Controversy over FIIRO Ag. DG’s PhD cert deepens

By Ihesiulo Grace

13 January 2020

Featured

The dust raised by an alleged non-existent doctorate of the acting Director-General of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO), Chima Igwe, is far from settling as the clamour for the suspension of the DG and intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari has reached new decibels.

The Daily Times in July 2019, had exclusively reported that Igwe had yet to present his PhD certificate more than 17 years after several ultimatums by the governing board of the institute had expired, fuelling allegations that his purported doctorate was non-existent.

The embattled DG has since been under intense pressure by groups and stakeholders to vacate his office as they expressed doubt about his eligibility for the office he occupies.

Speaking with The Daily Times in an exclusive telephone chat, the Chairman of Civil Society Network Against Corruption, Suraj Olanrewaju, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene by prevailing on the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, to suspend the acting DG for the purposes of smooth investigation and compliance with the extant rules.

Suraj, who expressed worry about what he called the protection of Igwe by the Minister of Science and Technology, stated that owing to the fact that Igwe’s certificate was still a subject of an investigation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) before his appointment, he was not qualified in the first place.

He further stated that the Civil Society Network Against Corruption had written to a letter to the office of the Head of Service, informing it on the need for the acting DG to be suspended in compliance with the extant rules, describing his elevation to the position of acting DG as an indictment of the leadership of FIIRO after the exit of the former DG, Prof. Gloria Elemo.

However, contrary to the recommendation of the governing board of FIIRO in a leaked memo signed by the Chairman, Alhaji Dan Azumi Gwarzo, to the Minister of Science and Technology that the next senior director after Igwe should be appointed the acting Director-General of FIIRO in compliance with the extant rule which stipulates that pending the appointment of a substantive DG, the outgoing Chief Executive Officer must hand over to the most senior officer of the establishment as long as the officer does not have any disciplinary matter, Igwe was appointed- an action which sparked hue and cry among FIIRO staff.

The memo read in part: “The extant rules as specified in circular Ref No SGF 50/S.11/C.2/268 stipulated that pending the appointment of a substantive Director-General, the outgoing Chief Executive must hand over to the most senior officer of the establishment as long as the officer does not have any disciplinary matter.

However, the most senior director, Dr. C.C. Igwe has issues with his PhD certificate which he is yet to submit seventeen years after submitting a letter of attestation…The case is a subject of an investigation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).”

Explaining why the certificate of the FIIRO DG has sparked outrage within the institute, a reliable source who pleaded anonymity, said: “What happened is that the man claimed to have a PhD from a university in Benin Republic. Recently, before the former DG left, the board was trying to determine who the former DG should hand over to.

“They asked them to bring the file of the most senior. They brought out his file and discovered that his PhD certificate, which he claimed he had 17 years ago was not inside his file.

What they saw in his file was just a letter written by someone purported to be his supervisor- something like “to whom it may concern” that he finished his PhD in his laboratory- not signed by the registrar, not signed by the Vice-Chancellor but only signed by a purported supervisor that claimed he finished his PhD from his laboratory. And that is the letter he has been using as PhD certificate.”

Meanwhile, after the long-awaited report of its investigation, the Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye-led ICPC had given Chima Igwe a clean bill of health, stating that he truly had a PhD certificate.

The Commission had in a letter to the Minister of Science and Technology said it discovered that “Dr Chima Igwe attended and obtained a PhD from University D’Abomey Calavi, Republic of Benin”.

But, following the flurry of complaints that trailed his clearance, the ICPC backtracked, stating that it relied on information from sister agencies to clear Igwe.

In a statement by the Commission’s spokesperson, Mrs. Rasheedat Okoduwa, the Commission disclosed that it had reopened the investigation into the matter.

The statement read in part: “The Commission wishes to place it on record that it relied on communication from sister agencies in response to its enquiry on the status of Chima Igwe’s PhD certification in arriving at the position communicated to the Honourable Minister.

“The ICPC did no wrong in relying upon information obtained from other government agencies with the functional domain of the subject of enquiry. Such inter-agency confidence is a global practice.

However, in the light of further complaints received on the matter, the Commission has since the 3rd of December 2019, reopened an investigation into the status of Chima Igwe’s PhD certification. “

Commenting, Suraj Olanrewaju expressed disappointment and worry that the ICPC gave Igwe a clean bill of health only to backtrack after it was assailed with a barrage of complaints. He berated the agency for failing to carry a diligent investigation that is expected of it.

Suraj, however, added that the only respite is the fact that the Commission has reopened the investigation.

Meanwhile, the Chairman, FIIRO branch of Senior Staff Association of Universities Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutions and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI), Togunde Mumeen, lamented how the aforesaid certificate scandal has dented the image of the institute locally and internationally, calling for President Buhari to intervene since the Minister of Science and Technology has failed to do the needful.

On the allegation that he was bribed to ‘fight’ Igwe, he described such claim as baseless and watery, saying SSAUTHRIAI under his leadership would remain revolutionary and ideological. He called on Igwe to produce his PhD certificate as demanded by the Nigerian public and concerned authorities.

His words:” Our acting DG holds the institute and the public a duty to save our cherished image by responding to various media reports while the probe of his PhD is ongoing or produce his PhD certificate as being demanded by concerned authorities and the Nigerian public.”

He added:” I don’t think we have asked for too much because of the public perception of FIIRO is fast diminishing as a research institute expected to be of impeccable integrity and suspicion are rife.”

In its investigative report on the matter, a national daily (not The Daily Times) had reported that the Deputy Director of the Doctoral School of Pure and Applied Sciences at Universite D’Abomey Calavi, Benin Republic, Prof. Valentine Wotto, stated that though Igwe registered to commence studies the school, he did not complete his studies when the newspaper visited the school.

The Director was quoted as saying, “He had made the necessary registrations but he had not done his thesis defence.”

Attempts to get Igwe’s side of the story yielded no fruit as he neither answered phone calls nor replied messages sent to him as at the time of filing this report.