The European-American University (EAU) has disowned an honorary doctorate purportedly awarded to popular Hausa musician Dauda Rarara Kahutu, declaring the ceremony a “complete fraud”.
The event was held on Saturday at the Nicon Luxury Hotel in Abuja and attended by dignitaries, including Dikko Radda, governor of Katsina state.
During the ceremony, which featured individuals who presented themselves as EAU representatives, Rarara and several others were awarded honorary degrees.
In a statement shared via its website, the university denied any involvement in the ceremony. The EAU clarified that it did not confer degrees on any of the named recipients.
The institution stated it has no governing council and has revoked the fellowship of Idris Aliyu, who “posed as a governing council member,” due to his role in the incident.
The EAU confirmed that its current vice chancellor is Luca Scotto di Tella de’ Douglas di Castel di Ripa, not the former vice chancellor Josephine Egbuta.
The statement also corrected claims about its location, stating it is legally registered in France and holds a Royal Charter from the Kingdom of Bunyoro-Kitara in Uganda, not Dominica or Panama.
The EAU further stated its intention to contact Nigerian authorities to take legal action against the organisers of the “fraudulent convocation”.
Read the statement below:
“The University has not authorized any convocation to be held in this location today, and this event has been organized fraudulently without the knowledge or consent of the University
“The persons organizing this event appear to have deceived others into believing they represented European-American University, but this was entirely false and they had no authority to do so, nor to take money on behalf of the University.
European-American University has not conferred any honorary doctorate degrees upon Dauda Kahutu Rarara, Alhaji Ahmed Saleh jnr., Mustapha Abdullahi Bujawa and Tarela Boroh. All holders of degrees from the University are listed in the Register of Graduates at https://europeanamerican.university/about/register-of-graduates These individuals are not honorands of the University and have no legitimate connection with us.
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.
In the article, 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.
In April this year, the University published a Notice stating that the former Vice-Chancellor of the University, Dr Mrs Josephine Egbuta, who had been dismissed from her position for cause, was no longer in any way authorized to represent the University. The current Vice-Chancellor of the University is Professor Luca Scotto di Tella de’ Douglas di Castel di Ripa.
The University’s legal status is explained fully at this page. The article states that European-American University is in both Dominica and Panama. This is false and refers to expired past authorities of the University that were never concurrent. The University is currently established as a nonprofit private institution of higher education in France and also holds a Royal Charter of Incorporation from the Kingdom of Bunyoro-Kitara (in Uganda).
Information about the University’s operations in Africa (including Nigeria) is available at this link: How the University operates in Africa.
The University will be contacting the legal authorities in Nigeria to stop the issuing of fake University certificates by the individuals behind this fraudulent activity, who should face the full force of the law.
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