The IHERIS University in Togo has criticised Nigerian government‘s recent decision to suspend all employees holding degrees from universities in Benin and Togo. The university‘s registrar, Dr. Adamu Muhammad Wakili, described the move as hasty and claimed it reflects unfair treatment.
In an interview with journalists in Nigeria, Dr Wakili explained that concerns regarding degrees from Benin and Togo emerged following an investigation by a Nigerian journalist. This investigation led the Nigerian government to choose not to recognise degree certificates from these institutions and to threaten the suspension of employees in government agencies, ministries, and parastatals who hold such certificates.
Dr. Wakili expressed his astonishment that an issue concerning a university in Benin has adversely affected IHERIS University in Togo.
He stated, “No issue in the world has ever been resolved by imposing severe and rapid measures that penalise all for the actions of a few.”
He continued, “If the objective is genuinely to enhance the quality of education, this decision is unjust. I anticipated that the investigation would clarify what transpired, identify the locus of the alleged misconduct, and determine the university that awarded the degree to the journalist. Who was involved, and what was the conspiracy?“
Dr. Wakili also noted that the issuance of counterfeit degrees is a widespread issue, including in Nigeria. He cited reports of fraudulent degrees awarded at the University of Lagos and the University of Calabar as examples.
He criticised the Nigerian minister of Education for not providing specific results from the government‘s investigation. „With all due respect to the honorable minister, this decision seems deliberate and unjust. It was made without adhering to legal procedures and proper decorum. I am prepared to defend both myself and this matter for the duration of my life,“ he affirmed.
Dr. Wakili confirmed that IHERIS University holds a confirmation letter from the Nigerian government regarding their quality and accreditation. “In 2020, we requested the Nigerian government to verify our institution‘s authenticity and the quality of our degree certificates, and to confirm their recognition in Nigeria,“ he emphasised.
Wakili further highlighted that IHERIS University is endorsed by numerous educational institutions within Nigeria and across Africa, which recognise its quality.