The Fake Professor
From Michaelmas 2021 until its termination in early February of this year, Nwelue, a self-published writer and filmmaker, had Academic Visiting status at Oxford’s African Studies Centre. He claimed to be a professor at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge at this time, but he hasn’t been able to show Cherwell documentation of an academic PhD. During his affiliations with both organizations, he was never given academic credit as a professor, and Oxford verified to Cherwell that he has never held that position. The University of Cambridge also informed Cherwell this week that Nwelue’s affiliations with Cambridge have been severed as a result of an examination into his behavior.
Nwelue’s Instagram bio said, “Prof of African Studies & Academic Visitor at University of Oxford & University of Cambridge,” while his Twitter bio, “Professor + Academic Visitor,” included the handles of both institutions on February 1st, 2023. Along with numerous other tweets in which he identified himself as a professor, he also tweeted: “I am a university professor, linked to two of the top best universities in the world.
Yet when questioned about his academic standing in light of this, Nwelue said to Cherwell, “I have never ever pretended to be a professor at Oxford and Cambridge. I always identify myself as an academic visitor, as it states on my business card. It is false to claim that I claim to be an Oxford professor.
Academic Visitorship at Oxford is arranged under conditions that have been agreed upon by a person and the University. The university affirmed that it does not hire academic visitors because they are not compensated and are not required to do university-related tasks.
Nwelue has claimed himself as a Research Associate at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London in his bios on social media, but Cherwell was informed by SOAS that he is not on the roster of its Research Associates.
When prompted by Cherwell to provide further information of his academic credentials, Nwelue said: “I have the equivalent of Master’s as a filmmaker. Besides, I hold an honorary doctorate. In various universities, I have served as a visiting or research fellow. I wrote a number of books and filmed award-winning films before I went to Oxford.
The Tweets
Nwelue responded to Cherwell’s inquiry regarding these tweets by saying: “It was a social experiment to collect input for a book I was working on. I apologize if they were misconstrued. He denied having any of these prejudices.
Nwelue may have undergone background checks before becoming an Academic Visitor, but the University of Oxford has not confirmed this.
The James Currey Society
Nwelue sponsored a book launch for Nigerian blogger and novelist David Hundeyin as part of the James Currey Society, and this event resulted in the end of his relationship with Oxford University.
Nwelue established the James Currey Society, which was renamed James Currey International and incorporated as a for-profit business in May 2022. It bears the name James Currey Fellowship in honor of the South African publisher of books who funded the attendance of African authors at both Oxford and Cambridge. “[The Society] was established in cooperation with the University of Oxford,” Nwelue informed Cherwell. The James Currey Fellowships are not given out, sponsored by, or administered by the University, Oxford emphasized.
The current holder of the James Currey Fellowship at Oxford is Mitterand Okorie, who in 2022 authored a hagiographic account of Nwelue’s life titled, Onyeka Nwelue: A Troubled Life, published by Nwelue’s own publishing house Abibiman Publishers.
David Hundeyin, who has a contentious online persona and has been a prominent supporter of populist leader Peter Obi in this week’s elections in Nigeria, was named the 2023 recipient of the James Currey Fellowship at Cambridge.
Onyeka Nwelue and David Hundeyin are no longer connected to the University of Cambridge, Cambridge informed Cherwell. An examination of their behavior led to the termination of their ties. The James Currey Fellowship is not managed, given out, or sponsored by the University of Cambridge, they stated.
The book launch
On January 31, Nwelue and Hundeyin organized a book launch for Hundeyin’s most recent work, which was also published by Abibiman Publishers, on the grounds of Oxford University. Tickets for this event cost £20 for Oxford students and were promoted by the James Currey Society. “I signed up to attend the event and was startled I had to pay £20 to participate,” one participant told Cherwell. Since the African Studies Center focuses on students, its events are frequently free. Entry to the event cost £20, and copies of Hundeyin’s book could be purchased there for an additional £20.
The location of the book launch was abruptly shifted from the African Studies Centre to a room at the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages at Wellington Square. The book launch had originally been advertised as taking place there.
Cherwell was informed by attendees that the event’s organizers and other audience members made them feel “extremely uncomfortable” with their misogynistic statements. A student observed that the speaker and crowd made overtly sexist remarks throughout, which were not rebutted but rather encouraged. Men were said to be subjugated by women who cheated their way to the top, and marriage to a woman was said to set one back in life.
What Next?
