British-born Ghanaian academic, Professor Jason Atta Kwei Arday, has reportedly sparked a debate on racism in the United Kingdom.
According to a report by DW Africa, Prof Arday’s death has intensified debate over racism, media scrutiny, and how the plagiarism allegations against him were handled.
The report indicated that over 90,000 people have signed a petition for his death to be looked into after his family stated that he “endured sustained abuse.”
Tens of thousands of people attended a vigil for him in London, while a petition calling for a public inquiry into the media treatment of him has attracted more than 90,000 signatures.
“Arday, born in Britain to Ghanaian parents, became the youngest Black professor at the top UK university in 2023. He resigned earlier this month following the plagiarism allegations and died last week, aged 41. The cause of his death has not been made public.
“His death has intensified debate in Britain over racism, media scrutiny, and how the plagiarism allegations against him were handled. Tens of thousands of people attended a vigil for him in London, while a petition calling for a public inquiry into the media treatment of him has attracted more than 90,000 signatures,” DW Africa wrote on Facebook on August 18, 2026.
The British-born Ghanaian academic, who holds the record as the youngest Black professor at the prestigious University of Cambridge, was reported dead on August 15, 2026.
According to reports, Professor Jason Arday, who recently resigned as a Cambridge professor of sociology of education after allegations of plagiarism and questions about some of his achievements, was found dead.
A report by the BBC indicated that the academic, who was born to Ghanaian parents, was found “unresponsive” at an address in Battersea, south London, on Friday afternoon by emergency service officials.
It was stated in the report that police officers from the Metropolitan Police of London were called to the scene of the incident by the London Ambulance Service.
The officers were reported to have indicated that the death of the academic was somewhat suspicious.
“At this time his death is being treated as unexpected, but is not believed to be suspicious,” the police were quoted as saying.
The report further stated that the family of Prof Arday, in a statement issued about his demise, said they were “in shock to have lost this amazing father, partner, brother, uncle and son”.
“The campaign of misinformation was too much for Jason, who was a gentle man and who always wanted to see the best in everyone,” the family added.
Professor Arday, before his demise, denied all allegations of plagiarism despite admitting that there were some errors in his work.
He is reported to have said that the brouhaha surrounding the issues has led to “an unrelenting level of public scrutiny and personal attack”.
In March 2023, the University of Cambridge announced Jason Arday’s appointment as Professor of Sociology of Education in the Faculty of Education.
The appointment made him the sixth Black professor at Cambridge at the time and the youngest Black professor ever appointed by the university.
See the post below:
Source: Ghanaweb
