I have listened to many people in Nigeria while introducing themselves to say “My name is Dr. XYZ, My name is Prof. XYZ, My name is Chief XYZ,” etc. I recall that some years ago, someone was introduced, and the person got angry that Otunba was omitted from his name. Let me however correct this wrong notion that profession is not a name and title is not a name. You hear people say I am Surveyor XYZ…No…it is wrong. It should be for example: “My name is Gbenga Adeoye. I am a Land or Estate Surveyor & Valuer. ( The author is not a surveyor, please.)” This desire for titles is a sign of emptiness, and it has entered the church too. Some want to be addressed as Evangelist XYZ. Even young boys singing here and there now add prefix of evangelist to this and that …This is what inferiority complex and ego are doing to us in Africa. In the US, I recall, even we executive students that came to Harvard for short-term studies addressed our lecturers by first name. We call them ‘Mike’, ‘John’…etc. You hear words like “Join me as I welcome John Bedford. John is a Professor of Business Management.” Great men like Bro Gbile Akanni are still brothers. Small boys are now apostles because despite having no spiritual result to show, they just want to copy some Apostles that have result to show for their labour.

Some people who are now called Apostles and Bishops, even in their hearts, know they do not carry such title in their work with God. It is fake until it becomes real. I know a billionaire who cautions somebody to address him by his name and not add Alhaji to it. My concern rose when I watched the Senate screening of a nominee who got angry that his name is Professor XYZ, and they have been addressing him as Mr. XYZ. This is a very serious problem in Nigeria and Africa. There is a level you will get to that your title becomes attached to your name when people want to mention your name. That is a level that Prof. Wole Soyinka got to many years ago. The likes of Pastor E. A. Adeboye and Pastor Kumuyi are at that level too where anyone who wants to mention their names finds it uncomfortable, not to add that prefix. I do hear people ignorantly say: “Point of correction. My name is not Mr XYZ… My name is Dr. XYZ or Prof. XYZ…or Engr. XYZ…or Chief or Otunba XYZ. The point of correction is to you because you do not know the difference between what a name is or what a prefix or title is. Here is the way to answer questions like tell us your name and who you are or brief us about yourself.

You will simply say I am  Olugbenga Adeyemi Adeoye. I am from Ogun State. I am a Professor of Accounting or Law or Medicine at XYZ University.(hypothetical example). As a matter of fact, if the questions end at your name, you just say I am Gbenga Adeoye. This misconception was properly addressed by Adams Oshiomole, who said “Professor is not part of your name” during Senate committee screening of a nominated INEC commissioner, although I wish he spoke more about it. I hear people say:  I am Senator XYZ . That is very wrong! Rather, you will say I am Olugbenga Adeyemi Adeoye, senator representing XYZ Constituency of XYZ state.” The honour of prefix attachment to your name is better done by people, not you adding it when people ask for your name. Please, let no one get me wrong … I am an advocate of the fact that if you truly work for your PhD, put it on your card, even if you have written Dr. XYZ… I argued that “PhD” showing on your card is what differentiates you from the bastardized honorary doctorate degrees around Nigeria where everybody now calls themselves Dr. XYZ, but if you add PhD in front, then we would know your Doctorate is as a result of hard work of research.

I do know of course that there are people who didn’t go for proper study or research and all of a sudden, you just hear them say they now have a PhD…You only need to ask them few questions to know they are fake PhD holders, such as: What was your research based on? Who supervised your thesis? Who was your external examiner? Who was your internal examiner? What was the addition you added to knowledge? When was your doctorate declared? How was your Pre-Field? How was your Post-Field? How was your oral? If you ask someone who bought a PhD or holding a fake PhD any of the above questions, you will see them confused because they never studied nor carried out any research to get it. It is very worrisome that in various departments of our institutions of higher learning in Africa; there are people holding fake certificates and yet working as lecturers. How then do you want to end examination malpractice? These are the kinds of lecturers that demand money from students. I understand we even have such people in secondary schools as teachers now!!! Teachers who sell grades to students in high schools. Men and women without conscience. Those who cannot give them money will get low scores.

It is better not to have enough teachers or lecturers than to have people who compromise academic standards. No wonder, most high school students see cheating in WAEC or NECO or JAMB exams as a way because evil teachers have made them to believe you must buy grades. In conclusion, a title is not a name and let us know that profession is also not a name. While we give honour to whom honour is due, we must find a way to flush out fake degree holders from our system. We must focus on having men with integrity and truthfulness as teachers so that we can produce graduates with character and not just mere certificate with too many dishonest and wild people around.

•Adeoye, PhD, is a lawyer and chartered accountant

 Fight against vanity academic titles in Africa