The elevation of Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Pantami, to the rank of professor by the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) continues to generate heat.
Pantami is not new to controversies. He was appointed in 2019 as a minister at the onset of President Muhammadu Buhari’s second tenure after spending three years (2016-2019) as Director-General and CEO of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
Last year, he was in the eye of the storm after videos surfaced online showing he allegedly about a decade ago had words of fulsome praise for extremist groups like Al-Qaeda and the Taliban.
Many Nigerians called for his resignation or sack based on those statements. Although the minister later admitted making the controversial comments but said his views on such groups had since evolved and were no longer sane.
Still swimming in controversial waters, Chairman and CEO of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, went on Twitter to accuse Pantami of preying on her and her staff by chasing them out of their office accommodation and seizing their equipment.
Now, the minister’s academic elevation is eliciting intense discourse. The row isn’t just about ‘the well-deserved promotion’ but also the claim of over 160 publications attached to it.
In September 2021, Pantami was among seven academics that were elevated by FUTO to the position of a professorship at the university’s council’s 186th meeting.
The opposing sides in Pantami’s promotion are academics and political supporters. Many scholars fault the rationale behind his professorship, arguing that he can’t be a professor since he was not a lecturer at the university. They also insist that his highest attainment before delving into politics was the position of lecturer.
As is to be expected his political supporters have risen stoutly in Pantami’s defence.
Elated by news of the promotion, the minister has since added the title of ‘Professor’ to his name. But during the week, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) described the appointment as illegal.
ASUU said the review of the processes that led to Pantami’s elevation found they were against laid-down procedures within the university system.
The union also argued that the minister has no academic qualifications or certification to be promoted to such a high cadre academic position and cannot occupy different positions in two separate federal government parastatals
Reacting to ASUU’s position, FUTO Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Nnenna Oti, said the institution’s management has gone to court over the matter.
She stated that the union has no power or right to fault the appointment of any individual to occupy any position in the varsity.
Oti insists that the school is an independent body and has the power to appoint, fire, or retire any individual in the institution.
With the matter already the subject of litigation, time will tell if ‘Professor’ Pantami has adorned borrowed robes or his grand new title is the real deal.