JAMB Condemns Indiscriminate Award of Honorary Degrees—Calls for Academic Integrity
Emeritus Professor Is’haq Oloyede, the Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), remarked yesterday that the excessive awarding of honorary degrees by universities in Nigeria has diminished their significance.
He criticized several Nigerian universities for allegedly granting honorary degrees and awards indiscriminately to individuals both domestically and internationally.
Oloyede made his comments in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State, during the investiture ceremony at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), where 65 prominent Nigerians were recognized for their contributions to the university and various sectors of society. This event was part of the university’s ongoing celebration of its 50th anniversary.
“I was part of the team back then, during my tenure as VC, that declared the University of Ilorin should not join the trend of awarding honorary degrees recklessly. You will find that the University of Ilorin has not awarded such degrees as others do. I can’t recall any in the last 20 years, solely because we want to stand out,” he stated.
The JAMB registrar commended the university’s vice chancellor, Prof. Wahab Egbewole (SAN), for this innovative approach.
He promised, on behalf of the other recipients, that they would continue their service to the university, the nation, and humanity.
“Let us applaud the VC for the innovation of doing it with merit and dignity. I doubt there’s any degree you could confer upon these esteemed individuals present today that would match the impact we’ve established here.”
“It’s a creative endeavor to pursue this path without resorting to indiscriminate honorary awards. Some individuals even send their drivers to collect the awards on their behalf, which is a testament to its devaluation.
We express our gratitude to the university for this initiative. And from our side, we regard this as a great honor, pledging to devote ourselves to serving this university, our nation, and humanity at large,” Oloyede concluded.
Additionally, Prof. Egbewole mentioned that the honorees were categorized into three groups, comprising 50 ambassadors, 10 alumni, and two for excellence.
The VC elaborated that the ambassadors were nominated by their respective faculties, and their nominations were confirmed by the Centre for Advancement.
“These individuals have continually shown loyalty to our university’s values and have meaningfully given back, whether through mentorship, resources, or collaboration. Some honorees were recognized for their remarkable acts of generosity and support, reinforcing the adage that one good turn deserves another.”
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