Academics, Students Demand Ban on Geh Geh, Blessing CEO’s Parody Universities

A coalition of academics, students, alumni, and concerned citizens has called on the National Universities Commission (NUC) to clamp down on parody platforms such as “GehGeh University of Wisdom and Understanding” and “Blessing CEO University”, describing them as a threat to the integrity of Nigeria’s higher education system.

The group, under the banner of the Coalition for the Protection of Academic Integrity in Nigeria (CPAIN), petitioned the NUC, urging it to enforce the law that forbids the use of the title “university” without formal accreditation.

Charles Ekeh, spokesperson for CPAIN, who signed the petition addressed to the Executive Secretary and Board of the NUC, warned that the growing trend of social media influencers and comedians branding their platforms as “universities” risks undermining decades of scholarship and Nigeria’s academic reputation.

“University is a legally protected designation earned only through rigorous accreditation. Allowing comedians and influencers to misuse the title undermines its value and diminishes the integrity of genuine institutions,” Mr Ekeh stated.

Emmanuel “Geh Geh” Obruste, who came to prominence in 2023 after Mavin Records boss, Michael “Don Jazzy” Ajereh, shared his financial literacy skits, responded emotionally to the petition.

In a statement on Instagram on Sunday, he wrote:

“This is so heartbreaking for me. Nigerians, please help me beg the president, please.”

Mr Obruste has drawn widespread attention in recent months, with reports claiming he attracted over 177,000 online participants and earned $30,000 in a single TikTok Live lecture.

But the coalition insists such parody platforms are not harmless entertainment.

“When Geh Geh and others casually adopt the word ‘university,’ it weakens the credibility of properly accredited institutions,” Mr Ekeh argued. “Some unsuspecting Nigerians may even be deceived into thinking these platforms provide authentic courses or certificates, leaving them vulnerable to fraud.”

He added that tolerating such practices could embolden diploma mills to disguise themselves as comedy ventures, making it harder to combat fake degrees.

The group urged the NUC to take immediate action, listing several steps:

• Issue a formal statement rejecting the unauthorised use of the term university.

• Send cease-and-desist notices to the social media accounts involved.

• Collaborate with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and social media platforms for enforcement.

• Launch a nationwide awareness campaign to help Nigerians identify accredited institutions.

Ekeh clarified that the petition was not an attempt to suppress satire or online creativity but a defense of academic integrity.

“The integrity of our universities must not be treated as a laughing matter,” he declared.

Meanwhile, critics argue the NUC’s silence could further erode confidence in Nigeria’s higher education sector, already battling challenges of underfunding, graduate unemployment, and poor global rankings.