Nigerians React to PREMIUM TIMES Uncovering Fake Professor on TV

The investigation by PREMIUM TIMES has revealed that Anthony Kila, the pro-chancellor of Michael and Cecilia Ibru University (MCIU), is not a real professor. This news has sparked many reactions from Nigerians on social media.

For years, Mr Kila was called a professor and a 'Jean Monnet professor' in interviews on TV and in newspapers.

His profiles on the websites of MCIU and the Commonwealth Institute of Advanced and Professional Studies (CIAPS) also labeled him as a professor.

But a PREMIUM TIMES investigation published on Saturday found that no recognized academic institution has given Mr Kila a professorship.

The Investigation

Mr Kila claimed that the European Centre for Advanced and Professional Studies (ECAPS) in Cambridge, UK, awarded him the title in 2016. However, the newspaper found no proof that such an institution exists.

The report also noted that the European Education and Culture Executive Agency, which manages the European Union’s Jean Monnet program, stated that Mr Kila does not appear in its directory as a Jean Monnet project coordinator.

Additionally, the investigation revealed that Mr Kila’s Google Scholar profile lists 22 works, but PREMIUM TIMES found that nine of them were not written by him. Among the works attributed to him, the newspaper could not confirm any as peer-reviewed articles in respected academic journals.

Reactions

The investigation has received thousands of likes, comments, and shares on social media, including Facebook, Instagram, and X.

Nigerians who read the story were shocked that media organizations had presented Mr Kila as a professor for so long without anyone checking his background.

Some comments praised the newspaper and called for a deeper investigation into others who may be using fake qualifications.

“Wow! The famous Professor Kila on Arise TV. This is someone who talks down on our university system on the Morning Show. He should be prosecuted for false identity and academic fraud,” Yusuf Ali, @EduBeyondHL, wrote on X.

“Nice work, Premium Times,” @IKENNA_911 wrote. “I had to check his Google Scholar profile. All of the work attached to his name, aside from 2 books in Italian, is as recent as 2019-2022. His major work attributed to him is believed to be this other kila (Kikelomo Kila).”

“The craze for titles everywhere,” Joshua Egbodo, another social media user, commented.

Another commenter praised PREMIUM TIMES for their work on Mr Kila and suggested that other people who claim to be professors should have their qualifications checked.

Many reactions also touched on the larger issue of individuals in Nigeria presenting questionable academic credentials.

“Even though he speaks beautifully, he scarcely connects the dots in his analysis. If you listened intelligently, you would understand what I mean. The phonetics covers a lot of holes…,” wrote @Bodexus1.

“I am shocked. Such an intelligent man could be mixed up with embellishments like this. Very articulate person. Kudos @PremiumTimesng,” @oluseyelawrence posted.

“Interestingly, he may not be the only one caught in this web of deceit. My sense, and very certainly, too, there are many more who attained professorship in the country through one opaque means or another. NUC needs to wake up from its snoring slumber and do due diligence in cleaning this disgusting, messy, and unfortunate uprising in the academic environment,” another person, @drbak_, posted.