Tinubu’s ‘ex-lecturer’ raises fresh questions over Chicago varsity education

A fresh controversy has erupted over President Bola Tinubu’s academic qualifications, following a former lecturer at Chicago State University (CSU), Dr Adetokunbo Pearse, who has insisted that the Nigerian leader never attended the American institution.

Pearse, who claimed to have lectured at the university between 1985 and 1990 and served as director of the programme Tinubu allegedly attended, also accused the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, of misleading Nigerians by defending the President’s academic credentials.

He made the allegations during an interview on News Central Television, where he questioned the authenticity of the educational records Tinubu submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The former lecturer maintained that his position at the university gave him access to information about Tinubu’s academic history, claiming that people who sought the President’s university records in 1999 were referred to him.

“I used to be a lecturer at Chicago State University for five years. I was the director of the programme Tinubu said he attended at Chicago State University. I was at Chicago State University from 1985 to 1990,” he said.

Pearse further alleged that Tinubu had listed schools in documents submitted to INEC which he never attended, questioning the circumstances surrounding the President’s educational background.

He also faulted Alausa for defending Tinubu’s academic qualifications, arguing that the Ministry of Education should protect the integrity of educational records rather than provide political cover for public office holders.

The latest allegations have reopened a controversy that featured prominently in the 2023 presidential election and the legal battles over Tinubu’s qualification to contest the election.

During the proceedings before the Presidential Election Petition Court, Tinubu, through his lead counsel, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), tendered documents relating to his education at Chicago State University to establish that he attended and graduated from the institution.

The documents included an admission letter and other academic records, which were admitted as exhibits despite objections by the Peoples Democratic Party and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Atiku had separately approached a United States court to compel Chicago State University to release Tinubu’s academic records as part of his efforts to investigate discrepancies surrounding the President’s educational credentials.

Following the release of the records in October 2023, the university maintained that Tinubu attended the institution from August 1977 to June 1979 and was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with honours, with accounting as his major.

The university’s Registrar, Caleb Westberg, also testified under oath during a deposition in the United States that Tinubu attended and graduated from the institution in 1979.

However, the disclosure of the records generated further controversy over discrepancies relating to the President’s identity, the sex indicated in some of the university documents and the circumstances surrounding the certificate submitted to INEC.

The university’s position on Tinubu’s attendance and graduation has remained a major part of the defence of his academic qualifications.

Only last week, Alausa renewed the government’s defence of the President, saying Tinubu graduated with a first-class degree in accounting from Chicago State University.

The minister, who said he lived in Chicago for almost 30 years, claimed to have met several people who attended the university with Tinubu and urged Nigerians to disregard opposition criticism of the President’s academic background.

Pearse, however, dismissed the minister’s explanation, insisting that Tinubu never attended the institution and that the education minister was misleading the public.

His latest intervention is likely to intensify political scrutiny of the President’s academic credentials ahead of the 2027 general election, particularly as the opposition continues to question aspects of his educational records.

Neither Tinubu nor the Education Minister had publicly responded to Pearse’s latest allegations as of the time of filing this report.

However, the former lecturer’s assertions remain allegations and have not, in themselves, displaced Chicago State University’s previously stated position that Tinubu attended and graduated from the institution.