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Thursday, October 9, 2025

The recent allegations of University and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificates forgery against the Minister (now former) of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji are not merely a personal scandal; they represent a direct assault on the integrity of our public institutions and a profound betrayal of the public trust.

This act, as it has proven to be true, following his lackluster admittance few days ago, and subsequent resignation on Tuesday October 7th, 2025, is a symptom of a deep-seated moral rot that privileges the illusion of qualification over the substance of merit, eroding the very foundations upon which a functional and progressive society is built.

Such forgeries are an egregious offense for several reasons. Foremost, they constitute a fundamental deception. A forged certificate is a lie inscribed on an official document, used to fraudulently access positions of power, influence, and national responsibility.

Mr Geoffrey who engages in this practice essentially built his career on a foundation of sand, misrepresenting his credentials to bypass the established systems of verification and merit. He lied and misled the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who appointed him over more qualified and upright candidates.

He lied, cajoled and sweet-mouthed the 109 Senators of the Federal Repliblic of Nigeria who ratified his appointment (even without proper verification). He lied to the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation who prepared his appointment letter.

Such an ignoble act devalues the hard work and genuine achievements of millions of Nigerians who have toiled legitimately to earn their qualifications. It creates an unfair and unethical advantage, where the fraudster is elevated over truly qualified citizens. Most critically, when the offender is a Minister of the Federal Republic, it sets a catastrophic precedent, signaling that the highest echelons of government are not immune to this brand of corruption, thereby normalizing criminality at the top.

It is important for us all to doff our hats to the impeccable works done by journalists from Premium Times, for their doggedness and standing firm through the two-years of rigorous investigations. Their brevity further demonstrates the need for more transparency and unwavering determination for unravelling truth and justice in the field of journalism.

Had they chickened out as a result of initial denials and pressures from the offender, we would easily have dismissed this matter as another form of attempted blackmail from political adversaries of the erstwhile Minister.

Tragically, this is not an isolated incident in Nigeria’s political landscape. The nation has a sordid history of certificate scandals that have implicated its leaders, creating a recurring cycle of impunity.

For instance, the Salisu Buhari case of 1999. In a scandal that rocked the nascent Fourth Republic, Salisu Buhari, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, was forced to admit that he had forged his University of Toronto degree certificate and lied about his age. He resigned in disgrace, and was later sentenced to two years in jail with an option of a fine.

A more recent similar incident was that of David Lyon’s Pre-Gubernatorial disqualification. Immediately after the 2020 Bayelsa State gubernatorial election, David Lyon of the APC was disqualified by the Supreme Court just hours before his inauguration as Governor because his deputy, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, was found to have presented forged certificates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

And to crown it all, a case of Former Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, who tendered her resignation letter to former President Muhammadu Buhari on September 14th 2018, having admitted to forging her NYSC certificate. All these cases led to the culprits honourably leaving their positions of authorities, and some of them eventually facing the wrath of the law.

Hence, Mr. Geoffrey Uche Nnaji is not a victim as being portrayed by his like-minded sympathizers, rather, he is a culprit whose time is up!

This pattern is not confined to Nigeria. Across the globe, similar scandals have ended political careers and led to severe legal repercussions. In the United States, a university professor or a public official found to have forged their academic credentials faces immediate termination, disbarment from their profession, and criminal charges.

The international community views such acts with utmost seriousness, recognizing that they strike at the heart of institutional credibility.

Emphatically, here in Nigeria, certificate forgery is not a minor infraction; it is a serious crime with clearly defined punishments in the nation’s legal statutes. The applicable laws leave no room for ambiguity. The Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act (2000) is perhaps the most potent legal instrument in this context. Section 25 of this Act states that any public officer who, with intent to deceive, makes or uses a false document is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to imprisonment for seven (7) years.

Sadly, the recurrence of certificate scandals points to a failure of enforcement, not a lack of law. The typical responses have always been a hurried resignation or a prolonged legal battle that fizzles out overtime, thus, only reinforcing a culture of impunity. To break this cycle, a firm and uncompromising stance is required going forward.

Now that the allegations are substantiated, the culprit has admitted to the offense, and resigned from his bequeathed position as a Federal Minister, the full weight of the law must be applied, culminating in prosecution, conviction, and the prescribed imprisonment.

An example must be made this time around. There must be no “soft landing” or political negotiation. To do so, the Ministry of Education, National Universities Commission (NUC), University of Nigeria Nnsuka, and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), should as a matter of urgency, file cases of forgery, misrepresentation and impersonation against Mr. Nnaji Geoffrey.

That will serve as clear warnings to the many thousands of his kinds in high and low places, brandishing fake certificates and evading justices!

A nation cannot demand excellence from its citizens while tolerating fraud in its leaders. Forging a certificate to become a Minister is akin to forging the foundation of a building; the entire structure is compromised from the start. For Nigeria to build a future rooted in integrity, merit, and progress, it must begin by holding its leaders to the highest standard of truth.

The law is clear; what is needed now is the unwavering will to enforce it. Mr President, fight this corruption from top to bottom! May the sun shine tomorrow…