The President of Nigeria and the Honorable Minister of Education

We understand the need to clean up our education system and ensure that it remains strong and credible. The issue of certificate racketeering is a serious problem, like a cancer that can weaken our nation if left unchecked. But in the process of trying to fix this, the recent decision to de-accredit universities in Benin and Togo has unfairly impacted many of us who studied there legitimately.

Not all of us bought our certificates. Many of us studied hard, passed our exams, and earned our degrees honestly. We chose these schools because they were accredited and recognized by both their governments and ours. We did our due diligence, and now we’re being punished for something we didn’t do.

This decision has devastated us. Some of our friends are even considering suicide because they feel like all their hard work has been for nothing. They didn’t cheat or buy their way through school—they worked day and night to achieve their dreams, just like any other student. We are pleading with you to reconsider this decision, not just for us, but for the future we want to build for Nigeria.

We understand that protecting the integrity of our education system is crucial, and we fully support that. But please, don’t let the actions of a few bad actors destroy the futures of so many hardworking students. We’re asking you to find a way to separate those who earned their degrees honestly from those who didn’t. Perhaps a process could be put in place where we can prove our knowledge and skills whether through exams, interviews, or another method.

We also want to know what happened with the investigation into those who sold fake certificates. What were the results? Can those people be held accountable without harming everyone else?

We’re young Nigerians trying to make something of ourselves. We’ve put in the work, and we believe our government can help us protect our dreams. Please, reconsider this decision. Give us a chance to show that we are worthy of the degrees we’ve earned.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.