President Bola Tinubu on Monday identified a former classmate at Chicago State University (CSU) during the launch of the Renewed Hope Agriculture Mechanisation Program in Abuja.
At the event, which unveiled 2,000 tractors and 9,000 farming implements, Tinubu briefly acknowledged a man he identified as Alex, describing him as a former neighbor and fellow student during his studies in the U.S.
“To all of you, Alex was my very good neighbor and went to the same school with me in Chicago. Never did we dream that I would be in this position as President of Nigeria and Alex a successful businessman from Belarus,” Tinubu said, as the man stood to acknowledge the remark.
The mention comes amid lingering scrutiny over Tinubu’s academic background. His attendance and graduation from CSU have been subjects of debate since the 2023 presidential election.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, one of Tinubu’s main opponents in the election, previously sought the release of the president’s academic records through a U.S. court. While CSU confirmed Tinubu’s graduation, questions arose over alleged discrepancies in the certificate he submitted to Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.
Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.
He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.
Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).
He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.
He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.
Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled: Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.
