UNICAL ACADEMIC FRAUD: PROF. WORUGJI DEMOTED AND REDEPLOYED TO THE INSTITUTE OF AFRICAN AND ASIAN STUDIES, UNICAL
The University of Calabar, Academic Fraud Investigation Committee ( AFIC) which has been investigating cases of academic fraud leveled against the duo, Prof: Worugji and Prof. Uhuka, both of the Faculty of Law, Unical, has finally submitted her report to the Vice Chancellor, Prof Zana Akpagu.
Upon the receipt of the report, the Vice Chancellor had undertaken to immediately convene a meeting of the Unical Management Committee. This action by the Vice Chancellor speaks to the University of Calabar’s zero tolerance policy on academic fraud.
According to our reliable source, AFIC recommended that Worugji should be demoted to the rank of a Lecturer II for not having publications in his area of Arts or African studies and also for fraudulently getting promotion to the rank of an Associate Professor ( Reader) in 2006 without first obtaining a Ph.D degree as required by extant regulation.
Secondly, that the 2010 promotion to the rank of a Professor of law is improper, fraudulent and unjustiafiable because one cannot be a Professor without first becoming a Reader in a proper manner.
On the issue of Worugji parading himself as a Professor of law, it was observed that in 2010 , Worugji in applying for promotion to the rank of a Professor of Law had presented a Ph. D certificate in African studies in the Faculty of Arts dated 23rd May 2010.
This certificate was rejected by the Central A&PC(academic) as the basis for promotion to rank of a law Professor. The reason given by the A & PC is that Worugji’s certificate shows his Ph.D is in Arts and not law and therefore cannot be utilized for promotion in law.
The Committee after a careful examination of the evidence and documents at its disposal, was swayed by the following:
1. The certificate of Doctor of Philosophy( Ph. D) degree dated 23rd May 2010 was not obtained in Law but in the Faculty of Arts.
2. The Central Appointments and Promotions Committee (academic) had on the 23rd September 2010 written to Worugji informing him that since his Ph.D was not in law but African studies from the Faculty of Arts, his publications will not be assessed for promotion to Professor of law unless he obtains a Ph.D degree in law.
3. The Faculty of Law Appointments and Promotions Committee, Unical, had informed the University that it had withdrawn Worugji ‘s involvement in the Ph.D Law Programme since he did not have a Ph.D degree in Law.
4. The Registrar, University of Ibadan had in a letter dated 29th July 2019 rejected Worugji’s contention that there was an error in his Ph.D’s certificate. The Registrar, in the said letter re-confirmed the facts that Worugji’s Ph.D certificate dated 23/5/2010 in the Faculty of Arts was correct and that there was no error in the said certificate requiring any correction as Mr Worugji is demanding the University of Ibadan to do.
According to our source, on the 19th July 2019, Worugji had in a letter titled “Request for Correction of Certificate “ This letter which is coming 9 years after he had used the said ‘defective certificate ‘ , pleaded with the authorities of the University of Ibadan to “help save his job”. He requested that University of Ibadan should change the Ph.D certificate issued to him to read African Law This request for Correction was rejected by the University of Ibadan.
In their reply dated 29th July 2019, the University of Ibadan, writing through its Registrar, Olubunmi O. Faluyi, acknowledged that Worugji did a postgraduate programme in African studies in the Faculty of Arts. The registrar further said that “there was no error on the certificate that was issued to that effect.”
5. The NUC Basic Minimum standards for LL.M, MPhil and PhD in Law in Nigerian Universities require that the Programme “must be based in the Faculty of Law.
On the strength of the above, AFIC therefore recommended that Worugji having obtained his Ph.D degree in African Studies in the Faculty of Arts should appropriately be redeployed to the Institute of African and Asian Studies, Unical.
Information reaching us shows that despite the above recommendations, which many watchers think is intended to give Worugji a soft- landing, the Committee is yet to reach any decision as to the status of his WASC certificate, the first degree , B. A. (Hons), Law, and his different names in his different certificates where there are numerous name changes. To the shock of everyone this man, Worugji, has for long been using the institutions of ASUU and Senior Staff club to sustain this frauds and forgery.
