Kemi Adeosun’s exemption certificate- Decay of a system by Rasheed Yusuf
The news of an alleged certificate forgery linked to a serving Minister in the current administration in Nigeria, is undoubtedly, a public knowledge. The Minister is alleged to have been parading a “fake” certificate of NYSC exemption.
The Exemption Certificate is issued to some categories of Nigerian graduates. These graduates are as follows:
a) Graduates who are above the age of 30 years, as at the time of graduation
b) Graduates from Nigerian Universities, who attended sandwitch programmes or part time programmes from Nigerian Universities
In the case of the serving minister, she was alleged to have graduated from a United Kingdom University, at the age of 22 years. She started her career in the United Kingdom, immediately after graduation. This perhaps, was responsible for her decision to stay away from the country, until she was invited, by a serving governor, who saw the high potential in her intellect and made her a commissioner in his state.
The Real Issue
The real issue is that the Nigerian laws have provided a screening by security agents and agencies, of any commissioner or minister designate in Nigeria. These designates are subjected to background checks by relevant agencies on their suitability or otherwise for such political office they are been nominated.
The serving minister was, expectedly, subjected to security screening by security agencies in 2012 and later passed through the house of assembly confirmation before her appointment.
In 2015, this same personality was expected to have passed through similar and possibly a more rigorous screening and confirmation process by the national security and the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The minister has served about 3 years in office as a performing and credible minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It took the dexterity of the Nigerian Media to identify the authenticity of her discharged or Exception certificate.
Who is Guilty?
Was the alleged fake certificate presented to the relevant authorities in the year 2012?
Was same document tendered before the various bodies including the national assembly in 2015?
What is the criteria and checklist of the National Assembly for presented candidates or designates?
This National Assembly has demonstrated high level of competence, by ensuring some nominee of the Executive arm of government were turned-down on allegation of incompetence, and misfit, their stance were maintained despite re-presentations by the executive arm of government. How did this certificate labelled as “fake” beat the prying eyes of the National Assembly?
The story has not been told. The mystery must be unravelled.
Rasheed Yusuf; Writes from Abuja
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