Tackling The Misuse Of Honorary Degrees

For decades, honorary degrees have served as a symbolic recognition of exceptional service, innovation, or influence in society.

In Nigeria, however, the prestige associated with these titles is increasingly being undermined by a culture of misuse.

What was once purely celebratory has now become a subject of intense scrutiny.

The growing trend of awarding honorary degrees has sparked conversations across academic and professional circles.

Some institutions still uphold rigorous selection processes, but many others are accused of dispensing titles without due diligence or meaningful criteria.

This shift has left the public questioning the value and authenticity of such honours.

In several cases, individuals awarded honorary doctorates go on to adopt the ‘Dr’ prefix as a formal title, blurring the distinction between academic merit and ceremonial recognition.

This confusion not only misleads the public but also diminishes the achievements of those who worked through rigorous academic pathways.

As the debate widens, stakeholders are calling for clearer guidelines, stronger regulation, and a cultural reorientation.

Without such measures, the country risks eroding public trust in academic institutions and undermining the essence of honorary recognition.

Speaking recently, Professor Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), emphasised that Nigeria is witnessing a disturbing rise in the misuse of honorary doctorate degrees, a trend that poses a direct threat to the integrity of the higher education system.

According to Ribadu, honorary degrees are meant to acknowledge outstanding achievements or service, yet increasing numbers of recipients misuse these titles.

Even more troubling, he noted, is the proliferation of unaccredited institutions both within and outside the country that operate as honorary degree mills. These entities award degrees without merit, oversight, or legitimacy.

The NUC, he explained, undertook an investigation to assess the extent of this malpractice.

The findings, according were unsettling as many institutions failed to comply with the Keffi Declaration of 2012, a policy established by Nigerian Vice-Chancellors to regulate honorary degree awards.

The declaration prohibits universities from awarding honorary doctorates to serving public officials and cautions recipients against using the title “Dr” without proper disclosure.

Ribadu warned that using the “Dr” title on the basis of an honorary degree amounts to false representation, which carries legal consequences under Nigeria’s fraud-related laws.

Beyond legalities, he stressed that the practice erodes the value of genuine academic qualifications and diminishes public trust in universities.

The investigation revealed 32 institutions operating as degree mills, including 10 unaccredited foreign universities, 4 unlicensed local universities, 15 professional bodies without degree-awarding powers, and 3 other non-degree-awarding entities.

He added that the actual number may be higher, as some institutions even go as far as awarding fake professorships.

Ribadu reminded the public that only duly approved public or private universities have the authority to award honorary doctorates in Nigeria.

While recipients may use titles such as Doctor of Literature (Honoris Causa), they are not permitted to adopt the “Dr” prefix or to use the honorary degree to function as scholars, supervise research, or hold academic responsibilities.

To restore order, the NUC has developed a national guideline for awarding and using honorary doctorates.

Ribadu announced that these guidelines will soon be published, with the Commission set to clamp down on degree mills in partnership with law enforcement agencies. He called on all stakeholders to support efforts to protect the dignity of Nigeria’s higher education system.

He said; “These awards have increasingly been misused by recipients. More troubling is the rise of unaccredited and illegal institutions, both local and foreign, that operate as honorary doctorate degree mills in Nigeria.

“They offer these degrees without merit, without oversight, and without legitimacy. In response to this disturbing trend, an investigation was carried out by the National Universities Commission (NUC) to examine how these degrees are awarded and used across Nigeria.

“The findings are deeply concerning, particularly because many institutions do not comply with the Keffi Declaration of 2012. This policy, agreed upon by Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian universities, was established to regulate the award of honorary doctorate degrees.

“It prohibits the award of honorary degrees to serving public officials and cautions recipients against using the title ‘Dr’ without proper disclosure. This is not just a matter of ethics; it is a matter of law.

“Using the title ‘Dr’ based on an honorary degree without clarification amounts to false representation, which is punishable under various fraud-related laws in Nigeria.

“Beyond the legal implications, this trend threatens the integrity of our universities and the value of genuine academic qualifications. It undermines the hard work of scholars and diminishes public trust in our education system,” he added.

This national concern also featured prominently at the 13th Convocation Ceremony of Nile University of Nigeria, where former President Goodluck Jonathan echoed similar worries.

Speaking in Abuja, Jonathan criticised the growing tendency of universities to award honorary doctorates to serving public office holders.

He argued that such honours should be reserved for individuals whose contributions can be objectively assessed, preferably after they leave office, so as not to appear politically motivated.

Jonathan recalled receiving his first honorary degree offer from the University of Port Harcourt during his tenure as Vice-President, an honour he initially declined until persuaded by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua.

He urged institutions to ensure that honorary degrees remain rooted in merit rather than favour or influence.

“It is better when you leave office and people can objectively appreciate your contributions, so it does not appear like eye service.”

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