University says it will respond after investigation challenges Kila professorship

A university in Nigeria says it will respond after an investigation challenged Anthony Kila’s claim to hold the rank of professor. The institution’s vice-chancellor, Ibiyinka Fuwape, said its council had not yet met and that internal consultations were continuing. The investigation, published on Saturday morning, examined Kila’s academic credentials and concluded that he had not been confirmed as a professor by any university, according to PREMIUM TIMES.

The university had not issued a public statement more than 24 hours after the report was published. Fuwape, who is also a professor of physics, told the newspaper that the institution would respond soon through its public relations officer. She declined to provide a timetable and said she could not give further information before the council considered the matter.

Her remarks were the first official acknowledgement by the university after the investigation was published. Before the report, the institution had said it had no information contradicting Kila’s use of the title. PREMIUM TIMES said it made repeated attempts to obtain the university’s response.

Telephone numbers listed on the institution’s website either did not connect, went unanswered or were described as private. A person who identified himself as a university spokesperson had earlier said the institution had no evidence that Kila was not a professor. That spokesperson declined to give his name and said the university would respond if necessary after seeing the published article.

The university’s pending response is expected to indicate whether it independently checked Kila’s academic rank before associating him with the title. The issue has attracted public attention because universities are expected to safeguard the accuracy of academic qualifications and titles. The source material does not include a response from Kila or specify the university’s final position.

For now, the institution has said only that its governing council is yet to meet. Fuwape’s statement leaves the question of whether Kila held the professorial rank unresolved pending the university’s formal response.