By Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti
The management of the Federal University Oye Ekiti (FUOYE) has strongly condemned a petition circulating on social media alleging that the Edo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Roland Otaru, SAN, fraudulently obtained a professorial title from the institution.
In a statement on Wednesday, the university described the publication—titled “A call to probe Roland Otaru’s mystery Professor of Law title” and credited to a certain Comrade K. Akanbi S.A.L—as malicious, baseless, and authored by an unknown individual with no link to FUOYE.
FUOYE said the insinuations suggesting that Dr. Otaru was conferred with a “Professor of Law” title were entirely misleading, emphasizing that no such title was ever issued by the institution.
“The write-up is a fabrication driven by personal interest and aimed at tarnishing the image of Dr. Otaru and FUOYE,” the statement read. “The claims are not only spiteful but unfounded.”
Setting the record straight, FUOYE clarified that Dr. Otaru was appointed Professor of Practice, not Professor of Law, after meeting all requirements established by the university.
His appointment was approved on December 9, 2024, as part of FUOYE’s policy to bring seasoned legal practitioners into academia to enrich its Faculty of Law.
FUOYE added that Dr. Otaru was appointed alongside three other eminent Senior Advocates of Nigeria, namely:Prof. Doyin Awoyale, SAN, Prof. Sabastine T. Hon, SAN, Prof. Lawrence Fubara Anga, SAN“These distinguished individuals were engaged as Professors of Practice to contribute.