June 4, 2010
Authorities of the University of Kansas two days ago issued a rare public apology to two Nigerian officials over what the university described as the "unauthorized actions" of one of its officials, a Nigerian-born professor named Dr. Aminu Gusau. In a press statement issued by Jack Martin, the deputy director of communications, the university expressed regrets if the unauthorized actions of Gusau had in any way tarnished the two Nigerian officials.
Authorities of the University of Kansas two days ago issued a rare public apology to two Nigerian officials over what the university described as the "unauthorized actions" of one of its officials, a Nigerian-born professor named Dr. Aminu Gusau. In a press statement issued by Jack Martin, the deputy director of communications, the university expressed regrets if the unauthorized actions of Gusau had in any way tarnished the two Nigerian officials.
Last week, Gusau accused two aides of Mr. Jonathan Goodluck, namely Cairo Ojuogboh and Abba Aji (presidential special advisers on the legislature), of scamming his university of $60,000. In a well publicized petition, Gusau stated that his university had agreed with Abba-Aji and Ojuogboh that each Nigerian legislator participating in a seminar organized by the university would pay $4,000, for a total of $80,000.
The petition further stated that while Abba-Aji and Ojougboh remitted an advance payment of $20,000 to the institution, they failed to pay the balance even after the program had held in January.
In shedding light on his deal with the two government officials, Dr. Gusau also said in his petition, addressed to the EFCC, that 20 Nigerian legislators were booked for the training program originally scheduled for September 2009 but later rescheduled to January 2010.
Saharareporters had reported that a Nigerian member of the House of Representatives, Tuggar Yusuf Maitama, was deported from Amsterdam in January over terrorism concerns as he headed to the US. Also in January, Mr. Abba Aji's name featured on a list of Nigerian officials the US government had intended to ban from entering the US because of their individual roles in prolonging the political crisis occasioned by Yar’Adua’s illness.
In the statement issued two days ago, Kansas University authorities stated that Dr. Gusau does not have the authority to make monetary claims on behalf of the university and its programs.
Investigations by Saharareporters revealed that Gusau is also linked with a controversial lecture series run by the University of Kansas and known as “The Marwa Africana Lecture Series”. The lecture series was established in 2003 through a donation to Kansas University Endowment by Mohammed Buba Marwa, a former military administrator of Lagos State and Nigeria’s current ambassador to South Africa. In a press release on its website, the university described Marwa as a "Nigerian businessman, politician and philanthropist, who is the Nigerian ambassador to South Africa".
Absent from that narrative is the fact that Marwa has been cited in various money laundering deals. In such deal was between Marwa and an Indian businessman named Raj Arjandas Bhojwani. Mr. Bhojwani was recently jailed in the Island of Jersey for the money laundering involving Marwa.
In a response to an e-mail query from Saharareporters, a Kansas University spokesman said that the official who could speak on the university’s ties to Marwa and the lecture series he funds was not immediately available.
On whether Gusau would be punished for his role in writing a petition against the two Nigerian officials, the same spokesman said it was the university’s policy not to discuss personnel issues in public.
***
Below is the statement of the University of Kansas to correct Gusau’s false claims
LAWRENCE – The University of Kansas is seeking to correct false claims that have recently appeared in the media regarding the university and two aides to the President of Nigeria, Mohammed Abba-Aji and Cairo Ojougboh.
The individual making allegations against the two officials, Aminu Gusau, has no authority to act or speak on behalf of the University of Kansas. He also has no authority to make monetary claims on behalf of the university or its programs. Only the Chancellor or Provost of the university has the authority to authorize such actions and they have not done so in this matter.
“We sincerely regret if the unauthorized actions of this individual have in any way tarnished the reputations of these two officials,” said Danny Anderson, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor.
Last week, Gusau accused two aides of Mr. Jonathan Goodluck, namely Cairo Ojuogboh and Abba Aji (presidential special advisers on the legislature), of scamming his university of $60,000. In a well publicized petition, Gusau stated that his university had agreed with Abba-Aji and Ojuogboh that each Nigerian legislator participating in a seminar organized by the university would pay $4,000, for a total of $80,000.
The petition further stated that while Abba-Aji and Ojougboh remitted an advance payment of $20,000 to the institution, they failed to pay the balance even after the program had held in January.
In shedding light on his deal with the two government officials, Dr. Gusau also said in his petition, addressed to the EFCC, that 20 Nigerian legislators were booked for the training program originally scheduled for September 2009 but later rescheduled to January 2010.
Saharareporters had reported that a Nigerian member of the House of Representatives, Tuggar Yusuf Maitama, was deported from Amsterdam in January over terrorism concerns as he headed to the US. Also in January, Mr. Abba Aji's name featured on a list of Nigerian officials the US government had intended to ban from entering the US because of their individual roles in prolonging the political crisis occasioned by Yar’Adua’s illness.
In the statement issued two days ago, Kansas University authorities stated that Dr. Gusau does not have the authority to make monetary claims on behalf of the university and its programs.
Investigations by Saharareporters revealed that Gusau is also linked with a controversial lecture series run by the University of Kansas and known as “The Marwa Africana Lecture Series”. The lecture series was established in 2003 through a donation to Kansas University Endowment by Mohammed Buba Marwa, a former military administrator of Lagos State and Nigeria’s current ambassador to South Africa. In a press release on its website, the university described Marwa as a "Nigerian businessman, politician and philanthropist, who is the Nigerian ambassador to South Africa".
Absent from that narrative is the fact that Marwa has been cited in various money laundering deals. In such deal was between Marwa and an Indian businessman named Raj Arjandas Bhojwani. Mr. Bhojwani was recently jailed in the Island of Jersey for the money laundering involving Marwa.
In a response to an e-mail query from Saharareporters, a Kansas University spokesman said that the official who could speak on the university’s ties to Marwa and the lecture series he funds was not immediately available.
On whether Gusau would be punished for his role in writing a petition against the two Nigerian officials, the same spokesman said it was the university’s policy not to discuss personnel issues in public.
***
Below is the statement of the University of Kansas to correct Gusau’s false claims
LAWRENCE – The University of Kansas is seeking to correct false claims that have recently appeared in the media regarding the university and two aides to the President of Nigeria, Mohammed Abba-Aji and Cairo Ojougboh.
The individual making allegations against the two officials, Aminu Gusau, has no authority to act or speak on behalf of the University of Kansas. He also has no authority to make monetary claims on behalf of the university or its programs. Only the Chancellor or Provost of the university has the authority to authorize such actions and they have not done so in this matter.
“We sincerely regret if the unauthorized actions of this individual have in any way tarnished the reputations of these two officials,” said Danny Anderson, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor.
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