Adeyanju Revisits What Chicago State University Said About Tinubu's Studentship
- Human rights activist Deji Adeyanju revisited Chicago State University's position on President Tinubu's academic records ahead of the 2027 elections
- A former CSU lecturer, Adetokunbo Pearse, accused Nigeria's Education Minister of lying about Tinubu's educational background during a TV interview
- Pearse claimed to have been the director of the programme Tinubu said he attended, but his teaching period at CSU raises questions about the timeline
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Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over eight years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues.
Chicago, USA - Human rights lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju has weighed in on the recurring debate over President Bola Tinubu's academic credentials, saying Chicago State University (CSU) in the United States had already settled the matter by confirming Tinubu's graduation.
Legit.ng reports that Adeyanju's comments came via his verified X (formerly Twitter) account and were a direct response to fresh allegations made by Adetokunbo Pearse, a former lecturer at the American institution, who had appeared on News Central TV to challenge the legitimacy of Tinubu's academic records.
Source: Twitter
Pearse, who said he taught at CSU between 1985 and 1990, went further than questioning Tinubu's attendance. He also accused the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, of dishonesty after the minister publicly confirmed the president's academic background.
"The Education Minister works for the president. The Education Minister is lying, just as the president himself is a bona fide professional liar," Pearse said during the interview.
He also alleged that Tinubu had listed schools he never attended in records submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
"Look at the records he has been submitting to INEC. He never said he was homeschooled. He gave names of schools which he never attended. This man is a professional crook," Pearse said.
Furthermore, the ex-lecturer claimed a personal connection to the academic programme in question, saying, "I was the director of the programme in which Tinubu said he attended."
CSU's record and the timeline gap
Chicago State University had previously confirmed that Tinubu enrolled at the institution between 1977 and 1979 and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration. This places Tinubu's time at the university several years before Pearse's stated teaching period of 1985 to 1990, a gap that raises questions about how directly Pearse could speak to the period in which Tinubu is said to have studied there.
Pearse, who is a Lagos State chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), stated that he was personally familiar with the programme Tinubu claimed to have taken and maintained that the president was never a student at the school.
Adeyanju dismisses Tinubu certificate controversy
Writing on X, Adeyanju dismissed the renewed scrutiny as a distraction, saying:
"Interestingly, Chicago State University already said Tinubu graduated from there. This narrative every election has become boring and a huge distraction from the real issues. Opposition should focus on how to stop the rigging of the election."
The debate over Tinubu's educational records has resurfaced repeatedly during past election cycles. With the 2027 elections approaching, the controversy has once again become part of the broader political conversation surrounding the president's background.
Tinubu recounts struggles funding university education
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that President Tinubu shared how he worked multiple jobs in the United States, including driving a taxi, to fund his university education.
Tinubu linked his personal struggles with accessing education to key policy decisions his administration has made in the sector.
The Nigerian leader cited figures on student loans, medical school investment, and nursing enrolment as evidence of his administration's education push.
Source: Legit.ng
