Cambridge University: Hausa Language Not Offered in 1961 Exams

25 Jan 2015 - THISDAY

The controversy over the secondary school results of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, continues as the University of Cambridge has said that Hausa Language, which is one of the subjects listed by Buhari, was not offered in its examinations in 1961.

The disclosure was contained a statement from the office of the Director of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation claiming it came though an e-mail dated Thursday, January 22, 2015 from the institution’s Archives Delivery Service Officer, Jacky Emerson, to one Sodiq Alabi who requested for confirmation if the examination body offered Hausa Language in the 1961 West African Certificate Examination it organised.

Emerson, in his one-sentence reply, said: “According to the Regulations for 1961, African Language papers, including those for Hausa, were not included for West African School Certificate.”

This development may have further cast doubts on the certificate which is purported to be General Buhari’s. He is yet to react to the assertion by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organisation that the document (the published certificate) was forged and illegally procured.

The Campaign Organisation, through its Director of Media and Publicity, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, had pointed out a number of inconsistencies in the document at a press conference last Thursday in Abuja.

Fani-Kayode had, among other things, pointed out the alteration in Mathematics, which he said General Buhari must have failed, adding that since that was the case, he should not have been enlisted in the military as a commissioned officer, having failed to satisfy the requirement of pass at credit level in Mathematics.

He said at best, Buhari should have been enlisted as a non-commissioned officer.

He had also questioned the recent passport photograph of Buhari on the statement of result (which is not a certified true copy) purportedly issued by the Ministry of Education, Katsina State; the “1961” date at the top of the document which conflicted with the “2015” date signed by the Principal of Government College (Pilot) Katsina, whose name was not stated in the document.

Fani-Kayode had called on the Police to track down those who masterminded the forged statement of result.