FUTO PROFESSORSHIP RACKET: How Pantami Accepted Appointment Five Months Before Offer
Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, has come under serious fire after documents showed he accepted the role of Professor of Cybersecurity five months before the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, officially offered him the appointment.
According to some documents uploaded by renowned Nigerian columnist and media scholar, Farooq Kperogi, the minister accepted the offer as a Professor of Cybersecurity in the School of Information and Communication Technology on March 30, 2021, however, the appointment letter offering him the professorship post has August 20, 2021 as its date.
WITHIN NIGERIA had reported that Kperogi, in an article published by Peoples Gazatte said the minister is not qualified to be appointed professor by any university in the world because he does not teach, research, or render service at any university now.
Pantami claimed he accepted the professorship post based on the instruction of President Muhammadu Buhari to share his knowledge and experience in the academia, which is a form of community service to the citizens.
“I wish to accept you the offer as a professor of cybersecurity in the School of Information and Communication Technology, Federal University of Technology, Imo, Owerri State.
“This decision is sequel to my briefing to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Friday 26th March 2021 and his permission for me to go ahead and share my knowledge and experience in the academia, which is a form of community service to our citizens.
“Furthermore, i want to categorically states that i will serve as a Professor of Cybersecurity at the University (on CONUASS 11) 7 STEP1. However, i will serve voluntarily without receiving any payment, until further notice. I will assume duty tomorrow, 31 March, 2021.
“Whilst thanking you for the offer, please, accept the assurance of my highest esteemed regards,” Pantami letter to the university dated March 30, 2021 read.
However, FUTO Registrar, John Nnabuihe in a letter dated August 20 to Pantami claimed his promotion was “based on his qualification which he merited through long years of research works.”
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said it would investigate the controversial appointment and has directed its FUTO chapter to look into the circumstances under which Pantami was promoted to the highest academic rank in the institution.
