One of Nigeria’s top female comedian, Helen Paul, on Monday, announced that she had become a Professor at the Heart International University in the United State of America, while her husband, Femi Basimile, also attained a Doctorate of Law in the same institution.

The Nigerian entertainer who took to her Instagram page to announce the double celebration, added that she was also appointed as the Head of the Department of the Arts, Music and Entertainment for the school.

“Congratulations to us my love. Such a great honour for both of us. You graduated as a Doctor of law and I was promoted too.

“Thank you for all the sleepless nights. Thank you for sacrificing for us. #grateful @femi_bams,” she posted.

In another post with photos, the proud Helen Paul wrote:

”Congratulations to all of us at Heart University. I am now officially Professor Paul Helen. The ceremony was a beautiful one indeed.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CeKaDn5MGUP/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

The news of the ‘achievement’ coming barely three years after she announced that she had gotten a doctorate degree, got many Nigerians curious and many began digging to find out the truth in her professorial claims.

Fact checks by Ripples Nigeria on the authenticity of Helen Paul’s professorial claim came up with stunning revelations which showed that the awarding institution is an obscure faith-based college in the US which is not an accredited institution.

Results of the fact checking also reveal the full name of the institution as Heart Bible International University (HBIU), a theological institution, as against the Heart International University that Helen Paul had stated.

A search of the university on the website of the US Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), returned zilch as the institution was not found among approved colleges listed on the website.

Founded in 2008, information on the ‘About us’ page of the HBIU website describes it as “an online institute of higher education where students discover and grow in their God-giving gifts and callings.”

“Let it be known that the credits and degrees earned through our Christian University are for religious services and may not be accepted by all colleges,” the institution added on its website.

The Florida Department of Education website also states that religious institutions are not under its purview and may operate without governmental oversight but subject to an annual verification by sworn affidavit.

“A religious college may operate without governmental oversight if the college annually verifies by sworn affidavit to the commission that ” it stated.

As a caveat, the Florida board said:

“The titles of degrees issued by the institution cannot be confused with secular degree titles. For this purpose, each degree title must include a religious modifier that immediately precedes, or is included within, any of the following degrees: Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Master of Arts, Master of Science, Doctor of Philosophy, and Doctor of Education.

“The religious modifier must be placed on the title line of the degree, on the transcript, and whenever the title of the degree appears in official school documents or publications.”

What the caveat means therefore, is that Helen Paul’s professorial appointment is, in its true form, not a secular professorship as she put out to the public.

Although her achievements is worthy of celebration, what Helen Paul failed to indicate was a religious modifier to distinguish her new position from a secular professor.