Professor Victor Dike
It was a sorrowful day for two Professors, Steve Tamuno and Needorn Richard Sorle, lecturing at the Department of Economics, University of Port Harcourt, when they were dragged before a Federal High Court, Port Harcourt for allegedly pirating the work of an America- based Nigerian Professor.
DailyPost gathered that the two Professors copied the works of Professor Victor Dike, an Associate Professor at the School of Engineering and Technology, National University, Sacramento, United States, without authorization or acknowledgment.
In the suit filed by Prof.Dike’s lawyer,Mr Onyiye Obiaju,the Don emphasized that the two Uniport Professors illegally copied his article titled “Corruption In Nigeria: Understanding and Managing the Challenges” published in the Nigeria Economic Summit Group, NESG, Economic Indicators and published same as an article titled Corruption and Economic Growth: A Survey of Three Institutions in Nigeria in Journals of Research in National Development Volume 6 , June 2008 without acknowledging him as the original author.
Justifying his claim, Dike tendered an apology letter written to him by one of the accused professors apologizing for illegally coping his work however affirming that both professors did not deny committing the alleged crime.
The letter labeled Annexure P6 reads in part: “I, Needorn Richards S, received your reaction to my article co-authored with Tamuno Steve (PHD) through the Chief Editor of the Journal of Research in National Development – Kenneth U Nnadi (PHD) alleging that our article plagiarises your work in African Economics Analysis.”I am writing this letter to tender my unreserved apology on my behalf and my senior colleague. This is the very first of my doing an article for a journal publication. Though in the first submitted material, I referenced you citing that the whole of a section of my work was lifted directly from your idea and earlier published work and thus referenced you properly but I assume this was lost during several editing which is not an excuse. I accept every mistake and responsibility for this omission. Please accept my sincere apology and forgive. Thanks for your understanding, forgiveness and willing co-operation.”
Dike claimed his readers do not value his works due to the illegality committed by the two accused, hence asked the court to order both lecturers to withdraw the papers from the public and remove samefrom the web site of the University of Port Harcourt as well as award him the sum of N27million as compensation.
The matter is scheduled for mention on the 15th January, 2013.
It would be recalled that Prof.Victor Dike, had already dragged the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi to another Federal High Court in Abuja over a similar issue and was adjourned to 22nd January, 2013.
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