The Federal University of Guzau, Zamfara State, has debunked a media report that the University confirmed the Professorship of Dr Bernard Odoh. A media report had claimed that the University affirmed that Odoh was appointed as a full Professor of Geological Sciences on October 1, 2015.
The report quoted a purported certified true copy of the appointment letter dated November 2015 and signed by Ibrahim B. Kaura, the then Registrar and Secretary to the Council of the University, stating that Odoh’s promotion to the rank of Professor was approved after receiving favourable assessments from three external evaluators. According to the letter, his promotion took effect from October 1, 2015.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelHowever, the Federal University Guzau, in a statement signed by Yakubu Aniybassa, Registrar and Secretary to Council, described the report as “tissues of lies and misinformation.”
Following the controversies trailing his appointment as substantive Vice-chancellor of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), including his qualification for the job, Odoh claimed that he had been promoted to the rank of a full professor at the Federal University Guzau, since 2015.
However, the school in the rejoinder issued on Thursday, 21st November 2024, said the “letters of offer of appointment as Professor and confirmation of promotion to the post of Professor, dated 30th April 2015 and 12th November 2015, being paraded by Dr. Odoh Bernard Ifeanyi and purported to be certified true copies hurriedly endorsed by Ibrahim Bawa Kaura, farmer Registrar of the Federal University, dated November 8, 2024, six solid years after the latter left the services of the Federal University Gusau, are products of administrative fraud orchestrated by Dr. Odoh, working in cahoots with the former Vice Chancellor of the University and the Registrar, as there is no official record of Dr. Odoh’s employment in the custody of the University.”
“Further proof of the desperation to perpetuate such illegality is the impersonation and usurpation of the duties of the current Registrar of the University by the former Registrar, Ibrahim Bawa Kaura, who procured a fake stamp to certify Dr. Odoh’s equally fake employment documents as true copies on November 8, 2024, six years after his disengagement from the University. For purposes of emphasis, the requirements for certification of public documents are guided by law. In fact, section 104 of the Evidence Act, 2011 clearly itemized the essential requirements necessary for a document to be regarded as a certified copy as follows: The legal fees must be paid. There must be certification at the foot of the document that it is a certified true copy of the original document in question.
“The document must be dated and signed by the officer responsible for the document with his name and title of his office and saying they must be sealed.”
It said a careful look at those documents paraded by Odoh shows that they do not possess those features.
It further pointed out that Ibrahim Bawa Kaura, left office as Registrar of the Federal University Gusau, in 2018 and has “no locus to certify any official document for and on behalf of the University.”
It therefore declared that Odo is not and has never been a tenure staff of the institution.
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“Finally, the Management of the Federal University Gusau hereby declares unequivocally that Dr. Odoh Bernard Ifeanyi is not and has never been a tenure staff of the University, let alone being confirmed as a Professor by the institution.
“Whatever claim to the contrary by Dr. Odoh is nothing but the antics of a drowning man who is hell-bent on using the good name of the Federal University Gusau, to give vent to his desperate ambition to become the Vice Chancellor of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, through subterfuge,” the statement added.
Prime Business Africa had reported that the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Education, had dissolved the governing council of UNIZIK and also removed the VC from office, describing his appointment as illegal.
Professor Joseph Ikechebelu, who was earlier from office two months after his appointment as acting VC, has been reinstated, while the government gears towards reconstituting the council.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.