Questionable Credentials Cloud Tinuade Sanda

The Nigerian business community is grappling with the fallout from the controversial tenure of Tinuade Sanda, the recently ousted CEO of a major electricity distribution company (Disco) in the southwest region. Serious questions now surround the veracity of her academic credentials, raising concerns about a growing trend of using fake degrees to climb corporate ladders unmeritoriously.

Sanda’s meteoric rise to the top of the Disco was marked by her self-reported educational achievements. Her resume and LinkedIn profile boast an MBA in Strategic Planning from the University of Edinburgh, a prestigious institution in Scotland. However, a review by the university revealed that no such program exists. Further discrepancies emerged regarding her undergraduate degree – Sanda claims a dubious Bachelor of Applied Science (BASc) from Harvard Business School, yet the world-renowned institution solely offers graduate-level programs. Perhaps most concerning is Sanda’s purported Doctor of Philosophy in Financial Management and Entrepreneurship, which was supposedly awarded by a visibly fake ICON University in the Republic of Benin. This institution’s website, riddled with grammatical errors and outlandish claims, references a non-existent “Nigeria’s Ministry of Higher Education” for accreditation.

Sanda’s conspicuous display of these questionable qualifications on professional platforms casts a long shadow over her leadership and the due diligence processes that allowed her ascension to such a critical position. Investigative reports point to a concerning trend in Benin, where universities churn out fabricated academic credentials. A cursory look at ICON University’s website further raises red flags, as its grandiose pronouncements and grammatical errors belie any semblance of legitimacy, raising questions about Sanda’s judgment or potential desperation for inflated credentials.

Adding fuel to the fire, a November 2022 letter from Nigeria’s Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) to the Disco expressed concerns about Sanda’s “lack of technical capacity, administrative competence, as well as emotional maturity” to lead the company. If confirmed as fabricated, Sanda’s academic record paints a disturbing picture of an individual willing to falsify credentials to achieve corporate success. Beyond tarnishing her own reputation, it raises serious questions about her integrity as a self-proclaimed mentor to young women.

Sanda’s rise, fueled by questionable qualifications, makes a strong argument that stronger executive verification mechanisms are crucial to ensure appointments are based on merit and to prevent such scandals from eroding institutional trust. The Sanda saga serves as a cautionary tale, underscoring the importance of ethical conduct, honesty, and accountability in corporate leadership. As the dust settles, it compels a broader conversation about the integrity expected from those entrusted with critical roles in Nigeria’s business landscape.