Fact Check: Did Nigerians Protest at Chicago State University Over Tinubu's Certificate?
- Claims that a protest broke out at the Chicago State University over President Bola Tinubu's academic credentials have surfaced online
- The posters claimed the protest was peaceful, adding that many of the alleged demonstrators were Nigerians living in the United States
- Legit.ng fact-checked the claim which comes amid Atiku Abubakar's petition against Tinubu's academic record
PAY ATTENTION: Unlock the best of Legit.ng on Pinterest! Subscribe now and get your daily inspiration!
Chicago, USA - A Facebook user, Ọlájídé Kọngọ Ọrọ Ọláyẹmí, claimed Nigerians living in diaspora held a peaceful protest over President Bola Tinubu's certificate at the Chicago State University (CSU) in the US.
The post, which was first shared on August 30, 2023, included a hashtag calling for the "disqualification" of Tinubu as Nigeria's president.
Source: Facebook
No evidence of protest against Tinubu
Legit.ng earlier reported that the candidates of the two major opposition parties, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, are challenging President Tinubu’s victory in the 2023 election in court.
PAY ATTENTION: Donate to Legit Charity on Patreon. Your support matters!
The accompanying image of the purported protest showed a group of demonstrators with a sizable banner that reads “Nigeria's democracy under siege”.
Olayemi's post reads in full:
"BREAKING: Peaceful protest at the Chicago State University by Nigerians living in the US. #ChicagoStateUniversity #TinubuMUSTbeDisqualified."
Source: Facebook
Similar posts can be found here, here, and here.
But did Nigerians protest at the Chicago State University? Legit.ng checked.
Fake news
There has been no report of a protest by Nigerians in Chicago city by any reliable media house.
Legit.ng also carried out a reverse image search for the photo of the demonstrators and discovered that it was from a protest in early April 2023.
At the time, Obidients, a sobriquet for supporters of Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), staged a protest at the White House and Capitol Hill — both in Washington, DC, USA.
The demonstrators were displeased with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC's) declaration of Tinubu as the winner of the 2023 presidential election.
Therefore, the viral claim is not true. No evidence that showed such a protest held at Chicago State University.
Chicago University: Tinubu’s old classmate speaks
In a related article, Legit.ng reported that Durojaiye Ogunsanya, a public affairs analyst, said he and Tinubu were classmates at the CSU.
Ogunsanya, in an interview with Television Continental on Monday, September 11, stated that he and Tinubu both graduated from the University in 1979.
Source: Legit.ng
