Emmanuel “Geh Geh” Obruste, a self-proclaimed financial expert, has responded to a petition by a coalition of academics, students, alumni, and concerned citizens urging the National Universities Commission (NUC) to clamp down on his online platform, “GehGeh University of Wisdom and Understanding.”
PREMIUM TIMES reported that Geh Geh rose to prominence in 2023 after Mavin Records boss, Michael “Don Jazzy” Ajereh, posted a video of him delivering investment literacy advice.
He recently became the subject of intense debate after reportedly attracting 177,000 Nigerians and allegedly earning $30,000 during a single TikTok Live lecture.
In a report published on Sunday, Vanguard newspaper noted that Charles Ekeh, spokesperson for the “Coalition for the Protection of Academic Integrity in Nigeria”, signed the letter addressed to the Executive Secretary and Board of the NUC.
Reacting to the petition, Geh Geh, in a statement posted on his Instagram page on Sunday, said: “This is so heartbreaking for me. Nigerians, please help me beg the president, please.”
Condemnation
Mr Ekeh urged the commission to take immediate regulatory action against social media comedians and content creators who misappropriate the term “university.”
He condemned the rise of parody institutions such as “Geh Geh University” and “Blessing CEO University,” arguing that such practices are not harmless entertainment but a direct threat to the credibility of Nigerian higher education.
He further stressed that “university” is a legally protected designation earned only through rigorous accreditation.
Allowing comedians and influencers to misuse the title (university), he said, undermines its value and diminishes the decades of scholarship, excellence, and integrity behind genuine academic institutions.
Academic standard
Mr Ekeh argued that when Geh Geh and other online entertainers casually adopt the word “university,” it weakens the credibility and academic weight attached to properly accredited institutions in Nigeria.
He reminded the NUC that its establishing law forbids the use of “university” without formal authorisation, stressing that failure to act against parody schools diminishes the regulator’s authority.
While acknowledging that some Nigerians view these platforms as harmless satire, he cautioned that unsuspecting audiences could be deceived into thinking they provide authentic courses or certificates, exposing them to possible fraud.
Mr Ekeh also highlighted that accredited universities play a central role in Nigeria’s progress and its international reputation.
Reducing them to the level of comic skits, he warned, damages their prestige both at home and abroad.
The coalition, according to him, fears that tolerating such misuse could embolden diploma mills to disguise themselves as comedy ventures, undermining the fight against fake degrees.
To prevent this, he listed several demands: a formal statement from the NUC rejecting unauthorised use of the term “university”; cease-and-desist notices to the social media accounts involved; joint enforcement with the Nigerian Communications Commission and social media platforms; and a nationwide awareness drive to help Nigerians identify properly accredited institutions.
He stressed that the campaign was not an attack on satire or online creativity but a call to defend the country’s higher education system.
“The integrity of our universities must not be treated as a laughing matter,” he declared.
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