Delta varsity Pro-Chancellor Kila rejects ‘fake professor’ label

Professor Anthony Kila has vehemently rejected the labeling of him as a "fake professor," asserting that the characterization is inaccurate and damaging to his reputation. In a statement addressed to a publication dated October 3, 2026, Kila, who serves as Pro-Chancellor of Michael and Cecilia Ibru University in Delta State and Director of the Commonwealth Institute of Advanced and Professional Studies, affirmed his status as a professor and maintained the academic and professional credentials underlying his professorial title.

Kila argued that the report was grounded in an incomplete understanding of his professorship, urging for an assessment based on relevant facts and supporting documentation. He expressed readiness to provide documents concerning his professorial status. Describing the "fake professor" label as a factual conclusion with serious implications for his reputation, Kila was baffled by the level of attention directed at him. He emphasized that he neither held political office nor sought one, and was not a government official.

The journalist covering the story acknowledged the role of journalism in scrutinizing the credentials of individuals in responsible positions but cautioned that such scrutiny should be fair and founded on a proper understanding of the facts. Kila thanked colleagues, friends, students, and members of the public who contacted him to express confidence in his academic and professional credentials.

This statement came after a report by PREMIUM TIMES alleging that Kila had falsely presented himself as a professor and a "Jean Monnet Professor of Strategy and Development" for years, despite finding no evidence of a recognized university awarding him the academic rank.