The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has pleaded with JAMB to pardon Mmesoma Ejikeme, who has been barred from taking UTME exams for three years over alleged result forgery.
Recall that JAMB, had accused Ejikeme of manually inflating her UTME score from 246 to 362 in the just concluded 2023 UTME examinations.
However, in a statement signed by the board’s Head of Public Affairs and Press, Fabian Benjamin, on Tuesday, stated that the board has withdrawn Mmesoma’s 2023 UTME result and barred her from sitting any future examinations conducted by the board for the next three years.
Following this, NANS in a statement signed by the Vice President, Akinteye Afeez, on Friday, commended JAMB for maintaining their integrity and sanctity amid the whole saga and also pleaded that the board temper justice with mercy.
The statement reads, “While it is well enough to leave footprints on the sands of time, it is even more important to make sure they point in a commendable direction. It is highly commendable that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has raised the standard and is upholding same despite recent developments.
“In the last few days, the public space has been engulfed by the controversy that surrounds Ms. Ejikeme Mmesoma’s UTME result.
“The fact must always be reiterated now and then that there are no short corners to the pinnacle. We all must embrace the totality of our sweaty struggles, as such we laud such remarkable progress in the admission process.
“In previous times, deceptive individuals have been able to walk away with these corrupt deeds as a result of the inconsistency in the system, but under the leadership of the current Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, sanity has been restored to the system. The examination process has been transparent and credible, and we do commend Prof. Is-haq Oloyede for the timely reforms and for holding firm to the integrity of the Board,” NANS said.
“While emphasising the need to protect the integrity of the examination body against being dragged into disrepute, it called for pardon for Ms Ejikeme, saying the baby should not be thrown away with the bath water.
“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 might have caused and cost the Board. Taking her out, however, would destroy her and her brilliance is an asset that should not be put to loss.
“Certainly, the individual involved has learnt valuable lessons, but we as a society 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 consumed her, and as such we plead with your leadership to review the judgment of banning her from taking the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination [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. We also appeal to the entire student society to desist from such acts of corruption. There is honour in striving to become the best in the best appropriate way.
“We also implore the society at large to indulge the Board to making sure that any individual involved in this act in times to come be brought to book,” the statement added.
