3 lessons from the ethnicization of JAMB controversy
by Farooq Kperogi July 8, 2023

OVER the last few days, Irecoiled in horror and disgust as the fairly straightforward case of JAMB exam result fraud by 19-year-oldMmesomaEjikemeof the Anglican Girls Secondary School in Nnewi, Anambra State, unwarrantedly intensified Nigeria’s preexisting primordial fractures, deepened a sense of persecution complex among a demographic group, and hardened phobias and hate on social media. It didn’t have to be that way. Here are the lessons from this saga.

One, evidence-free imputation of ulterior motives to the declarations of non-political, non-partisan institutions like the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is always a slippery slope that will lead to both real-life and rhetorical wrecks. There was no logical reason to presume that JAMB as an institution had a vested interest in denying the genuine claims to a superlative performanceby a poor, unknown candidate like Ejikeme.

If the West African Examination Council, for example, says a result that somenondescript person parades is fake or genuine, it’s best to assume that it probably is—until we have firm, indisputable evidence to doubt the truth of its declaration.

A Facebook lawyer friend by the name of Dorcas Amina Miango (who goes by CiromanMiango) captured this sentiment best. “If an institution says a document is not theirs, there is a presumption of authenticity in their favour until it is proven otherwise,” she wrote.“That is the law, it is simple. You can make moral arguments but that is not the law.”

The second lesson flows from the first, and it is that not everything is reducible to the politics of ethnicity and religion. It was starkly obvious that the ballyhoo over Miss Ejikeme’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) result was refracted through the prism of ethnicity, religion, and partisan politics. Most of the people who threw logic, evidence, and caution to the wind in defense of an obvious fraud by Ejikeme did so because they share the same ethnicity, religion, and region with her.

The enduring divisions in the polity in the aftermath of the last presidential election also influenced how certain people approached the young lady’s exam result fraud. People who have been persuaded that a candidate with some political presence in only 16 of Nigeria’s 36 states (and almost zero presence in 20 votes-rich states) won a national electoral “mandate” that was “stolen” extended their delusions to Ejikeme’s fraudulent claim.

It didn’t matter that the actual best student whose feat JAMB had announced weeks ago shares the same state of origin as Ejikeme. Or that Ejikeme isn’t the only one whose claim to superior performance in the UTME has been impeached by JAMB.

JAMB’s spokesperson Dr. Fabian Benjamin told the gripping and audacious story of a candidate by the name of John Ifesinachi Chinedu, 19, from Enugu who, in 2021, also claimed to have scored 380 when he actually scored 265.


Like Ejikeme, he falsified his result, accused JAMB of altering it, and hired a well-heeled Enugu lawyer by the name Ikeazor Akaraiwe who demanded that JAMB set a fresh UTME for Chinedu and pay him 1 billion naira in restitutive damages. After JAMBunfurled unimpeachable, foolproof evidence against him, he collapsed like a pack of cards, confessed his fraud, and asked for forgiveness. He was handed over to the police.

Premium Times of July 5 reported other cases such as Kingsley Unekwe, 18, who, in 2019, altered his score from 201 to 269 but was outed by a JAMB investigative panel; an Adah Eche, 18,who fudged his UTME score of 153 to 290 and wrote to JAMB demanding it “correct” his score; a Cletus Kokowa who changed his score from 162 to 206 and later confessed to having paid N10,000 to a crimesyndicate to help him electronically alter his score; and a Rejoice Mordi, 19, who changed her score from 164 to 264 and later confessed to getting help for her fraud from WhatsApp through someone identified as Iyanu Oluwa.

Had the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) not convincingly shown in a July 4 investigative piece how Ejikeme used a free Google Play app called “JambFun-Fake Jamb Result Maker” to simulate the UTME result she paraded as hers, the debate over her “innocence” and JAMB’s villainy would probably still have been raging.

Unfortunately, even after FIJ has shown how you can create a fake UTME result in a few minutes— and several hilariously fake UTME scores have proliferated on social media using the JambFun-Fake Jamb Result Maker” app— former minister Oby Ezekwesili who stuck out her neck in defense of Ejikeme, tweeted on July 5 that “it should be clear to any reasonable person who cares about Exam Integrity in Nigeria, that more needs to be done to unearth how she obtained the 362-score result which @JAMBHQ disavowed. The Public needs to know these facts through an Independent Technology Investigation.”

An “Independent Technology Investigation” (whatever in the world that means) to find out how Ejikeme downloaded the “JambFun-Fake Jamb Result Maker” app on her phone to generate a fake UTME result? Ha! And this lady was an education minister! It’s true what they say: prejudice distorts what it sees, deceives when it talks, and destroys when it acts.

Ejikeme clearly only forged the UTME result because she wanted to deceive individuals and her state government into funding her university education. No investigation is needed to unearth that. We learned that after getting Innoson Automobile Company to award her a ₦3 million scholarship, she approached the Anambra State government to demand both a recognition of her “feat” and a scholarship.

This was a low-level fraud that had the blessing of her parents—and later the witting and unwitting support of millions of people who share her primordial characteristics. It’s exactly why corruption will be difficult to stamp out in Nigeria.

The last lesson in this, for me, is to learn to never make judgements solely on the basis of surface impressions. A lot of people assumed the innocence of Ejikeme on the basis of her age and looks. Several people also presumed the guilt of JAMB on the basis of their preconceived prejudices about the Registrar of JAMB, Professor Is-haq Oloyede.

Oloyede is a professor of Islamic Studies whose first degree is Arabic. This fact became like a red rag to a bull for a lot of commentators. But the truth is that Professor Oloyede, by all accounts, is the most transformational registrar JAMB has ever had in its existence. Throughout his tenure as registrar, he has ensured that the conduct of UTME every subsequent year is invariably better than the preceding year.

I have never met the man. I am also always reluctant to vouch for people in public office because the intoxication of power can cause people to change without notice. But most people who know the man attest to his unflinching commitment to fairness and justice for everyone irrespective of their faith, ethnicity, or politics.

I have also been told that he is a compulsively methodical, organized, self-critical, and forward-looking person. That was why he had a successful tenure as Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin even though he is from Abeokuta in Ogun State—in a time when “outsiders” are not allowed to be VCs of even federal universities. His tenure saw the dramatic rise in the profile of the University of Ilorin.

He has brought that same spirit to JAMB. I am sure he has his foibles, like everyone else, but to judge him on the basis of what he studied and taught and ignore his record is both unfair and unproductive.

https://tribuneonlineng.com/3-lessons-from-the-ethnicization-of-jamb-controversy/

Mynd44 nlfpmod

Unfortunately, even after FIJ has shown how you can create a fake UTME result in a few minutes— and several hilariously fake UTME scores have proliferated on social media using the JambFun-Fake Jamb Result Maker” app— former minister Oby Ezekwesili who stuck out her neck in defense of Ejikeme, tweeted on July 5 that “it should be clear to any reasonable person who cares about Exam Integrity in Nigeria, that more needs to be done to unearth how she obtained the 362-score result which @JAMBHQ disavowed. The Public needs to know these facts through an Independent Technology Investigation.”

She should apologise to JAMB and Nigerians.

Well written! Until WE stop viewing national issues from ethnic and religion prism, only then can we make true progress. I feel ashamed to read some comments from so called 'educated' social media users. If some people can reason and bully others just because 'one of our own' is involved, imagine how uneducated folks will reason! The WE vs THEM syndrome is not good for this country. To have brought JAMB Registrar into the issue is so disgusting, Professor Oloyede is one public figure that makes people like me have hope in Nigeria. Just like Kperogi opined, he (Oloyede) is not perfect but he is far better than Dipo Ojerinde, the former Registrar and his improvement of JAMB should be commended not denigrated because of his tribe or religious affiliation.

FreeStuffsNG:
3 lessons from the ethnicization of JAMB controversy
by Farooq Kperogi July 8, 2023

OVER the last few days, Irecoiled in horror and disgust as the fairly straightforward case of JAMB exam result fraud by 19-year-oldMmesomaEjikemeof the Anglican Girls Secondary School in Nnewi, Anambra State, unwarrantedly intensified Nigeria’s preexisting primordial fractures, deepened a sense of persecution complex among a demographic group, and hardened phobias and hate on social media. It didn’t have to be that way. Here are the lessons from this saga.

One, evidence-free imputation of ulterior motives to the declarations of non-political, non-partisan institutions like the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is always a slippery slope that will lead to both real-life and rhetorical wrecks. There was no logical reason to presume that JAMB as an institution had a vested interest in denying the genuine claims to a superlative performanceby a poor, unknown candidate like Ejikeme.

If the West African Examination Council, for example, says a result that somenondescript person parades is fake or genuine, it’s best to assume that it probably is—until we have firm, indisputable evidence to doubt the truth of its declaration.

A Facebook lawyer friend by the name of Dorcas Amina Miango (who goes by CiromanMiango) captured this sentiment best. “If an institution says a document is not theirs, there is a presumption of authenticity in their favour until it is proven otherwise,” she wrote.“That is the law, it is simple. You can make moral arguments but that is not the law.”

The second lesson flows from the first, and it is that not everything is reducible to the politics of ethnicity and religion. It was starkly obvious that the ballyhoo over Miss Ejikeme’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) result was refracted through the prism of ethnicity, religion, and partisan politics. Most of the people who threw logic, evidence, and caution to the wind in defense of an obvious fraud by Ejikeme did so because they share the same ethnicity, religion, and region with her.

The enduring divisions in the polity in the aftermath of the last presidential election also influenced how certain people approached the young lady’s exam result fraud. People who have been persuaded that a candidate with some political presence in only 16 of Nigeria’s 36 states (and almost zero presence in 20 votes-rich states) won a national electoral “mandate” that was “stolen” extended their delusions to Ejikeme’s fraudulent claim.

It didn’t matter that the actual best student whose feat JAMB had announced weeks ago shares the same state of origin as Ejikeme. Or that Ejikeme isn’t the only one whose claim to superior performance in the UTME has been impeached by JAMB.

JAMB’s spokesperson Dr. Fabian Benjamin told the gripping and audacious story of a candidate by the name of John Ifesinachi Chinedu, 19, from Enugu who, in 2021, also claimed to have scored 380 when he actually scored 265.


Like Ejikeme, he falsified his result, accused JAMB of altering it, and hired a well-heeled Enugu lawyer by the name Ikeazor Akaraiwe who demanded that JAMB set a fresh UTME for Chinedu and pay him 1 billion naira in restitutive damages. After JAMBunfurled unimpeachable, foolproof evidence against him, he collapsed like a pack of cards, confessed his fraud, and asked for forgiveness. He was handed over to the police.

Premium Times of July 5 reported other cases such as Kingsley Unekwe, 18, who, in 2019, altered his score from 201 to 269 but was outed by a JAMB investigative panel; an Adah Eche, 18,who fudged his UTME score of 153 to 290 and wrote to JAMB demanding it “correct” his score; a Cletus Kokowa who changed his score from 162 to 206 and later confessed to having paid N10,000 to a crimesyndicate to help him electronically alter his score; and a Rejoice Mordi, 19, who changed her score from 164 to 264 and later confessed to getting help for her fraud from WhatsApp through someone identified as Iyanu Oluwa.

Had the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) not convincingly shown in a July 4 investigative piece how Ejikeme used a free Google Play app called “JambFun-Fake Jamb Result Maker” to simulate the UTME result she paraded as hers, the debate over her “innocence” and JAMB’s villainy would probably still have been raging.

Unfortunately, even after FIJ has shown how you can create a fake UTME result in a few minutes— and several hilariously fake UTME scores have proliferated on social media using the JambFun-Fake Jamb Result Maker” app— former minister Oby Ezekwesili who stuck out her neck in defense of Ejikeme, tweeted on July 5 that “it should be clear to any reasonable person who cares about Exam Integrity in Nigeria, that more needs to be done to unearth how she obtained the 362-score result which @JAMBHQ disavowed. The Public needs to know these facts through an Independent Technology Investigation.”

An “Independent Technology Investigation” (whatever in the world that means) to find out how Ejikeme downloaded the “JambFun-Fake Jamb Result Maker” app on her phone to generate a fake UTME result? Ha! And this lady was an education minister! It’s true what they say: prejudice distorts what it sees, deceives when it talks, and destroys when it acts.

Ejikeme clearly only forged the UTME result because she wanted to deceive individuals and her state government into funding her university education. No investigation is needed to unearth that. We learned that after getting Innoson Automobile Company to award her a ₦3 million scholarship, she approached the Anambra State government to demand both a recognition of her “feat” and a scholarship.

This was a low-level fraud that had the blessing of her parents—and later the witting and unwitting support of millions of people who share her primordial characteristics. It’s exactly why corruption will be difficult to stamp out in Nigeria.

The last lesson in this, for me, is to learn to never make judgements solely on the basis of surface impressions. A lot of people assumed the innocence of Ejikeme on the basis of her age and looks. Several people also presumed the guilt of JAMB on the basis of their preconceived prejudices about the Registrar of JAMB, Professor Is-haq Oloyede.

Oloyede is a professor of Islamic Studies whose first degree is Arabic. This fact became like a red rag to a bull for a lot of commentators. But the truth is that Professor Oloyede, by all accounts, is the most transformational registrar JAMB has ever had in its existence. Throughout his tenure as registrar, he has ensured that the conduct of UTME every subsequent year is invariably better than the preceding year.

I have never met the man. I am also always reluctant to vouch for people in public office because the intoxication of power can cause people to change without notice. But most people who know the man attest to his unflinching commitment to fairness and justice for everyone irrespective of their faith, ethnicity, or politics.

I have also been told that he is a compulsively methodical, organized, self-critical, and forward-looking person. That was why he had a successful tenure as Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin even though he is from Abeokuta in Ogun State—in a time when “outsiders” are not allowed to be VCs of even federal universities. His tenure saw the dramatic rise in the profile of the University of Ilorin.

He has brought that same spirit to JAMB. I am sure he has his foibles, like everyone else, but to judge him on the basis of what he studied and taught and ignore his record is both unfair and unproductive.

https://tribuneonlineng.com/3-lessons-from-the-ethnicization-of-jamb-controversy/

Mynd44 nlfpmod

Well said kperogi.. first time I read Ur piece and didn't call it trash.. well done

What I learned is that one particular region is very tribalistic.

I pity non Igbo tribes willing to join developers in mythical biafra .

I agree that Nigerians have flawed ethnic and religious empathy baggage that, unfortunately, tend to interfere with their sense of reasoning and judgement.

However, Mmesoma Ejikeme's innocent look, prior academic records and cry-of-wolf misled many of her fellow Anambra people to come to her defence in line with the spirit of 'onuru ube nwanne agbana oso'.

The truth is that, in private, heads are already bowed in regret, bitter lessons have been learnt and humble pie eaten but ndi Anambra are a proud people who will never succumb to pressure to accept to sob loudly in public over an act of indiscretion one of their daughters.

One certain, Anambra State remains light of the nation as shown by the State Government by setting a committee and swiftly releasing the report to the public to conclusively, professionally and ethically deal with malpractice. Anambra bu enyi!

By the way, Professor Oloyede has done wonderful job at JAMB and I am a fan.

Super story!

The issue was made an ethnic issue from both ends. There were those who openly declared her guilty because of her ethnicity and the other mob who fought back declaring her innocent because of ethnic affiliations too. Other than that, majority were only sentimental because of the look of an "innocent, poor girl"

Neither the state government, innoson nor any other public or political figure from the east made reference to tribe in their positions.

Those accusing people of making it a tribal thing are just guilty of Igbo obsession.

Lol make everybody go rest buh the over flogging of the matter was caused by her people and her been bold enough to go du Video....


When Adeosun NYSC case happened the People from her region no blame NYSC for the Forgery dey all took dere breakfast in peace no thread upon thread or any SW Prominent person coming out to defend her buh this girl case they started blaming Jamb for the girl frorgery.....



And we have also seen Alot of people with Forgery case from different region or tribe people were not opening thread up nd down defending the fraud nor blaming any institutions for the Forgery....

They started pushing their Tribal-Religion sentiments and gaslighting everyone to accept their fraud.

Fraud is already normal to them, once you can defend your fraud dem go call your sharp-guy.
Unfortunately for dem their wahala don enter market and nobody go take dem serious again.

The height of it was when I saw some punks trying to launder their image by granting her "scholarship".

It was nothing sort of a reward for bad behaviour.

It's shameful to say but the truth is that has become the hallmark of the engagement of the people from the East nowadays. I sincerely hope they change for the better soonest.

Lesson #4: The poor girl drew inspiration from from the Chicago drug baron with fraudulent source of wealth, fraudulent educational background and fraudulent genealogy.

Nigeria needs pure purging. People harbour hatred and bitterness towards one another.

Na this one them catch.

Let's stop pretending as though We do not know that jamb is a product of this system of corruption We should be directing every energy to crush.

The criminal minded girl is just one of the many kinds who plunder themselves in criminality for whatever reasons. She should be dealt with to send a message to Her cohorts from whatever cross and segment they operate from.

Shame on Tribalist like the Op who made such a situation a point to score in their cheap Tribal hate games.

How do You guys even feel when y'all do this senseless tribal shenanigans

These Mc Oluomo dogs started this tribalism nonsense and they know it will consume them, all of them idiats!!

Ok

Sorry to say this, our Igbo people really goofed this time.

Armaggedon:
Super story!

The issue was made an ethnic issue from both ends. There were those who openly declared her guilty because of her ethnicity and the other mob who fought back declaring her innocent because of ethnic affiliations too. Other than that, majority were only sentimental because of the look of an "innocent, poor girl"

Neither the state government, innoson nor any other public or political figure from the east made reference to tribe in their positions.

Those accusing people of making it a tribal thing are just guilty of Igbo obsession.

You are a liar.

Other ethnicities only waded in after JAMB declared her result as a fake after you guys were using her fake result to chest beat on SM.


This girl's fraud may have gotten unnoticed if you idiots did not use it in your usual dik measuring contest.

Now it backfired and you insisted she had a genuine result and accused JAMB of bias stating a Yoruba Muslim will never want an Ibo to succeed.

You idiots are really the most tribalistic goats.

You are a dirty shamelessly hopeless bigot

ablejesus26:
Na this one them catch.

Let's stop pretending as though We do not know that jamb is a product of this system of corruption We should be directing every energy to crush.

The criminal minded girl is just one of the many kinds who plunder themselves in criminality for whatever reasons. She should be dealt with to send a message to Her cohorts from whatever cross and segment they operate from.

Shame on Tribalist like the Op who made such a situation a point to score in their cheap Tribal hate games.

How do You guys even feel when y'all do this senseless tribal shenanigans

DeAdvokate:
Well written! Until WE stop viewing national issues from ethnic and religion prism, only then can we make true progress. I feel ashamed to read some comments from so called 'educated' social media users. If some people can reason and bully others just because 'one of our own' is involved, imagine how uneducated folks will reason! The WE vs THEM syndrome is not good for this country. To have brought JAMB Registrar into the issue is so disgusting, Professor Oloyede is one public figure that makes people like me have hope in Nigeria. Just like Kperogi opined, he (Oloyede) is not perfect but he is far better than Dipo Ojerinde, the former Registrar and his improvement of JAMB should be commended not denigrated because of his tribe or religious affiliation.

The fact many to understand is the way we Igbos view things. The Igbo culture abhors HYPOCRISY. We hate it with passion and to a large extent, our character towards it has helped our progress and shaped our society. It's no wonder we rejected a particular religion which allows political armed robbers to install sharia on its petty thieves.

Why do Nigerians chose crime if I may ask? Why are big thieves celebrated and small thieves castigated?

Buhari ruled Nigeria for 8 years with a forged certificate.

Tinubu certificate is also fraudulent and just recently exposed by PDP at the tribunal.

Kemi Adeosun forged NYSC certificate and was let go without prosecution.
And many more.

Why Mmesomma the evil of all? Mmesomma did wrong just like Buhari. Send both to prison and save us these noise.

SHAME BIG SHAME TO YOU ALL. Same people that celebrated the bigger thieves. Shame

You dont treat a wound from the surface.. tackle the cause..

AntiZikist:



You are a liar.

Other ethnicities only waded in after JAMB declared her result as a fake after you guys were using her fake result to chest beat on SM.

the hopeless man that gave birth to a half living creature like you is the liar not me. Stop mentioning "other ethnicities" , just mention yoruba. If you are not an irredeemable tribal loafer, why will you attack people for "chest beating" since it does not affect you?

AntiZikist:


This girl's fraud may have gotten unnoticed if you idiots did not use it in your usual dik measuring contest.

again, your mother is the idiot. We are not cheats. if we supported the fraud, we would have let it lie low. Again, if dick measuring is your problem, maybe it's time to get a bigger dick or simply go and hang yourself if you don't have one because the dick measuring just got started.

AntiZikist:

Now it backfired and you insisted she had a genuine result and accused JAMB of bias stating a Yoruba Muslim will never want an Ibo to succeed.

You idiots are really the most tribalistic goats

Nothing backfired. She is a cheat who must be punished. The real highest score is from Anambra as well. Show me one Igbo politician or celebrity who attributed it to tribalism? You have not answered that. You better prepare to make your unborn children better people else they will be the idiots who will inherit inferiority complex from you Igbo obsessed vagabond.

It’s true what they say: prejudice distorts what it sees, deceives when it talks, and destroys when it acts.

EcoNews:
You are a dirty shamelessly hopeless bigot

It will never be well wit anyone spreading tribal hate on this forum.

Them and their households will never know anything related to peace, since they seek and preach hate and bigotry, their households will never stop experiencing grief, chaos and trouble.

Amen.

Oya say Your own Amen

Shameless smelly dead thing, You will surely live and die doing tribal hate on this forum, this is all Your soul was created for.

omenka:
The height of it was when I saw some punks trying to launder their image by granting her "scholarship".

It was nothing sort of a reward for bad behaviour.

It's shameful to say but the truth is that has become the hallmark of the engagement of the people from the East nowadays. I sincerely hope they change for the better soonest.

What became of that shameful scholarship?

And where is the lawyer that gave JAMB 24 hours

Me I just love the way the girl made all the igbo leaders that sided with her without thinking look stupid.
Kudo though to
1. Soludo and Anambra state government who set up the committee.....the committee did a very professional job
2. Chidoka the owner of the CBT center was the first igbo person to agree she forged the result (he should know) and asked her to come out clean

Rolings:


What became of that shameful scholarship?

And where is the lawyer that gave JAMB 24 hours

Me I just love the way the girl made all the igbo leaders that sided with her without thinking look stupid.
Kudo though to
1. Soludo and Anambra state government who set up the committee.....the committee did a very professional job
2. Chidoka the owner of the CBT center was the first igbo person to agree she forged the result (he should know) and asked her to come out clean

You mean Johnmary Akachukwu Maduakolam? YPP candidate for Anambra House of Representative election (2023)?

Well...don't expect to hear an apology anytime soon, as this is not the Nigerian way. Fani-Kayode, with his 1001 conspiracy theories, knows exactly what I mean.

There was no logical reason to presume that JAMB as an institution had a vested interest in denying the genuine claims to a superlative performanceby a poor, unknown candidate like Ejikeme.

It is shocking and truly disgusting to see otherwise brilliant folks tow the ethnic/religious line. They should really be ashamed of themselves.

That said, I think it's time we move on. Already the Soludo led committee has recommended that she tender an apology to Jamb, her school and the state, her father has asked for forgiveness, Jamb has suspended her for 3yrs and Innoson has recinded it's N3m.

As Keyamo noted in his peace, the damage has been done, so further beating a dead horse is unnecessary. She should go for counselling and try to put this ugly episode behind

Because it suits you now

Laggafin:

Well said kperogi.. first time I read Ur piece and didn't call it trash.. well done

You have short memory. SW defended Adeosun and she stayed for long before her eventual removal

inoki247:


Lol make everybody go rest buh the over flogging of the matter was caused by her people and her been bold enough to go du Video....


When Adeosun NYSC case happened the People from her region no blame NYSC for the Forgery dey all took dere breakfast in peace no thread upon thread or any SW Prominent person coming out to defend her buh this girl case they started blaming Jamb for the girl frorgery.....



And we have also seen Alot of people with Forgery case from different region or tribe people were not opening thread up nd down defending the fraud nor blaming any institutions for the Forgery....