'Fake' university disclaims honorary doctorate awarded to Nigerian singer Rarara

The European-American University has disclaimed an honorary doctorate recently conferred on Nigerian political praise singer Dauda Kahutu, popularly known as Rarara.

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At an event at the NICON Luxury Hotel in Abuja on Saturday, Rarara was awarded the ‘honorary doctorate’ in the presence of his family, friends and well-wishers.

However, in a statement on its website, the university said the ‘convocation’ where Rarara was awarded the honorary doctorate was fraudulently held as the university never authorised it.

The university disclaimed both the ‘honorary doctorate’ and the individuals who awarded Rarara, noting they do not represent the university.

“The name of Musari Audu Isyaku is cited as ‘Northern Nigeria representative of the institution’. This person has no authority to represent European-American University, and this statement is false,” the statement said.

“Idris Aliyu is cited as being a member of the Governing Council of the institution and having represented the Vice Chancellor of the university. Idris Aliyu is not a member of the University’s governing body – there is no “Governing Council” – and has no authority to represent the University’s Vice Chancellor.

“Aliyu Idris was appointed to the Fellowship of the University with professorial status in Financial Management in 2024. This appointment has been revoked with immediate effect for his involvement with this fraudulent activity.”

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Fake university?

Meanwhile, the university appears shady, without actual accreditation for Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctorate degrees.

The European-American University said on its website that it is registered in France and also holds a Royal Charter of Incorporation from the Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom in Uganda.

It claimed to provide certificates to individuals through “validation des acquis de l’expérience (VAE)”. The VAE is a procedure initiated by France’s Ministry of Labour to recognise prior learning that allows any French educational institution to grant degrees partly or completely based on work experience.

While some of its taught programmes, including examinations and assessments, are administered under the university’s authority from Bunyoro-Kitara, it said the distance assessment is offered through the European-American University in France.

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However, a review of Uganda’s National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), which accredits degree-awarding institutions, showed that the university is not authorised to offer any academic qualification.

The university has previously awarded an honorary doctorate to prominent Nigerians, including former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, and Borno State Commissioner for Works and Housing, Mustapha Gubio.