My June 25 column, which brought attention to Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke’s fake doctorate and professorship, continues to generate interesting reactions.
In one of the responses to the column that I published here last week, a Professor Jacob Kwaga pointed out, among other things, that Okereke-Onyiuke’s story reminded him of “one ‘Prof’ of scam who got appointed as DG of NIPSS in Jos!” Someone who identified himself as Professor Ahmed Dembo Danfulani said he is the person Professor Kwaga characterized as a “Prof of scam.” Since the letter’s publication, Danfulani told me, he has received numerous calls and emails from friends and family members. So he sent the following as his rebuttal. Except for the redaction of the phone numbers and email addresses of people mentioned in the letter, it is largely untouched.
My dear brother Farooq, I read your column of Saturday the 25th June, and that of Saturday the 2nd of July, 2011 both, as always further confirm the quality of your scholarship and strength of your character. Keep it up. It will/may interest you to know that I am the person referred to in the script of Prof. Kwaga. I was also one of the Editorial members of the Daily Trust in 2007 under Kawu Modibbo as chairman then. Since that deformation story got published, I decided not to write or say anything,  either in the print or the electronic media for several reasons, particularly my family and the Hausa adage: Gaskiya Zata Tabatta, in sha Allahu.
The Editors of Daily Trust and that of Leadership know me quite well but none has ever contacted me to even verify the veracity of that scam story. Permit me to put it on records that NONE OF MY QUALIFICATIONS: B.Sc (U.I) MPA (OAU) M.Sc/MPhil (TT/ Paris) LLM (Paris XI) MPhil (Paris IX) MPhil (Paris II) and Doctoral D’ Etat; (Dsc) is fake!!! You are free to carry out your independent investigations in/outside Nigeria.  In particular,  you may  wish to contact my school mates: Dr. Hudu Ayuba: (HOD- Political Science, ABU) and Dr. Sadeeq Abubakar -Former HOD-same Dept and Faculty, and you may also contact my schools in Paris, France: Uniparis I (Sorbonne), Uniparis II (Pantheon), Uniparis IX (Dauphine), Uniparis XI (Sceaux) for clarifications.  I have all my certificates etc, with me.
An academic colleague and a senior brother to the Oba of Lagos HRH Alhaji Rilwanu Akinolu (mni/CFR) – in the person of Mr. Ahmed Yussuff whom we met and is still living in Paris, could be contacted if you wish, a copy of this mail is forwarded to him. You may also contact another Paris colleague and friend – Prof. Bola Akinterinwa currently the acting DG/NIIA. You are requested to look for my Book: Danfulani S.A. (2001) A Source Book for Strategic Studies in Africa, Edwin Mellem Press, Lewiston New York, USA, 14092-0450, 270p.
Two other colleagues that studied in France, Dr. Jibbo Ibrahim formerly of ABU, now CEO of an NGO in Abuja, as well as Dr. Obed Mailafiya, former Deputy Governor of the CBN for further clarifications about my person. I and Jibbo were classmates at the Msc programme of the International Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) affiliated to the Sorbonne and Sceaux in Paris, France while Obed also attended IIAP the year after.
My brother Farooq, you may also need to know my other class/room mates in all the schools and degree, mentioned earlier: Bsc (U.I) – Prof. Oladimeji Oladepo, Class mate/Room mate) Dean of Public Health, UCH, Ibadan; MPA/OAU-Chief Bola Ominiyi, Former Clerk of the senate NASS and Alhaji Bala Sakaba (Class Mate/Room Mate) former SSG, Kebbi State; Msc/MPhil (IIAP) (Paris); LLM (International Organizations/ Paris XI)M. Agbesu, the Foreign Minister of Benin Republic (IIAP/ Paris XI); MPhil (Paris/Dauphine) – Dr. Madam Hadisetou Kabba (HOD/Ministry of Health, Mali), Mphil – (Paris II/Pantheon) – Classmate General Alioum Seck/Senegal and Gen. Jacky Noe-Chairman EIF/Africa-France, and finally Dsc-(International Law-; Jibbo and Ambassador Kayode Garrick (then as Minister Councillor) were present on 19th/04/89 when I defended the thesis before a jury of 5 professors, (including Prof./Ambassador Edem Kodjo, former OAU/SG, Prime Minister of Togo;)  in Paris, Sorbonne/Sceaux.
In the course of my academic trajectory, three opportunities came my way to obtain Diploma and Attestation Certificates viz Diploma in French (Oct’ 83/Feb’ 84) Vichy/CAVILAM France, Diploma ICJ, (July/Sept. 1989) the Hague, Netherlands, and “Attestation – Programme on International Conflict Resolution and Analysis (PICAR) (Harvard July/Aug, 1995 we were the 1st set). All these I have most graciously appreciated and will continue to glorify almighty Allah for his blessings.
With a very high sense of integrity, I am a modest author of about 20 books, some with their ‘Foreward’ written by no less a personality and status of Gen. Yakubu Gowon (GCFR), Gen. I. Babangida (GCFR), Dr. David Mark (GCON), President (NASS), Atiku Abubakar (GCON), former V.P, and former President O. Obasanjo (GCFR), President Goodluck Ebele Johnathan (GCFR), Prof. Pat Utomi, among others. Four of these are written in French!, while a fifth is a compendium published in the USA (2001) as mentioned earlier.
My brother, the print media is an extremely powerful tool of information and disinformation a’la Nigerian. Kindly let us meet at least through a telephone conversation. You may also ask Kabir A.  Yusuf (CEO) and Manir Dan Ali (Editor) of Daily Trust respectively. Please be informed that I have received terrible text messages and read several other similar pieces on the internet, but a clear conscience fears no accusation.  I strongly believe in the quality and integrity of Mr. President and I am convinced that time is the acid test for value – with time, the truth will triumph.
My dear Farooq in case you decide to publish this piece, kindly don’t quote the telephone numbers and the e-mail addresses of these gentleman. I put them for your use to facilitate any independent enquiry or investigation concerning the veracity of my claims. Let me conclude by reiterating that beautiful House dictum – ‘Allah Is Enough’ convinced of course that, both from the logic of morality and law, you know the value of written documents! Thank you sir, for giving me this opportunity to present my own piece of the English cake!
Prof. Ahmed Dembo DANFULANI