A petition filed by a group calling itself the Concerned Law Students of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti has urged the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Council of Legal Education to probe the professorial title awarded to the Edo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Roland Otaru (SAN).

In the petition dated December 7, 2025, and signed by Comrade K. Akanbi, the students allege that Otaru may have improperly influenced the university to secure the academic rank, describing the conferment as “a great academic fraud” that undermines the credibility of Nigerian legal education.

The petition claims Otaru, a senior advocate based in Ilorin, Kwara State, earned his PhD only two years ago from a private university in Ogun State and has never taught or examined postgraduate law students in any Nigerian institution.

“Mr. Otaru has no record of teaching or postgraduate supervision to justify appointment as Associate Professor, let alone Professor of Law,” the petition reads. “We request an investigation into the circumstances surrounding this conferment and that those responsible be held accountable.”

The students accuse the university of “lowering its academic standards” and threaten a week-long protest in January 2026 if the matter is ignored. “Our lecturers know the truth but are afraid of shaking tables,” the group added.

Otaru: ‘This Is an Attempt to Undermine My Rising Profile’
Responding to the allegations, Otaru dismissed the claims as politically motivated. He insisted his professorial rank was legitimately approved by the university’s Senate.

“It is very funny,” he said. “The Senate conferred the title on me, and I have the letter to that effect. I was not the only one honoured—there were about four of us. I delivered the lecture on December 9, 2024.”

He cited his academic and professional qualifications, including a PhD, two Master’s degrees, multiple professional fellowships, and 20 years as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. “What are they talking about? Someone may have engineered this because of my rising profile,” he said, denying any form of inducement.

A staff member in the Office of the Dean of Students Affairs, who asked not to be named, said they were unaware of any group with the name “Concerned Law Students,” raising further questions about the origins of the petition.

PDP Calls for Transparent Probe
The controversy has attracted political attention, with the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) calling on state authorities to intervene.

In a statement, Publicity Secretary Dan Osa-Ogbegie, Esq., described the allegations as “disturbing” and said a professorship “is not an ornament of political prestige.”

“Professorship is a hard-earned academic rank achieved through transparent scholarly progression, verifiable teaching records, postgraduate supervision, and recognised intellectual contributions,” he said.

He urged Governor Monday Okpebholo to address the matter publicly and asked the state assembly to “redeem its battered dignity” by establishing a credible investigative committee.

The controversy is expected to deepen as stakeholders await formal reactions from the NUC and the Council of Legal Education.

(C) CITY LAWYER Magazine. All rights reserved. To join our Channel, click here. Click here to join our WhatsApp chatroom. Contact us at citylawyermag@gmail.com or 081-3838-0083.