“Exposed: How Tinubu Forged His Certificates,” was the cover page story of The Source Magazine edition of October 4, 1999. The same magazine subsequently reported a week later, “Tinubu Is a Criminal – Deserves 10 years in jail” – Gani Fawehinmi. Invariably, even as the then governor of Lagos State, this same certificate forgery case had reared its ugly head. But Tinubu deployed every underhand tactics and powers at his disposal to frustrate any attempt to unveil the truth. However, he should have known that, a wise man should not fall twice at the same spot. The thief can easily steal community drum but where to beat it is always the problem.
It is difficult for one to run away from the shadows of one’s past. The late fiery human right lawyer Gani Fawehinmi had in 1999/2000 initiated a legal process to compel the Lagos State House of Assembly to impeach Tinubu on account of the above but his effort ended in futility. Festus Keyamo in 1999 also sued Lagos House of Assembly for clearing then Governor Bola Tinubu of allegations of certificate forgery and perjury.
Nuhu Ribadu the then Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission described Tinubu’s criminal case as one of ‘international dimension.’ Published in Vanguard Newspaper of September 28, 2006, Ribadu said, “Governor Tinubu’s criminal case is of international dimension. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu would not escape justice, but would be made to face the full wrath of the law.” That was how weighty the issue was. Until Gani passed on, the mystery surrounding the certificates being paraded by Tinubu remained a hard nut to crack. It may interest you to know that twenty three years later, Ribadu and Keyamo who publicly stripped Tinubu naked are both serving in his government – as National Security Adviser and Minister of Aviation respectively. What an interesting Nigeria we live in!
Adherence to both legal and moral fibres of the society governing leadership drives the quest to ascertain the truth behind Tinubu’s academic records and certificates issued. Those who aspire to lead must do so with honestly and integrity. Every president is the pride of his nation. Therefore, no nation including Nigeria deserves a dishonest president, one with alleged or forged certificate. Aside of the fact that forgery is a crime, global leaders should be sure of who the person they relate with on behalf of Nigerians is. Clarity will earn Nigeria a deserved place and respect in the comity of nations.
The consequences of parading fake certificate let alone submitting one for the purpose of a presidential election is clear. Former Speaker, House of Representatives, Salisu Buhari and Kemi Adeosun ex-minister of Finance were disgraced out of office for forgery. The former submitted a forged Toronto University certificate while the latter had to step down for forging National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate. These two instances of certificate forgery were notable national embarrassments. ‘Jagaban’ should have dealt with whatever could constitute any obstacles to ‘e mi lokan’ before throwing his hat into the ring.
Those around Tinubu are mere parasitic sychophants. People who deceive kings do not speak to problems – they avoid them. To them money, power and connection answereth all things. Nigeria would have been saved from this embarrassment if he and his large courtesans had acted smart. The Constitution of Nigeria at no time made University degree or Diploma a compulsory requirement for presidential candidates. Therefore, nothing would have stopped Tinubu from cleaning the mess with at least presenting that his A’Level certificate with three failed subjects issued to Atiku by CSU or take a General Certificate (GCE) Exam. It may have naturally ended the brouhaha. In fact, if a degree or diploma was Tinubu’s desire, he could have as well enrolled and graduated from a four or two year programme of his choice anywhere in the world since he left office as governor in 2007.
It is no news that many politicians went back to school during and after their tenures in political offices. The current governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke had a certificate problem when he contested for governor in 2015. Afterwards, he humbly enrolled for a programme abroad and obtained one. Today, he is the governor of the state and politicians knew it is fool-hardy to raise the issue again. But since 1999 when the red flag on Tinubu certificate was raised, it did not occur to him who was nursing the ambition of becoming the president to at least do the fundamentally needful. This is Nigeria where anything goes. How does his handlers think the same contentious certificate can be forced on Nigerians and nothing will happen?
Let us agree Chicago State University (CSU) had unequivocally declared on oath that Tinubu graduated from their school in 1979 – the question begging for answer is – what about the processes leading to the admission and graduation? Is it possible the same O’level certificate from a non-existing secondary school in Nigeria which was not tendered before the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) gave birth to the one awarded by CSU – eventually submitted to INEC? It is said that you cannot put something on nothing and expect it to stand. Those defending the indefensible and deceiving the public are hangers-on whose means of livelihoods are sustained by the persona of Tinubu.
Which applicant would not be proud to submit all credentials while looking for a job? However, there must be cogent reasons a presidential candidate refused to submit the lower cadre certificates he genuinely obtained while seeking for the highest elective position in the land. People are aware that leaving out those certificates even if the law permits amounts to being smart by half. What was basically established is the fact that something was wrong somewhere.
If Tinubu fails to resign and the Nigerian judicial system – nay the Supreme Court upholds his election, Atiku Abubakar or any Nigerian who could afford to activate another legal process abroad is still free to demand for the original copies of the certificates from Southwest College, Illinois submitted as requirements for admission into CSU. This definitely is important for the continued interrogation of the moral compass of having a man sitting as the president of Nigeria – with alleged or forged certificates. And if in the end, it was confirmed that the processes leading to gaining admission into CSU is forged, the certificate obtained in the end becomes an illegal document.
Atiku may not be coming as many of his supporters envisage. But the truth about the authenticity of the gender, age, name and certificates, transcript belonging to the president and the one submitted to INEC is now in the public space. One can now freely access and interrogate them. One wonders why a demand for release of someone’s school documents should be frustrated and defended by the man himself who claimed he made distinctions.
This is Nigeria and it is most likely the president will not resign on moral ground. The National Assembly may also not have the balls to initiate impeachment proceedings against him. The Supreme Court may as usual rely on technicalities to dismiss the petition filed by Atiku and at the end create more problems and plant legal landmines with a novel judgment. However, in a sane society, the moral burden will not permit a second tenure for the president. If the president and the above institutions refuse to abide by the laws of the land as expected, individuals can activate the law to compel them to act accordingly.
The 2023 presidential election petition has offered Nigerians the opportunity to know who Tinubu is. Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) seeking further evidence to support his case at the Supreme Court has approached a Chicago Magistrate Court to subpoena Chicago State University (CSU) to furnish him with documents related to Tinubu’s certificates. Today, the world has been feasting on the outcome of that legal process.
Nigerians have to appreciate Atiku Abubakar, David Hundeyin and all lovers of democracy for their courage and resilience in digging deep. At least the over two decades of mystery around the certificate of the president of the most populous black nation in the world has been demystified. Justice should not only be done but seen to have been done. The gavel to do the morally, legally needful is on the elevated bench of the Supreme Court.
Sunday Onyemaechi Eze, a Media and Development Communication Specialist writes via sunnyeze02@yahoo.com and can
be reached on 08060901201
