully than a PhD holder who has NEVER been taught how to drive, etc.

GEJ's dilemma was that there were people disappointed with his performance on the job - and put too much weight on his PhD certification - but his dilemma was compounded by enquiries about opposition candidate PMB's School certificate, which led to political inquisition about GEJ's own PhD certification.  Fowler's "honorary" certification has stirred that hornet's nest again

So all of this is politics - but we really should move on.  Those who are fully vested in determining the full truth - about Tinubu, GEJ, Fowler, etcheram, ad nauseum  -  should do so quietly.  There may yet be surprises.....or none at all.

And there you have it.  I am moving on...

Bolaji Aluko

[Anunoby, Ogugua]

It seems to me that information including knowledge is a critical determinant (d) factor of job performance. Knowledge may be acquired by different means including education, experience, and training.  Ability (including aptitude and talent) is another d critical factor. Its possession enables and enhances  its possessor’s competency- getting the work done as expected. Another critical d factor it seems to me, is common-sense. This enables accurate perception, understanding, and judgment/decision making as work gets done. Common sense facilitates the power to discern weed from grass- what will work or not in a practical, cost effective, and timely manner. There is of course always character which speaks to the moral quality (integrity) of the performer- can they be trusted to do the job properly and will they?  

Does the possession of a college degree always mean the acquisition of transited knowledge? No in all cases. Does the possession of knowledge have to be evidenced by a college degree? Not in all cases. It is never the possession of a degree that gets work done. It is the application of knowledge acquired in the course of study for the degree that does. Performance can be good too, even enviable without the possession of a college degree. A degree is at the end of the day, no more than a certification of the successful completion of an approved course of study. It is not a full-proof affirmation of learning and competency.

I remember a BBC interview of Bob Marley. He was asked whether he regretted that he had little formal education. He answered “ … If I was educated, I would be a damn fool”. He supported his position by calling attention to Jamaica’s leaders at the time, Havard and Oxford educated men and the mess they made of governing Jamaica.   

 

oa

[Salimonu Kadiri]

Bolaji:
 
Before you move on, I have some points to make on this issue of real and imaginary academic degrees in Nigeria. From May 29, 1999, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan progressed from Deputy Governor to substantive Governor; from Governor to Vice President and from 2010 to 2015, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. A mere perusal of Section 131 (a-d) of the 1999 constitution and Part IV article 318 (1) (a-d) of the interpretation of Section 131(d) shows that Primary Six School Leaving Certificate plus the ability to read, write, understand and communicate in English Language, to the satisfaction of INEC, is what is constitutionally required to contest for the office of the President in Nigeria. In view of that constitutional requirements, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was overqualified to contest for the Presidency, and whether his Doctorate degree was earned or conjured has no other consequence than being a feather in his bowler hat.
 
As for Mr Fowler, it is yet to be established if a PhD is required in order to perform the duties in his newly appointed office. Personally, I think he has basic academic qualification required to manage the office to which he has been appointed by Buhari which does not necessarily mean that he would perform well in his new assignment.
 
Generally, Nigeria's industrial and economic ailments, the main cause of abject poverty in the country, are much more inferior to the academic qualifications of Nigerians employed in the Ministries, Departments and Parastatals to cure the nation of those ailments. While we spend a lot of time discussing earned or lottery PhD holders, why has it not been possible to ask why those who claimed to possess genuine PhDs have not been able to perform well in their offices like their counterparts in Europe and America? I will give you two examples from the Government of Jonathan. In 2011, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was not only Minister of Finance but Coordinating Minister for Economy. The budget for fuel subsidy for that year was N 245 billion but at the end of the year she had paid N 2.587 trillion as fuel subsidy without supplementary budget appropriation. The overpayment was equivalent to over half of the 2011 total federal budget. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is a Havard PhD holder in Economics and she was a World Bank Director. In other governments, at least, in the West not only would Ngozi have resigned but the entire government. As a layman I blame her behaviour and bad performance on the ingenuity of her PhD. Although about N 232 billion was budgeted for as payment of subsidy arrears (from 2011) in 2012, Okonjo-Iweala told a Senate hearing on Monday, 2 July 2012, that N 451 billion had been disbursed alone on arrears from 2011 at the first quarter of 2012. That was another violation of budget appropriation limit by our PhD holder  and Minister of Finance and Economic Coordination. The genuineness of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala's PhD in Economics and her bad performance is equal to the academic degrees of the Nigerian managers of Nigeria's four oil refineries who are incapable of refining crude oil. The second example is Professor Chinedu Ositadinma Ndubuisi Nebo the Minister of Power until May 29. 2015. At Senate screening on Wednesday, 23 January 2013, he said, "If the President deploys me in the power sector, I believe that given my performance at the University of Nigeria Nsukka, UNN, where as a Chancellor, I drove out the witches and demons, God will also give me power to drive out demons in the power sector."  For what we know, the Permanent Secretary to Minister of Power is a PhD holder, the Chairman of Nigerian Electric Regulation Authority is a PhD holder and the Minister of Power was a Professor and an electrical engineer, but they produced only Mega Watts of darkness for Nigerians despite their genuine academic qualifications. Those who claim possession of academic qualifications that can make them produce goods and services for Nigerians have been given the opportunity to demonstrate their skills but crude oil they cannot refine, potable water, they cannot produce, iron and steel they cannot produce in Ajaokuta, hospitals they cannot build and maintain etc. Farooq Kperogi and others should start questioning the genuineness of the academic cats dressed in the furs of tigers in Nigeria who come home to Nigerians with mice and bluffing as if they have hunted  gazelles. In fact, Boko Haram would have been speaking the truth, if they had said that Western education is useless in Nigeria since educated Nigerians in government and parastatals have never been as productive as their counterparts in the Western world in spite of local availability of natural and mineral resources at their disposals. 

 

---

Date: Wed, 26 Aug 2015 06:34:46 +0100

Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - On the Matter of Fake Degrees in Nigeria {Re: - [Facebook Post] Farooq Kperogi on Buhari's appointee and phantom degrees

From: alu...@gmail.com
To: usaafric...@googlegroups.com

[olaka...@aol.com]

Boko Haram would have been speaking the truth, if they had said that Western education is useless in Nigeria since educated Nigerians in government and parastatals have never been as productive as their counterparts in the Western world in spite of local availability of natural and mineral resources at their disposals.

--Salimonu Kadiri

Oga Salimonu:

Na wa O!

I hope by the above you you are encouraging Nigerian
kids to slack of school because as you put it:

"Western education is useless in Nigeria since educated Nigerians in government and parastatals
 have never been as productive as their counterparts in the Western world."

I also think you are being unduly harsh on Dr Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria's Minister of Finance and Co-ordinating
Minister for the Economy for most of that last 7 or 8 years.

The Nigerian system is riddled with corrupt practices most of which have been in place
for several decades. A minister can only work with what she has got and perform to the extent
and latitude allowed by his/her boss--the President.

Imagine being the Minister of Finance (the official bean counter of the federation) and you have no idea
how many hands have touched the amount dwindling into federal coffers from the sale of crude petroleum
before it reaches the CBN.

We have just heard from the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria who stated that Nigeria is the only country
India deals with that required payments for purchased crude oil to be made through 'intermediaries."
What percentage of the funds earned from Nigeria's crude oil is skimmed off by these unknown shady intermediaries
and why do we need them?

I would argue that it is not the sole job of the finance minister to probe into where the funds she had at her disposal
came from and how many hands touched those funds before they reached the CBN.
This is the job of the Minister of Petroleum Services, the entire cabinet and the President on whose desk the buck ultimately stops
on every issue.

Okonjo-Iweala's job might also have been made more difficult especially if the Presidency and the then ruling
party the PDP were those who setup the system of paying oil proceeds to through intermediaries.

The outstanding questions are:

Did Okonjo-Iweala know about these schemes and if she did why did she not raise her voice
and if she did and was rebuffed why did she not resign?

When SLS, the former Gov of the CBN was complaining of missing funds was he referring partially
or in whole to the 'commissions' made to the intermediaries and was Okonjo-Iweala in the loop?


I am willing to give Dr Okonjo_Iweala the benefit of the doubt (for now) that she might
have been unaware of all the fraudulent schemes that were going on around her office especially relating
to Nigeria's oil proceeds!

Let us hope that President Buhari will ensure that the intermediaries are identified, exposed to all Nigerians
and that the funds that have been looted through these fraudulent schemes are recovered from the looters.

Bye,

Ola

Bye,

Ola

 

[Anunoby, Ogugua]

What does the Indian High Commissioner in Nigeria mean by “intermediaries”?  Many oil transactions  involve brokers who are intermediaries.

That the Nigerian system is corrupt and a technocrat has no choice but to play along while they serve, is a lame argument. There is no obligation on any one to situate themselves in so called service, inside or at the top of a corruption chain. Technocrats of integrity who are truly concerned about their personal and professional integrity and reputation refuse to be part of such a system. They quit- resign after reasonable time, especially when they have alternative employment/service choices. They have compelling reasons to resign including  conscience, morality, and professionalism. When they do not resign, they become the face of the corrupt system and might even help to legitimize the system, which in some case is the employers’ motivation for hiring them.  

 

oa

[Mobolaji Aluko]

Salimonu:

Before I move on, I must agree with much of what you wrote below, first by adding another component Employer/Boss/System (EBS) to those who can affect performance - and this is a huge factor in developing countries, particularly Nigeria.

This is why quite a number of people with impeccable and undisputed credentials in Nigeria appear not to succeed on the kind of macro-scale that you and I would like.  Their position often is that on a micro scale they are doing the best with the hand that they are dealt, and that the situation would have even been worse without them.  There is of course room for argument about that.

Working in Nigeria, the limitations stare me in the face on a daily basis

What we need in Nigeria are not minimum-academic-qualification persons -after all I would love to see academic qualification requirements for President or lawmakers in any other country - but Maximum-cognate-academic-cum-experience persons working in concert with each other under a respected/respectable Coordinating CEO/President.  Let me be controversial:  Okonjo-Iweala, Nebo, Amadi, Igali, Diezani, all have impeccable academic credentials (see nigeria-power.com  for some descriptions), but how cognate those are, or the experience they brought to the jobs in the first instance is arguable.  Then a CEO/President who abdicates "coordinating responsibilities" to subordinates and other mandarins is asking for serious trouble - and gets it.

"Nuff said.

Bolaji Aluko

On Wednesday, August 26, 2015, Salimonu Kadiri <ogunl...@hotmail.com> wrote:

Bolaji:
 
Before you move on, I have some points to make on this issue of real and imaginary academic degrees in Nigeria. From May 29, 1999, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan progressed from Deputy Governor to substantive Governor; from Governor to Vice President and from 2010 to 2015, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. A mere perusal of Section 131 (a-d) of the 1999 constitution and Part IV article 318 (1) (a-d) of the interpretation of Section 131(d) shows that Primary Six School Leaving Certificate plus the ability to read, write, understand and communicate in English Language, to the satisfaction of INEC, is what is constitutionally required to contest for the office of the President in Nigeria. In view of that constitutional requirements, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was overqualified to contest for the Presidency, and whether his Doctorate degree was earned or conjured has no other consequence than being a feather in his bowler hat.
 
As for Mr Fowler, it is yet to be established if a PhD is required in order to perform the duties in his newly appointed office. Personally, I think he has basic academic qualification required to manage the office to which he has been appointed by Buhari which does not necessarily mean that he would perform well in his new assignment.
 

Generally, Nigeria's industrial and economic ailments, the main cause of abject poverty in the country, are much more inferior to the academic qualifications of Nigerians employed in the Ministries, Departments and Parastatals to cure the nation of those ailments. While we spend a lot of time discussing earned or lottery PhD holders, why has it not been possible to ask why those who claimed to possess genuine PhDs have not been able to perform well in their offices like their counterparts in Europe and America? I will give you two examples from the Government of Jonathan. In 2011, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was not only Minister of Finance but Coordinating Minister for Economy. The budget for fuel subsidy for that year was N 245 billion but at the end of the year she had paid N 2.587 trillion as fuel subsidy without supplementary budget appropriation. The overpayment was equivalent to over half of the 2011 total federal budget. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is a Havard PhD holder in Economics and she was a World Bank Director. In other governments, at least, in the West not only would Ngozi have resigned but the entire government. As a layman I blame her behaviour and bad performance on  with tthe ingenuity of her PhD. Although about N 232 billion was budgeted for as payment of subsidy arrears (from 2011) in 2012, Okonjo-Iweala told a Senate hearing on Monday, 2 July 2012, that N 451 billion had been disbursed alone on arrears from 2011 at the first quarter of 2012. That was another violation of budget appropriation limit by our PhD holder  and Minister of Finance and Economic Coordination. The genuineness of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala's PhD in Economics and her bad performance is equal to the academic degrees of the Nigerian managers of Nigeria's four oil refineries who are incapable of refining crude oil. The second example is Professor Chinedu Ositadinma Ndubuisi Nebo the Minister of Power until May 29. 2015. At Senate screening on Wednesday, 23 January 2013, he said, "If the President deploys me in the power sector, I believe that given my performance at the University of Nigeria Nsukka, UNN, where as a Chancellor, I drove out the witches and demons, God will also give me power to drive out demons in the power sector."  For what we know, the Permanent Secretary to Minister of Power is a PhD holder, the Chairman of Nigerian Electric Regulation Authority is a PhD holder and the Minister of Power was a Professor and an electrical engineer, but they produced only Mega Watts of darkness for Nigerians despite their genuine academic qualifications. Those who claim possession of academic qualifications that can make them produce goods and services for Nigerians have been given the opportunity to demonstrate their skills but crude oil they cannot refine, potable water, they cannot produce, iron and steel they cannot produce in Ajaokuta, hospitals they cannot build and maintain etc. Farooq Kperogi and others should start questioning the genuineness of the academic cats dressed in the furs of tigers in Nigeria who come home to Nigerians with mice and bluffing as if they have hunted  gazelles. In fact, Boko Haram would have been speaking the truth, if they had said that Western education is useless in Nigeria since educated Nigerians in government and parastatals have never been as productive as their counterparts in the Western world in spite of local availability of natural and mineral resources at their disposals. 

[Salimonu Kadiri]

Ólóyè Ola:
 
In 1871, when the education of Africans was being planned by the colonialists, Edmund Blyden wrote a letter to Pope Henessey, warning that the subjection of Africans to unmodified European training would produce a slavery far more subversive of the real welfare of Black Africans than the  capture and carting away of Africans as slaves in USA and West Indies. The greatest slavery is that of the brain and mind through training just like dogs or other domesticated mammals meant to be controlled and exploited. Edmund Blyden's warning of 1871 had not been heeded and the subjection of Africans to unmodified European training has now produced numerous slave overseers in Nigeria appointed by the slave masters from abroad. The eagles have awarded Nigerian chickens the title of Professor of flying and we have seen the amplitude and altitude Professor Chicken Wings can fly.Contrary to your understanding of what I wrote, I am not encouraging Nigerian children to slack off school rather, I want them to be qualitatively educated so that at the end of their studies they would be able to refine Nigeria's crude oil; mine our iron ores and work them into steels, generate electric lights for our people, produce potable water for our citizens and in short do everything that educated western people are doing to make life more abundant for their citizens.

 
Concerning Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, it is obvious that you have misread what I wrote about her. My main point about her was that she exceeded the budget limit for payment of fuel subsidy in 2011 by over 900% without supplementary budget appropriation. A genuine economist and a PhD holder was not expected to commit such a serious economic infraction of paying N 2.587 trillion for subsidy instead of the budgeted N245 billion for the year 2011. That had nothing to do with whether the Minister of petroleum and NNPC rendered proper accounts to the CBN or not. Okonjo-Iweala is just an example of what obtains in all Ministries, Departments, Parastatals and Agencies in Nigeria, that is to say, big academic qualifications of officials but negative production of goods and services.

 

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Date: Wed, 26 Aug 2015 17:24:12 -0400
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