Benjamin Kalu Legitimately Earned His PhD Degree from University of Calabar

By Jacob Dada

I have read with care the article by Prof Abiodun Ojo with the screamer title: The New Certificate Craze: How Politicians are Quietly Eroding Academic Standards in Nigerian Universities. With condemnable disregard for facts, Prof. Ojo specifically queried the 2 PhD degrees obtained by the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okeze Kalu. In the words of Prof. Ojo, “When the news broke that the Deputy Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives had earned two PhDs within a period of 6 months- both from Nigerian universities – it fuelled a fresh national conversation about integrity, standards, and an emerging trend of political shortcuts in higher education.”While the article raises issues worthy of reflection and interrogation, it unfortunately proceeded from a distortion of both facts and context, with the result that the author deserves condemnation rather than commendation. Decidedly, the allegation by Prof. Ojo, that Kalu obtained 2 PhD degrees within 6 months is specious, outrageous, provocative, insensitive, uncharitable, misleading, malicious and libelous.

Before going further, it is important to state that I am not a meddlesome interloper or a city folk seeking attention, recognition or patronage. Rather, I have a huge and undeniable responsibility, if not a right, to set the records straight because apart from my knowledge of the truth that Rt. Hon. Kalu was properly, regularly and objectively assessed, I am one of the Professors in the Faculty of Law, University of Calabar, and, more crucially, his supervisor in the PhD programme. I have no hesitation to assert that under my guardianship, Kalu conducted his research and he demonstrated discipline, independence, intelligence and passion. Further, his works shows evident depth, currency and scholarship. Consequently, for Prof. Ojo to have raised doubt about the credibility of Kalu’s degree and be so dismissive of his intellectual attainment, dedication and sacrifice, is a great disservice no one should suffer.

While it cannot be denied or doubted that subversion of academic honesty and integrity is not a rarity in Nigeria, it is also misleading, mischievous and deplorable to assert or assume that any higher degree earned by a politically exposed person must have been earned through crooked means, and ipso facto, tainted, worthless, and an exemplification of the condemnable rot in Nigerian universities. Such assumption or assertion, to say the least, is not only jejune, baseless, uncharitable and contemptuous, but lazy, reckless, dangerous and reprehensible. Indeed, it is a bewildering disregard for truth, civility, and circumspection, and must be condemned as such. The shocking and sensational headline obviously did the damage it was intended not only to the individual specifically referenced but fellow academics and Nigerian universities. It must be stated without equivocation that the article constitutes not only a grave impeachment of the character of the Deputy Speaker but egregious assault on the integrity of his supervisors. The article also significantly de-markets the Faculty of Law and the University of Calabar where he obtained one of his PhDs. Perhaps more disturbing is that the article is capable of eroding public confidence in the degrees awarded by Nigerian universities as it casts enormous doubt on the quality and standards of post graduate education in Nigeria.

I can say without equivocation that Rt. Hon. Kalu did not earn his PhD degree in Unical within 6 months and that he legitimately earned the degree having satisfied all the requirements for the award of the degree. Specifically, he did his course work after which he submitted his thesis topic which was considered and approved after modification by the Post Graduate Board of the Faculty. He also successfully defended both his mini and main proposals before proceeding to the main thesis which he diligently carried out under my supervision as the first supervisor and a senior lecturer as the second supervisor. In line with the extant regulation of the Postgraduate School, he also personally successfully defended his research work before the invitation of the external examiner who examined him in the presence of several academic staff of the Faculty. Remarkably, the Provost of the Post Graduate School was also physically present to witness and monitor the examination. Accordingly, not only was Rt. Hon. Kalu not given any preferential treatment, he did not corruptly earn his PhD from the University of Calabar by virtue of his position, office, influence or affluence.Contrary to the mischievous impression that he earned the degree within an unimaginable duration of 6 months, it is significant to note that Kalu was admitted into the PhD programmee in 2022, remarkably, before he became the Deputy Speaker, and successfully defended his thesis in December, 2025.

A dangerous trend in Nigeria which must be decisively and firmly curtailed, is the propagation of falsehood especially against persons in positions of authority. Not a few Nigerians have cultivated and enthroned the mischievous habit of cooking up defamatory stories about persons in positions of authority and these stories are often propagated with total disregard for truth and the likely injury to the victims.

It is sad, regrettable, and unfortunate that many Nigerians are particularly suspicious of, and characteristically loathe persons in positions of authority and power, especially the politically exposed persons. If ordinary Nigerians can be excused especially in view of the multifarious and multidimensional socio-economic challenges confronting the nation, we cannot make similar excuse for educated folks who owe a responsibility to inform fairly and objectively. It is, therefore, bewildering, inexcusable, tragic and reprehensible that Professor Ojo so casually made weighty allegations of academic impropriety verging on criminality against Kalu and, inferentially, the University of Calabar, without undertaking a simple verification exercise before rushing to the press.It is worth emphasizing that a significant aspects of the responsibilities of academics across the globe include conducting high quality research for knowledge generation and propagation, pursuing truth, and presenting information fairly and objectively. Without doubt, Prof Ojo failed to discharge this aspect of his responsibilities before going to the press to cast dangerous aspersions.

A professor ought and must demonstrate a greater degree of circumspection than what Prof Ojo exhibited. He ought to have seen the undesirability of propagating unverified and unsubstantiated allegation, and the impossibility of a person completing a PhD degree within 6 months in any university in Nigeria no matter how unethical the university is, let alone a university that has been in existence for several decades with established system, practice and procedures.

In summary, Benjamain Okeze Kalu regularly and legitimately earned his PhD degree from the University of Calabar and not within 6 months contrary to the misleading assertion of Prof. Ojo.

*Professor Jacob Abiodun Dada wrote this rejoinder from the Faculty of Law,University of Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria