By Abdu Labaran Malumfashi.
The controversy surrounding a fraudulent honorary doctorate degree conferred on political singer Dauda Kahutu Rarara has continued to stir outrage across Nigeria, with growing speculation that the fiasco was a deliberate setup orchestrated by powerful interests to undermine the singer’s public image.
Earlier this month, Rarara was celebrated for receiving an honorary Doctorate Degree from a purported Nigerian branch of the European-American University, Commonwealth of the Dominican Republic. The event was widely publicized, attracting congratulatory messages from several notable Nigerians, including politicians and public figures.
However, within hours of the ceremony, the supposed awarding institution issued a categorical denial, stating it had no branch in Nigeria and had not authorized any convocation event or honorary awards. The scandal swiftly unraveled online and in traditional media, leaving Rarara and his supporters embarrassed and bewildered.
A Setup or a Scam?
Writing on the issue, columnist Abdu Labaran Malumfashi described the incident as a possible government-orchestrated setup to “cut the wings” of the popular singer, whose influence among grassroots political supporters has grown significantly in recent years.
“With the benefit of hindsight, the scam… appeared to be a government set up on the ‘powerful’ illiterate, so as to cut his growing wings,” Malumfashi alleged. “Rarara may not be the first person to be so set up in Nigeria, but the first to be with a great deal of fanfare by the high and mighty.”
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Rarara, known for his pro-government political songs and flamboyant public persona, has been a vocal supporter of various administrations, including the current regime led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The apparent hoax has led to widespread mockery, particularly as many of his supporters had celebrated the “honor” without verification.
A Regime of “Use and Dump”?
Critics have pointed to the incident as a reflection of what they describe as the regime’s notorious “use and dump” policy towards loyalists once they have served their political purpose. Malumfashi, a vocal critic of the Tinubu administration, linked the scandal to what he called a broader culture of propaganda, deceit, and manipulation.
“This is a regime that rules by outright lying and propaganda,” he wrote, citing several recent government claims that have either been debunked or proven misleading — including the government’s flip-flop on foreign loans and questionable infrastructure claims such as the misreported distance of the Zaria to Hunkuyi road.
Malumfashi also cited the government’s controversial partnership with Israel amid ongoing violence in Gaza, and the recent surge in banditry in Nigeria’s northern states as evidence of failed leadership.
Rarara’s Controversial Persona
The singer himself is no stranger to criticism. Despite his popularity in the political music scene, Rarara has been frequently accused of sycophancy and opportunism. Critics also lampooned his attempts to interpret Quranic verses publicly, calling it a “disastrous” attempt that provoked backlash.
His call for closer ties between Nigeria and France also raised eyebrows, given France’s controversial history in African geopolitics, including its role during the Nigerian Civil War and its stance on Islamic issues.
“An illiterate in Islamic and Western scholarships to the core,” Malumfashi wrote, “Rarara knows next to nothing beside being an uneducated sycophant, who sings only for the rich, and does all his ‘good deeds’ for public praise, not for God.”
A Symbol of Broader Rot?
Many see the Rarara scandal as symptomatic of deeper issues plaguing Nigeria’s political landscape — particularly the growing disillusionment with the Tinubu administration. The president has recently come under scrutiny for what critics call exaggerated reform claims, with think tanks like Chatham House reporting that corruption remains rampant and poverty widespread.
“The Rarara Honorary Degree Fiasco is therefore of no surprise,” Malumfashi concluded, “that such a ‘small’ thing could happen to an illiterate person who hardly knows his right hand from his left.”
As fallout from the scandal continues, public debate is raging over whether Rarara was a victim of political sabotage or merely fell for an opportunistic scam. Either way, the incident has left a stain on the singer’s public image and further deepened criticism of a government many accuse of failing to deliver on its promises.
