In a report released by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on Wednesday, it has been revealed that there is no proof that President Bola Tinubu forged his academic record at Chicago State University (CSU).
This revelation comes in the midst of controversy surrounding Tinubu’s academic credentials.
Recently, Chicago State University had released and deposited Tinubu’s certificate to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, as requested by a US court in the context of the 2023 Nigerian presidential election.
While President Tinubu and his aides have consistently maintained the authenticity of his CSU certificate, Atiku’s camp had alleged that the certificate was falsified. However, the BBC’s Global Disinformation Team’s investigation has not found any conclusive evidence of forgery.
The BBC report stated that they contacted CSU for clarification, and the university expressed confidence in the veracity and integrity of their records concerning Tinubu’s attendance and graduation.
The report further highlights that there are three different versions of CSU certificates associated with Tinubu, including the original 1979 certificate, a second diploma submitted to the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), and another replacement diploma from the early 2000s, which was never collected by Tinubu.
Contrary to some allegations on social media, the BBC found that the phrase “with honours” does appear on Mr. Tinubu’s diploma from the early 2000s, which CSU authenticated during their investigation.
CSU’s registrar, Caleb Westberg, affirmed that changes in the diploma template over the years might explain differences in appearance. He also attested to the authenticity of Tinubu’s diploma during his deposition.
The BBC report concluded that CSU’s documents and Mr. Westberg’s statements confirm that President Tinubu graduated from CSU with honours, dispelling some of the doubts raised regarding his academic credentials.
