Did CSU Registrar, Caleb Westberg say that forgery is a Nigerian thing?, the truth can be accessed below.
NewsOnline Nigeria recalls that on October 3, Caleb Westberg, the Chicago State University registrar, made a deposition on behalf of the University at a United States district court in Northern Illinois, revealing details about President Bola Tinubu’s academic records.
This followed the controversy around Tinubu’s qualifications and the legal case against him by Atiku Abubakar, the People’s Democratic Party’s candidate in the 2023 presidential election.
ALSO: Peter Obi rejects Atiku’s invitation in battle against President Tinubu
Following the deposition, social media news platforms like Repertora and X Daily reported that the registrar had associated forgery with Nigeria.
This claim was circulated by accounts with large followings on X and other blogging platforms, including Nairaland.
“BREAKING NEWS: In a Sworn Deposition, a Staff Member of Chicago State University Affirm That Tinubu’s Documents Which Bear CSU Insignia Was Not Done by the school. ‘It is a Nigerian thing to forge stamps of organizations,’ the staff member further stated,” the Repertora wrote.
BREAKING NEWS: In a Sworn Deposition, a Staff Member of Chicago State University Affirm That Tinubu’s Documents Which Bear CSU Insignia Was Not Done by the school.
“It is a Nigerian thing to forge stamps of organizations” the staff member further stated. pic.twitter.com/PQeNIT6Znc
— Reportera (@ReporteraNews) October 3, 2023
CLAIM: In a sworn deposition, a staff member of the Chicago State University (CSU) stated that “forgery is a Nigerian thing”.
VERIFICATION: NewsOnline Nigeria obtained the official transcript of the deposition certified by the court. In the deposition, Caleb Westberg, did not say that “forgery is a Nigerian thing”. He also did not state that “it’s a Nigerian thing to forge certificates”.
“A Nigerian thing” did come up twice in the transcript on page 82. According to the transcript, Westberg was responding to a question about certification asked by Angela Liu, an Atiku Abubakar counsel.
The lawyer had asked whether CSU certified documents for any other person as it did for Tinubu through Wole Afolabi, his lawyer.
“No. I believe this was made because it’s more of a Nigerian thing,” said the registrar.
And then the lawyer continued: “So more of a Nigerian thing. So were these documents pulled together for legal proceedings in Nigeria?
CONCLUSION: Caleb Westberg, the CSU registrar did not state that “forgery is a Nigerian thing”.
VERDICT: The claim that Caleb Westberg said “forgery is a Nigerian thing” is false.
