Chicago State University releases statement on Tinubu’s student records

Chicago State University, CSU, has confirmed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu attended the university.

The school also confirmed that the former Lagos helmsman graduated in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree.

This was contained in a statement issued by the University to CBS Broadcasting Inc. generally referred to as CBS News.

“As an educational institution, we are sometimes asked to provide information related to student records,” the school said in a statement issued to CBS.

The school, however, explained that there is a federal law, known as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, FERPA, which protects the privacy of student records and limits what an institution can make public.

It went on to explain that “In August 2023, a request was made to the U.S. federal court for the university to provide information related to educational records concerning Bola Tinubu, the President of Nigeria, and a former CSU student.

“The university has confirmed Tinubu attended CSU and graduated in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree. Federal law, however, prevents us from providing any further information without consent or unless allowed to do so via court order.

“CSU is confident in the veracity and integrity of our records regarding Tinubu’s completion of graduation requirements and degree certificate. The university is not a party to the Nigerian legal proceedings that spurred this request, and a U.S. federal judge will determine whether the university will provide further requested information.

“Our response to the request for Tinubu’s academic records has been entirely consistent with our practices, policies and federal law. We would respond in exactly the same manner for any request for any student information by a third party,” Chicago State University said in a statement.