ℹ️ BOOM🔥🔥NUC FLAGS MISUSE OF HONORARY DOCTORATES AT NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES.
1 minutes read ⏱️ 8:43pm
BOOM🔥🔥NUC FLAGS MISUSE OF HONORARY DOCTORATES AT NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES.
By Prof Hølå-Isååç ☦️
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has expressed deep concern over the growing misuse of honorary doctorate degrees by Nigerian universities and unaccredited institutions across the country. Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, Executive Secretary of the NUC, disclosed this while presenting the findings of an investigation into the “awards and public misuse of honorary doctorate degrees” at a briefing in Abuja.
Key Findings of the Investigation:🗝️
🤏🏼 The inquiry covered 61 institutions and professional bodies and uncovered “deeply concerning” practices, including indiscriminate conferment of honorary degrees and the awarding of fake professorships.
🤏🏼 32 institutions were identified as operating as “honorary doctorate degree mills,” comprising:
- 10 unaccredited foreign universities,
- 4 unlicensed local universities,
- 15 professional bodies without degree-awarding powers, and
- 3 other non-degree awarding institutions.
🤏🏼Some of these entities even award fake professorships, a practice the NUC described as “alarming.”
Prof. Ribadu emphasized that recipients of honorary doctorates must not use the title “Dr.” in their names. He clarified:
He added that honorary degree holders are prohibited from practising as scholars, supervising research, or overseeing administrative units.
The NUC Executive Secretary reiterated that the awarding of honorary degrees is a legal responsibility reserved for Nigerian universities and that the NUC has the mandate to regulate both their award and use.
The investigation follows a five‑member committee set up to examine the politicisation and public misuse of honorary doctorates in Nigeria. The panel, chaired by NUC Visiting Professor and former Vice‑Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria – Prof. Kabiru Bala – was tasked with proposing ethical guidelines and best practices for awarding and regulating honorary degrees.
Speaking at Nile University’s 13th convocation on Wednesday, Prof. Ribadu noted that many universities have ignored the 2012 Keffi Declaration, which prohibits awarding honorary doctorates to serving public officers. He said, “We have what is called the Keffi Declaration from 2012. It is against the award of honorary doctorates to serving officers, whether political or not. But a lot of our universities do not follow it.”
In recent years, both accredited and unaccredited institutions have awarded honorary degrees to politicians, business leaders, and celebrities, raising questions about the legitimacy of some awards. The NUC affirmed its commitment to guiding the proper use of honorary degrees to protect the integrity of Nigeria’s university system and uphold academic standards.
Signed,
Public Relations Officer, National Universities Commission.
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