Professor Anthony Kila, Pro-Chancellor of Michael and Cecilia Ibru University (MCIU), Delta State, has rejected a report questioning his professorial title and said he has instructed his lawyers to review the publication and advise him on appropriate legal action.
Kila, who is also the Director of the Commonwealth Institute of Advanced and Professional Studies (CIAPS), described the “fake professor” label as inaccurate, misleading and damaging to his reputation and professional standing.
He made his position known in a statement responding to a PREMIUM TIMES investigation published on October 3, 2026, which questioned his claim to the title of professor and raised concerns about some of the academic credentials contained in his public profiles.
“For the avoidance of doubt, I am a professor, and I stand by the title and the professional and academic credentials on which it is based,” Kila said.
The PREMIUM TIMES investigation reported that it found no evidence that a recognised academic institution had awarded Kila the academic rank of professor. It also questioned his claim that the European Centre for Advanced and Professional Studies (ECAPS), which he said was based in Cambridge, United Kingdom, awarded him the professorship in 2016.
Kila, however, said the report was based on what he described as an incomplete understanding of the nature, origin and institutional basis of his professorship.
He said he was prepared to make the relevant facts and documentation concerning his professorial status available, adding that the evidence should be assessed on the basis of the appropriate records.
The MCIU Pro-Chancellor also took particular exception to the description “fake professor”, arguing that it was presented as a factual conclusion and had serious implications for his reputation.
While acknowledging the importance of journalistic scrutiny of people occupying positions of responsibility, Kila said such scrutiny should be conducted fairly and with a proper understanding of the facts.
He further disclosed that he had instructed his lawyers to review the publication and any subsequent dissemination of the allegations and advise him on the appropriate legal steps to protect his reputation and professional standing.
“The facts and documentation will speak for themselves,” he said.
The controversy has attracted attention because of Kila’s position as Pro-Chancellor of MCIU. A pro-chancellor chairs the governing council of a university, with the council responsible for matters including the institution’s administration, policy implementation, finances and assets.
Meanwhile, MCIU’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ibiyinka Fuwape, has said the university will respond to questions arising from the investigation after internal consultations.
Fuwape told PREMIUM TIMES that the university’s governing council was yet to meet on the matter and that the institution’s public relations officer would communicate its position.
The development leaves the controversy over Kila’s professorial title open, with Kila maintaining that he is a professor and the investigation disputing the basis of the title.
Any legal action arising from the dispute is expected to further clarify the claims and documentation surrounding Kila’s academic title.
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