Vice Chancellor talks about Anthony Kila’s fake professor claim

The Vice-Chancellor of Michael and Cecilia Ibru University in Delta State, Ibiyinka Fuwape, has said that the school will soon respond to questions about a PREMIUM TIMES investigation. This investigation found no proof to back claims made by its pro-chancellor, Anthony Kila, that he is a professor.

The investigation came out on Saturday morning. It looked into Mr Kila’s academic qualifications and found that he does not have the title of professor. No university ever confirmed him as one.

More than 24 hours after the report, the university has not issued a statement about the findings or explained Mr Kila’s title.

PREMIUM TIMES tried many times to get a response from the university. A phone number listed on the university’s website for inquiries did not connect. Another number belonging to the registry rang but no one answered. A third number was answered by someone who said it was a private line and not linked to the university.

Eventually, the newspaper got in touch with the Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Physics, Ibiyinka Fuwape. She said the university would respond after they talk internally.

"We will reply you very soon. The PRO will get in touch with you. The council is yet to meet. I can’t give you any information other than that," Ms Fuwape said.

When asked when the public should expect a response, she replied, "I can’t divulge that information to you. The PRO will get across to you."

These comments are the first official acknowledgment from the university since the investigation was published.

Before the report came out, the university claimed it had no information that contradicted Mr Kila’s title as a professor.

PREMIUM TIMES also reached out to Thomas Kolo, a former registrar at the university, to speak with the university’s spokesperson. Mr Kolo passed the call to a man who identified himself as the spokesperson but did not share his name.

The spokesperson said the university had no proof that Mr Kila was not a professor.

"We don’t debate issues. You can go up with whatever you are going up with. If there’s a need to respond, we will respond when we see the article," he said.

The university's upcoming response is expected to clear up whether it checked Mr Kila’s academic rank before linking him to the title. This issue has caught public attention because universities are seen as guardians of academic honesty. Claims about qualifications are supposed to be checked thoroughly.