The European-American University has issued a statement disavowing an honorary doctorate degree awarded to musician Dauda Rarara, citing that the award was not authorized by the institution. The ceremony, which took place at the Nicon Luxury Hotel in Abuja, Nigeria, was attended by dignitaries, including the governor of Katsina State, Dikko Radda. However, the university claims that the individuals who presented the award were impersonating representatives of the institution.
According to the university’s statement, the convocation was organized fraudulently without their knowledge or consent. The university has not conferred any honorary doctorate degrees on Rarara or the other individuals mentioned, including Alhaji Ahmed Saleh jnr., Mustapha Abdullahi Bujawa, and Tarela Boroh. The university’s Register of Graduates, which can be found on their website, does not list these individuals as honorands.
The statement also disputes the claims of certain individuals, including Musari Audu Isyaku, who claimed to be the “Northern Nigeria representative” of the institution, and Idris Aliyu, who claimed to be a member of the Governing Council. The university asserts that these individuals have no authority to represent the institution and that Aliyu’s appointment to the Fellowship of the University has been revoked due to his involvement in the fraudulent activity.
The university has previously issued a notice stating that the former Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Josephine Egbuta, was no longer authorized to represent the institution after being dismissed from her position. The current Vice-Chancellor is Professor Luca Scotto di Tella de’ Douglas di Castel di Ripa. The university’s legal status is established as a nonprofit private institution of higher education in France, with a Royal Charter of Incorporation from the Kingdom of Bunyoro-Kitara in Uganda.
The university plans to contact legal authorities in Nigeria to stop the issuance of fake university certificates by the individuals behind the fraudulent activity. The institution will take action to prevent further fraudulent activities and protect its reputation. The incident highlights the importance of verifying the authenticity of academic awards and the need for institutions to take measures to prevent fraud and impersonation.
