By Chidi Nkwopara

OWERRI — The news about the existence of fake professors in the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, FUTO, has been denied by the institution’s management.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Nnenna Oti, yesterday, while speaking to Vanguard in Owerri, said: “Those behind the ugly story, obviously generated the names themselves.

“The online story, which claimed that there are no fewer than 11 fake professors in FUTO, is fake. None of the names listed under FUTO exists in our staff list. The harbingers of the vexatious story, obviously generated the list themselves.

“It is very important to note that universities are autonomous and are under no obligation to report or present their list of professors to anyone.

“More so, the list of professors in any university, can be found in their website, matriculation lists, convocation lists, Senate documents, staff nominal roll, pay roll etc.

“More importantly, it is a dynamic list that keeps changing regularly with new additions and subtractions.”
While affirming that not too long ago, the National Universities Commission, NUC, opened up a new directory for listing professors with their curriculum vitae, CV, Prof. Oti said that does not carry the weight of compulsion.
Her words: “This is completely voluntary. It is updated at best, once a year. It is neither mandatory nor comprehensive.”