The recent resignation of Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, over alleged falsified academic claims, has once again brought Nigeria’s leadership vetting process under scrutiny.
Every time a story like this breaks, we rush to blame “the system.” But the truth is, the system exists — it’s the people running it who look away.
Nigeria has committees for screening, agencies for background checks, and institutions mandated to verify the authenticity of documents submitted by public officials. In theory, everything looks solid. Yet, time after time, people with questionable records rise to high positions unchallenged until the truth surfaces in the media.
So, what really went wrong?The answer isn’t the absence of structure but the presence of compromise. Somewhere between nomination and confirmation, someone looks away. Somewhere between verification and approval, someone signs off what should have been rejected.
The Uche Nnaji saga is not an isolated failure; it is a reflection of a culture that prioritizes loyalty over integrity, influence over evidence, and silence over accountability.
Over the years, Nigeria has built systems meant to prevent cases like this — from NYSC verification to INEC screening and Senate confirmations. Yet, time and again, controversies over alleged certificate falsification continue to surface. We saw this in the Kemi Adeosun case, where questions around her NYSC exemption certificate stirred national debate; in Peter Mbah’s situation, where a court had to intervene to affirm his discharge certificate’s authenticity; and even at the state level, with figures like Ogiji Imo Chike in Ebonyi and Abdulganiyu Audu in Edo, whose academic records faced public scrutiny. Whether proven or dismissed, these episodes occurred long after laws and systems for verification were established — proving that the real issue isn’t the absence of systems, but the tendency of those running them to look away.
We keep saying “the system is weak,” but the system is only as weak as those who control it. We have rules, we have processes, we even have agencies — but what we lack is the will to enforce them without fear or favour.
Until Nigeria learns to make truth non-negotiable, scandals like this will remain predictable headlines.
Once again, we’re reminded that Aso Rock is not the problem. The problem lies within the web of silence, complicity, and selective blindness that protects the powerful while pretending to uphold justice.
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