By Ade Oyeyemi
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has claimed that President Bola Tinubu graduated with a first-class degree in accounting from Chicago State University in the United States, describing him as a genius.
Alausa made the claim during an interview on Channels Television on Tuesday, insisting that his knowledge of the institution and interactions with some of Tinubu’s former schoolmates supported his assertion.
The minister, who said he lived in Chicago for nearly 30 years, maintained that he was familiar with the university and had personally encountered several people who attended the institution alongside the President.
“I’m telling you hardcore facts. I lived in Chicago for almost 30 years. I’ve been to that university so many times,” he said.
When asked whether he had met any of Tinubu’s classmates, Alausa responded, “Oh, many, many, many, in person. Many.”
Asked specifically whether the President graduated with first-class honours, the minister replied, “In accounting, of course.”
Alausa went further to defend Tinubu’s intellectual ability, describing him as exceptionally intelligent and praising his leadership.
“Oh, he’s a genius. Let’s not talk about the capability of this President. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is literally a genius,” he said.
The education minister also credited the President with improving Nigeria’s economic outlook, arguing that his administration had moved the country from a struggling economic position towards growth.
“Look at how he’s transformed a moribund country three years ago to a country that is growing,” he stated.
When questioned about persistent challenges, including the high number of out-of-school children and rising poverty, Alausa urged the interviewer to focus on what he considered the administration’s achievements.
“Let me focus on what you’re saying. I don’t want you to derail this conversation. But this President has delivered this for Nigeria,” he added.
Tinubu’s academic qualifications have remained controversial since the build-up to the 2023 presidential election, with questions raised about his educational records and the authenticity of documents submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The debate resurfaced in August 2026 when INEC began displaying Form EC9 submitted by presidential aspirants ahead of the 2027 elections. Tinubu listed a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Chicago State University, with honours, dated June 22, 1979. He also indicated that he completed his National Youth Service Corps programme in Oyo State between December 1982 and November 1983.
Chicago State University had previously confirmed that Tinubu attended the institution and graduated in 1979, with accounting as his major. The university released his academic records in September 2023 following a court application by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.
The university’s registrar, Caleb Westberg, also confirmed Tinubu’s graduation in a deposition before a United States court.
However, the released academic records did not establish that Tinubu graduated with first-class honours. A BBC fact-check published in October 2023 also reported that there was no evidence that the diploma submitted by the President to INEC was forged.
