Mohammed Shosanya
The National Association of Nigerian Students,NANS,has appealed to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board,JAMB,to forgive Ms. Ejikeme Mmesoma following her parading a fake 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results.
The body also lauded the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede and his management team for walking through the integrity test the Board was subjected to within the last two weeks
Its National Vice-President, External Affairs, Comrade Akiteye Afeez, in a statement, titled: “Amid Intrigues and Controversies, JAMB Upholds Integrity”, praised the Board for raising the standards and renewing public trust in the conduct of public examinations.
The statement signed by Akinteye reads:”It is highly commendable and applaud-worthy for the Joint Admissions Matriculation Board (JAMB) to raise the standard and uphold the status quo of the organization again amidst the recent saga of forged JAMB result by a candidate.
It said:”In the last few days, the public space has been engulfed in the controversy that surrounds Ms. Ejikeme Mmesoma’s UTME result.
“It is not only worrisome but also disheartening that a reputable body like JAMB with an emphasis on academic excellence has found itself in this scandalous ordeal.Hence, the stance of the board to punish the orchestrator is understandable.”
Akinteye urged fellow students and prospective candidates not to short-circuit their ways to success, saying there are no short corners to the peak of any endeavour and learning.
NANS lamented that though many may have in the past taken advantage of flaws and inconsistency in policy implementation in the past and assured that the likes of Professor Oloyede may well be on the path to the restoration of sanity and confidence in the conduct of public examinations.
“Sanity has been restored to the system. The examination process has been transparent and credible without fault, and we commend Prof. Is-haq Oloyede for the timely reform and for holding firm to the integrity of the board.
“However, the office of the National Association of Nigerian Students [NANS] National Vice-president External Affairs, craves the indulgence of the board and its leadership to temper justice with mercy regardless of how bad the recent saga orchestrated by Ms. Ejikeme might have caused and cost the board.”
The body urged JAMB to consider the future of Mmesoma, saying the tough measure taken as punishment for her misconduct could destroy her desire for higher education, her equally good score of 249 and amount to a loss of an asset to her family.
“Certainly, the individual involved has learnt valuable lessons but we as concerned citizens should not deny the young lad an opportunity to pursue her dreams and a chance to right the wrong.
“She is young and naive, her desperation to become the best has consumed her, and as such we plead for a review of the judgment banning her from taking the UTME and exempting her from gaining admission to any institution of her choice.Consequently, we do hope the board will sit and review its judgment”,it added.
The association appealed to the entire student community across the country to desist from such degrading acts of corruption, saying there is purity in working smart without cutting corners that could spell at the end of the day.
It urged Nigerians to support the efforts of the Board in reliving the virtues of hard work, saying any individual involved in the shame should be exposed and brought to book.
