The United Kingdom’s (UK) Milton Keynes Trading Standards department has commenced investigations into the controversy surrounding a Nigerian national, Dr. Tina Beloveth Powerful, who runs a university from a city centreflat in North Third Street in CMK.
Dr. Beloveth Powerful, whose school is named Havard School UK, has also been sued by the American university of almost the same name.
A spokesman for Trading Standardsconfirmed that the Nigerian is under investigation but refused to give details.
“As it is an ongoing investigation we cannot comment in detail about it,” he said.
Media reports, however, suggest the trading standards investigation may involve false claims on Havard’s website that the school is affiliated to the Institute of Administrative Management. The wording on the school’s website has been changed to read “is to be accredited to.”
However, Dr. Beloveth Powerful insists she has not done anything wrong, adding that she was on a “mission from God to help people study.”
“I have six degrees myself, two of them from Nigeria where I came from,” she said in a report. “I transformed my life and God has given me power to transform others’.”
The Nigerian claimed she is not aware of the trading standards investigations into Havard.
America’s Harvard University files suit
Dr. Powerful, whose school is named Havard School of Management and Technology UK, is also being sued by Harvard University of the US. The American university, which name differs from Dr. Powerful’s institution by just a letter, is suing for alleged trademark infringement.
But Dr Powerful is counter-claiming for £2 million – the money, she says, she has spent so far on setting up her school.
“A good name is better than silver and gold,” she said. “Having said that, we are telling them we want to step aside but we have spent money in advertising, marketing and productions.”
The 46-year-old Nigerian also denied claims she caused academic confusion by calling her school Havard, explaining that the name ‘Havard’ was from her grandfather.
“My paternal grandfather’s first name was Havard. I chose to immortalise his name. I never thought about Harvard,” she said.