Uche Nnaji, Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, is currently in the eye of the storm over his academic qualification. Following investigation by PREMIUM TIMES, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), disowned the Bachelor of Science degree certificate in the possession of the Minister, saying the politician did not complete his studies at the institution and was never issued a certificate.

According to PREMIUM TIMES, Simon U. Ortuanya, the Vice-Chancellor of UNN, stated that although Nnaji was admitted to the institution in 1981, he did not complete his studies and was never awarded a degree.

The platform added that authorities at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) also confirmed that the certificate of national service being paraded by Nnaji was strange to it and could not be authenticated.

Before Nnaji, some members of the Federal Executive Council were under the spotlight over similar issues. In this piece, we highlight some of such persons.

KEMI ADEOSUN

Adeosun’s case remains one of the most prominent certificate controversies to hit Nigeria’s political class, particularly during her tenure as Minister of Finance under President Muhammadu Buhari. Appointed in 2015, Adeosun was accused of presenting a forged NYSC exemption certificate. Investigations revealed that the document, dated 2009, allegedly bore the signature of a former NYSC Director-General who had already left office months earlier, casting doubt on its authenticity. The NYSC later confirmed that Adeosun applied for an exemption but stopped short of verifying the certificate she presented as genuine.

Under mounting public pressure, Adeosun resigned in September 2018, stating that she had obtained the document in good faith and was unaware it might be invalid. Her resignation triggered nationwide debate on integrity in public office and the selective enforcement of Nigeria’s NYSC law, which mandates one year of service for graduates under 30.

In 2021, a Federal High Court in Abuja ruled that Adeosun was not legally required to present an NYSC certificate to hold public office. The court held that she was ineligible for service when she graduated from a UK university in 1989, as she was then a British citizen. The ruling effectively cleared her of legal wrongdoing, though it did not address whether the certificate she used was forged.

While the judgment offered her legal relief, questions lingered over ethical accountability in government appointments. Adeosun has since maintained that she was a victim of misinformation and that, although the controversy was politically damaging, it vindicated her claim that she broke no law.

ADEBAYO SHITTU

Former Minister of Communications Adebayo Shittu was accused of failing to participate in the mandatory one-year NYSC scheme after graduating from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) in 1978. Unlike Adeosun, he was not accused of presenting a fake certificate; the allegation was that he never took part in the scheme at all.

Shittu, who served in the same cabinet as Adeosun, argued that his election to the Oyo State House of Assembly shortly after law school constituted a form of “higher service” and therefore fulfilled his civic obligation in lieu of the NYSC.

However, the NYSC Act requires all Nigerian graduates under 30 to participate in the programme. Since Shittu graduated at 25, he was subject to the service requirement. He insisted he did not violate the law, noting that the Constitution does not explicitly list NYSC completion as a qualification for elective office. The NYSC, however, maintained that holding an elective position does not substitute for national service under the law.

HANNATU MUSAWA

Musawa, the current Minister of Art, Culture, and Creative Economy, was alleged to have still been a serving NYSC member when she was appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2023. Critics argued that serving as a minister while completing NYSC violated the NYSC Act.

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) filed a lawsuit seeking her removal on the grounds of violating the Act and asked the court to nullify her NYSC certificate. Civil society groups also challenged her eligibility, insisting that a corps member could not legally hold ministerial office.

In April 2024, however, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed the suit, ruling that the plaintiffs lacked the legal standing to bring the case. Musawa has consistently defended herself, saying she “did nothing wrong” and that she had completed her NYSC in accordance with the law. Nonetheless, questions remain over whether her service was properly concluded and whether her appointment complied fully with statutory requirements.

OLUBUNMI TUNJI-OJO

Another recent high-profile case involved Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the current Minister of Interior and former member of the House of Representatives, who faced allegations of presenting a forged NYSC certificate during his ministerial screening in 2023. Reports claimed discrepancies in the dates and details of his discharge certificate, suggesting he might have completed his service while already serving as a legislator.

After weeks of public scrutiny, the NYSC clarified that Tunji-Ojo’s certificate was genuine. The Corps explained that he was first mobilised in 2006 but absconded, leading to his remobilisation in 2019. He was redeployed to the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Garki, Abuja, and later completed the programme successfully. The NYSC said his discharge certificate was produced in February 2023 after an earlier administrative omission delayed its issuance.

Despite the clarification, the overlap between his NYSC service and public office raised further questions. Civil society groups and opposition figures demanded additional investigations, but the Senate proceeded to confirm his nomination, citing the NYSC’s verification as sufficient proof of authenticity. Tunji-Ojo maintained that his documents were valid and that he had fully complied with service regulations upon remobilisation. His allies –

including ethnic youth leaders and former schoolmates – defended him, describing the allegations as politically motivated.

STELLA ODUAH

Former Minister of Aviation and senator representing Anambra North, Stella Oduah, has also been embroiled in a long-running controversy over her NYSC status. The NYSC disclosed that Oduah was mobilised in the 1982/83 service year and deployed to Lagos State but allegedly absconded shortly after orientation, failing to complete the mandatory one-year programme. The Corps maintained that she was therefore never issued a discharge certificate.

Despite this, Oduah reportedly claimed in official documents, including her Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Form CF001, that she had completed her service, while also asserting that her certificate had been lost. She supported this with an affidavit and a police extract – claims later described by investigators as false.

In 2023, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed an eight-count charge against her at the Federal High Court in Abuja, accusing her of perjury, forgery, and making false declarations. The charges centred on alleged falsification of her NYSC credentials and the submission of misleading documents during her time as a public official.

Oduah has denied all allegations, describing them as baseless and politically motivated. Her lawyers argued that she was not properly served with the charges and that the EFCC filed the case without a prior investigation. The matter remains before the court, with the NYSC standing by its position that she did not complete national service and could not have been issued a valid certificate. (Daily Trust)

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