In a surprising turn of events, a lecturer at Imo State University (IMSU), Mr. Michael Anumaka, who had previously been recommended for dismissal by a government white paper four years ago, has now been promoted to the position of Reader. This title is bestowed upon senior academics who have demonstrated a high level of expertise in their field, although it falls short of a full professorship.
Anumaka, who teaches in the Department of Electrical Electronics Engineering, has been at the center of a certificate forgery scandal due to significant discrepancies in his academic records. An investigation by the Imo State Government revealed that his purported Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Electronics Engineering from Clayton University, Missouri, USA, which he claimed to have obtained in 2003, was found to be fraudulent.
A further review of his curriculum vitae, obtained by SaharaReporters, unearthed additional inconsistencies, including claims of an Advanced Diploma and a Postgraduate Diploma in Electrical Electronics Engineering, both allegedly from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO). However, FUTO has categorically denied issuing these certificates to Anumaka.
Documents obtained by SaharaReporters also revealed a troubling anomaly: Anumaka only earned an O-level credit in mathematics after completing his master’s and PhD degrees, contradicting the basic entry requirements for engineering programs in Nigeria.
The Imo State Government White Paper on the visitation panel report pointed out Anumaka’s unfitness for a lecturer position, citing his lack of qualifications, improper placement, and inconsistencies in his academic credentials. The report, titled “Imo State of Nigeria, Government White Paper on the Report of the Visitation Panel on Imo State University (2012-2019),” is dated July 28, 2020, and was released by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of Imo State.
The visitation panel, formed by a letter dated November 12, 2019, was tasked with examining the operations of Imo State University from 2012 to 2019. The panel was chaired by Prof. Chinedu O. Nebo, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, with Ambrose C. Duru serving as the secretary.
The panel’s report, which was later published in the White Paper, detailed several deficiencies in Anumaka’s qualifications, including the fact that he obtained an O’ Level Mathematics credit in November 2014, after his M.Eng. and PhD degrees, which he claimed to have completed in 2007 and 2014, respectively. The report further criticized the validity of his engineering degree from Clayton University, noting that the institution does not offer engineering courses, let alone by correspondence, as Anumaka claimed.
Moreover, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) refused to enlist Anumaka, citing his qualifications from unaccredited programs at Clayton University and FUTO. The panel concluded that his appointment should be terminated, emphasizing that his employment without an NYSC discharge certificate or an exemption was illegal.
Despite these findings and the government’s directive for his dismissal, Anumaka was recently promoted to the rank of Associate Professor. SaharaReporters’ investigation revealed that Anumaka had previously been appointed Head of Department twice, though his last tenure ended abruptly due to allegations of high-handedness.
When SaharaReporters contacted IMSU Registrar Julius Osuagwu to explain why the university had failed to implement the government’s white paper recommendations, Osuagwu denied any knowledge of the document, stating, “Sorry, I am not aware of the existence of the document. Meanwhile, if you have any issue, come to the university.”
In response to SaharaReporters’ inquiries, Anumaka denied any wrongdoing, insisting that his certificates were genuine. He explained that he had obtained ‘O’ Level National Technical and ‘A’ Level (Electrical Tech.) certificates, which he claimed were equivalent to Advanced Level WAEC GCE. According to him, these qualifications were sufficient for his admission to FUTO’s Advanced Diploma program in the 1998/1999 academic session.
Anumaka further asserted that he had fulfilled all entry requirements, including obtaining credit level passes in relevant subjects, and had graduated from FUTO with an Upper Credit in the Advanced Diploma program. He also stated that the FUTO certificates had been verified by the IMSU Registrar in 2012 and that the NYSC had used his Advanced Diploma Certificate for clearance, which the IMSU Governing Council had considered for his employment in 2010.
He dismissed the panel’s criticism of his B.Sc. from Clayton University, arguing that the certificate was never used for his employment or promotion to Senior Lecturer at IMSU. Anumaka claimed that his employment was based on other legitimate qualifications, including a Master’s degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering from Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Calabar.
Anumaka added that he has been a registered member of various academic professional bodies, including the Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) and the Computer Professional Registration Council of Nigeria.
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