UNIPORT Confers Honorary Doctorate Degrees on Wike, Oluremi Tinubu, and Others

 The University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) on July 26, 2025, conferred honorary doctorate degrees on several distinguished figures, including Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, and Oluremi Tinubu, Nigeria’s First Lady, during its 38th convocation ceremony. 

The event, held at the university’s convocation arena, recognized Wike for his contributions to infrastructure development in Rivers State and the FCT, notably the 12.5-kilometer Arterial Road N20 in Abuja, while Tinubu was honored for her advocacy in education and women’s empowerment through the Renewed Hope Initiative. Other recipients included business mogul Aliko Dangote and educationist Prof. Grace Alele-Williams, the first female Vice-Chancellor of a Nigerian university.

The conferments, approved by UNIPORT’s Senate, drew mixed reactions. Supporters hail Wike’s urban renewal projects, which have created 15,000 jobs, and Tinubu’s literacy programs benefiting 1.2 million women, but critics, including some academic staff, argue the awards reflect political patronage, given Wike’s ties to President Tinubu and the First Lady’s role. 

The university cited their “exceptional service to humanity,” with Vice-Chancellor Prof. Georgewill Owunari emphasizing global impact. The narrative of recognition is celebratory, yet it underscores ongoing debates about the politicization of academic honors in Nigeria, with no immediate plans for an independent review of the selections.