PhD scandal: UI denies issuing certificate to Osun Polytechnic rector

- University of Ibadan has described as fraudulent, Akinola Olaolu's PhD certificate in Economics

- Olaolu, the acting rector of Igbajo Polytechnic, claimed to have a PhD in Economics from the University of Ibadan

- The spokesperson for UI, Olatunji Oladejo, said Olaolu did not graduate from the institution

Following the scandal rocking Igbajo Polytechnic over the acting rector's Doctor of Philosophy certificate in Economics, the University of Ibadan has denied issuing the certificate to the acting rector, Akinola Olaolu.

This was disclosed by the director of public communications of the institution, Olatunji Oladejo, on Monday June 4, Punch reports.

Legit.ng notes that Olaolu, who came into the school in December 2015 as a deputy rector to the former rector, Tanimowo Oke, reportedly caused the removal of Oke after claiming to have a PhD in Economics. Oke was said to have a master's degree as of then.

Oladejo said that the document had been by the school’s vice-chancellor, registrar and the head of the postgraduate school, adding that it was a fraudulent certificate. “We still maintain our earlier stance on the matter. He did not graduate from the UI. We have no record of the certificate," he said.

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The rector’s purported thesis supervisor, Prof. Ademola Ariyo, said Olaolu had no record in the department of Economics.

Olaolu, however, insisted that his certificate was genuine. He said: “I may not be able to talk on this matter because it (the case) is with the police. I, however, have documents to show that I registered at UI. You have never seen me or interrogated me face to face. If you come to Igbajo, you will see some of the documents I used to register for my MBA. UI can never deny the receipt for the payments I made then, my course registration form…because I started with MBA there.

“They (UI) won’t have a record of the PhD if they don’t have for the other ones because it is in the same file. It is the same matric number you use for every thing as you enter. It is what you use for all the courses you do. If they don’t lay hands on my file, they won’t have my (matric) number and obviously, they won’t even have my name. At the worst, they cannot deny that I did not come to the UI.”

Rasheedat Okoduwa, the spokesperson for the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences, said investigations were ongoing into the matter.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Dr Akinola Olaolu, the acting rector, Igbajo Polytechnic, Igbajo, Osun state, came under attack following claims that his doctorate was being called into question.

The workers of the institution claimed that there was nothing to suggest that the acting rector had a PhD.

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Source: Legit.ng