Prof. Hakeem Fawehinmi, recently appointed as VC of UNIABUJA
Yakubu Gowon University, formerly the University of Abuja, is facing fresh controversy following the appointment of Prof. Hakeem Fawehinmi as Vice Chancellor.
Some members of the university community have raised concerns that the appointment did not comply with established requirements, alleging that the Federal Government, the National Universities Commission (NUC), and the university’s Governing Council bypassed mandatory criteria.
At the centre of the dispute is Prof. Fawehinmi’s academic qualification. While the advertised role requires a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), stakeholders claim that the new Vice Chancellor holds only a professional fellowship certificate. They argue that, although fellowship credentials are respected in technical and medical fields, they are not legally equivalent to a PhD for academic appointments.
Critics cite a ruling by the National Industrial Court that affirmed fellowship certificates cannot substitute for doctorates in Nigerian universities. They warn that bypassing advertised requirements risks setting a dangerous precedent, undermining regulatory oversight and exposing appointments to judicial challenge.
The stakeholders have called on the Governing Council to enforce the advertised qualifications strictly and to review the appointment, or reconsider it in favour of the candidate who meets all legal and regulatory criteria.
The university’s management has yet to comment on the controversy.
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