Maduka University has publicly defended its handling of a dispute involving the release of a medical student’s official transcript after allegations made by a parent and social media content creator, Mrs. Chika Akhigbe, sparked widespread reactions online.
The university, in a strongly worded statement issued by its Vice Chancellor, Professor Charles Ogbulogo, accused the parent of spreading misleading information and attempting to tarnish the institution’s image through social media.
The controversy began after a video allegedly made by Mrs. Akhigbe circulated online, in which she accused the university of refusing to release her daughter’s official transcript despite payment of school fees and transcript processing charges.
Her daughter is said to be a student in the Department of Medicine and Surgery at the university.
The viral video generated heated reactions across social media, with many Nigerians debating the responsibilities of private universities, the rights of students and the growing role of social media in resolving disputes involving educational institutions.
In response, Maduka University released a detailed statement addressing several of the allegations raised by the student’s mother.
The university insisted that standard procedures guiding the release of official transcripts were not followed by the family.
According to the statement, the student’s father was informed by the Registrar to provide the name and address of the institution where the transcript should be sent, but the information was never supplied.
The university explained that official transcripts are usually sent directly from one institution to another and are not handed over to students or parents.
“The father of the student stated that the official transcript was needed to enable them search for another university for their daughter. However, university official transcripts are sent only to designated institutions and not released directly to individuals,” the statement said.
The institution further stated that transcript processing fees remain part of the university’s administrative policies and are handled according to established academic procedures.
According to the university, the student’s father allegedly informed officials that he could not pay the prescribed processing fee and later threatened to escalate the issue publicly and through legal action.
The statement claimed that the father visited several university offices, including the Admissions Office and Bursary Department, while making similar threats.
Maduka University also denied claims that all the student’s tuition fees had been fully paid.
The institution disclosed that the family still owed N500,000 from the N3.5 million school fees for the 2025/2026 academic session.
The university equally rejected allegations that payment had already been made for transcript processing.
It stated that as of May 21, 2026, no payment had been received from the student’s family for transcript processing.
The university also clarified that its Vice Chancellor never personally handled discussions relating to the transcript issue.
According to the statement, all interactions were conducted by the Registrar’s office, which supervises transcript processing through the University Records Office.
The institution additionally dismissed claims that tuition fees for returning medical students had been increased to N4.5 million.
Maduka University stated that the approved fee, including accommodation, for returning medical students for the 2026/2027 academic session stands at N4,010,000.
It argued that the institution maintains one of the lowest fee structures among private universities offering medical programmes in Nigeria.
The university also disputed several personal claims allegedly made by the student’s mother in the viral video.
According to the statement, the claim that the student was the best-performing student in her class was false.
The institution further rejected allegations of insecurity on campus, insisting that there had been no security breach since the university was established.
“It is clear that she is on a mission to tarnish the reputation of the University through her campaign of calumny and character defamation,” the statement added.
The university accused the parent of using social media influence to pressure the institution into bypassing official academic procedures.
“It is surprising that a mother would use the education of her daughter to entertain her social media followers and drive traffic to her page,” the statement said.
The case has continued to attract reactions from students, parents and education stakeholders across the country.
Some social media users criticised the university for the tone of its response, arguing that the dispute should have been resolved privately without escalating tensions publicly.
Others, however, defended the institution, insisting that universities must protect established academic procedures and the integrity of official records.
In Nigeria, disputes involving transcripts and release of academic documents are common in both public and private institutions.
Many students seeking transfers to other schools or applications abroad often complain about delays in obtaining transcripts and academic records.
University administrators, on the other hand, argue that strict procedures are necessary to protect the authenticity of academic documents and prevent fraud.
However, concerns have continued to grow over rising tuition fees in private universities, especially in medical programmes where costs are significantly higher than many other courses.
Over the years, private universities in Nigeria have expanded rapidly due to increasing pressure on public universities affected by strikes, overcrowding and inadequate facilities.
Many parents now choose private institutions for stability and uninterrupted academic calendars despite the high financial costs.
The controversy involving Maduka University has therefore highlighted wider issues surrounding affordability, student welfare, administrative transparency and the growing influence of social media in disputes involving tertiary institutions.
Despite the public controversy, the university maintained that it remains committed to professionalism, due process and the welfare of its students.
The management urged members of the public to disregard what it described as misleading narratives and rely only on verified information released through official university channels.
As reactions continue online, many observers believe both parties may eventually need dialogue and mediation to prevent further escalation and protect the student’s academic future.