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The Digest:

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has announced a decisive ban on awarding honorary doctorate degrees to serving public officials in Nigeria. The decision, revealed by NUC Executive Secretary Professor Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, follows a nationwide investigation that uncovered widespread misuse of honorary titles and the operation of illegal degree-awarding institutions across the country.

Key Points:
  • NUC has banned honorary doctorate awards to all serving public officials.
  • The decision follows an investigation into the misuse of honorary degrees.
  • 32 institutions were identified as operating as honorary degree mills.
  • Recipients are barred from using the title "Dr." without proper disclosure.
  • The move reinforces the 2012 Keffi Declaration by university vice-chancellors.
  • Misuse of honorary titles is now classified as punishable false representation.
  • Only accredited universities are legally permitted to award honorary degrees.
In a system where titles often overshadow truth, this ban draws a clear line between honor earned through achievement and honor merely claimed through position—a small but significant step toward restoring value to genuine accomplishment.

Sources: Leadership Newspapers, Business Day