Over 650 Nigerian students studying at ESM University in Benin Republic have appealed to President Bola Tinubu for intervention following the Federal Government’s recent derecognition of their university. The ban affects several universities in Benin and Togo after it was discovered that over 22,500 graduate certificates obtained between 2019 and 2023 were fake.
On Thursday, August 29, 2024, hundreds of affected students, along with their parents, staged a peaceful protest in Port Harcourt at the residence of Chibuzor Chinyere, General Overseer of the Omega Power Ministry (OPM), to express their concerns. Many of these students are on OPM scholarships and say the ban has significantly impacted their mental health.
Hycenth Ikechukwu, a final-year Business Administration student, expressed his frustration: “We urge President Tinubu to intervene and direct the Education Ministry to reconsider this hasty decision that could ruin our lives. It is not fair to ask someone in their final year to start at 100-level in Nigerian universities after years of hard work and millions expended.”
Another student, Moses Joseph, called on the government to facilitate their transfer to universities in Nigeria, stating, “We should be allowed to submit our academic transcripts to continue our education in the country. I am willing to start at 100-level if necessary.”
Chinyere, speaking on behalf of the students, noted that OPM has invested over ₦500 million in scholarships for these students and emphasized the unfairness of the government’s decision. “Rather than banning the university, the Federal Government should strengthen regulations governing foreign education,” he urged.
The students and their supporters continue to plead for a reversal of the policy to safeguard their educational future.
