PhD Scandal: Embattled Osun Rector Arrested, Detained

The embattled Rector of Igbajo Polytechnic, Akinola Olaolu, has been arrested and detained at the Ibadan office of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission.

Dr Akinola Olaolu

It was gathered that Olaolu was arrested on Friday by the agency for allegedly forging his certificates.

The Punch had reported that there was a crisis at the Igbajo Polytechnic, a community-owned tertiary institution in Osun State, over the alleged fraudulent PhD certificate of the rector.

Olaolu came into the school in December 2015 as a deputy rector.

However, because he claimed to have a PhD in Economics from the University of Ibadan, he was made to replace the former rector, Tanimowo Oke.

More than eight months after his arrival, he was reported to have refused to produce his purported PhD certificate.

When Punch contacted the UI with a copy of his notification of result, the school’s Director of Public Communications, Mr Olatunji Oladejo, said the varsity had no record of the rector.

The UI spokesperson said Olaolu’s purported matriculation number was fraudulent.

The rector had, however, said he had just obtained his certificate from the school.

But like the notification of result, the purported certificate was sent to UI for verification and was again disclaimed.

The University of Lagos, where Olaolu claimed that he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics also said he did not graduate from the school.

On Friday, a source said the rector was detained in the Ibadan, Oyo State, office of the ICPC.

Some top members of the school’s governing council and board of trustees, who spoke on Saturday and Sunday, also confirmed the development.

One of those who spoke to The Punch, said Olaolu lasted long in the system because he was backed by some cabals in the poly’s management team.

He said, “The school was built with communal effort. We appreciate what you have done. If not for you, some of the secrets would not have been revealed.”

Another member of the management said the school had started looking for his replacement.