Mahdi Shehu Slams Nigeria’s Hypocrisy Over Exam Fraud, Links It to Fake Credentials in Politics

Activist and public affairs analyst Mahdi Shehu has criticized Nigeria’s handling of exam impersonation scandals, arguing that the country has no moral authority to condemn such misconduct while top politicians openly defend fake and fraudulent certificates.

                                           

His comments came on Tuesday in a post on X (formerly Twitter), where he reacted to a viral video showing individuals preparing professional tests on behalf of others.

According to Shehu, the outrage over exam impersonation is ironic, given that:

• Politicians have falsified academic records and still had them upheld by courts.

• Certificates from nonexistent institutions have been paraded as valid.

• Leaders with questionable degrees continue to be celebrated at home and abroad.

He described the scandal as a mirror of Nigeria’s deeper political and societal decay, saying:

“This media trial is self-indicting in a country like Nigeria.”

Using a metaphor, he added:

“One cannot aspire to feel the freshness and sweetness of a fried fish whose head was rotten while in the water.”

Shehu argued that the real disgrace lies in how Nigeria rewards questionable credentials rather than punishing them.

• Fraudulent academic claims, he said, have become a national embarrassment.

• The persistence of such cases erodes trust in both governance and education.

In a sarcastic twist, Shehu suggested that those involved in the recent exam misconduct scandal should be given Nigeria’s GCON (Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger) title:

“…for a job well done.”