Oby Ezekwesilli Reacts As Mmesoma Finally Confesses To Forging UTME Result

Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has condemned the actions of Mmesoma Joy Ejikeme, who was reportedly indicted of manipulating her Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) score result.

Naija News reported earlier that a Committee set up by the Anambra State governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, to investigate the circumstances surrounding the alleged forgery of a JAMB result, made its finding known in a 8-paged report it submitted on Friday.

Recall that Mmesoma had said she scored a total of 362 in the examination, contrary to the real score sent to her by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB.

JAMB had insisted that Mmesoma’s actual score was 249, not the 362 she claimed.

According to the report signed by the Commissioner for Information Anambra State, Sir Paul Nwosu, the 19-year-old confessed to manipulating her result after a thorough investigation was concluded.

Reacting to the report, Oby, who earlier slammed critics over the misconception that her call for an independent investigation on the fake (UTME) result of the 19-year-old student was about ethnicity, in a statement via her Twitter page, expressed satisfaction with the process of the new findings.

She further noted that Mmesoma’s actions will bear consequences, adding that the sanctions imposed by JAMB will serve as a deterrent to all who participate in the systemic exam malpractices with the Nigeria’s educational system.

She also recommended sustained counseling for Mmesoma by the family, school and the church, that will help her reflect and make a decision to embrace values and rewards of efforts.

Her Statement reads: “I have just read the report of the Committee set up by Anambra State Government  to investigate and report their independent findings on the Mmesoma and JAMB Saga.

“I am satisfied with the process and findings of their investigation, which gave Mmesoma fair hearing to enable the Committee gather all facts.

“It was necessary to have independent evidence that the result Mmesoma laid claim to publicly was not only fake but that the forgery was personally orchestrated by her.

“There are usually syndicates at the center of perpetration of exam malpractices in Nigeria but it appears not to be so in Mmesoma’s case from the facts of the Committee’s report.

“Mmesoma’s action has consequences. I therefore support the sanctions imposed by JAMB as a deterrent to all who participate in the systemic exam malpractices within our educational system.

“I also recommend sustained counseling for Mmesoma by the family, school and church to support her as she reflects on this tragic episode and makes a decision to embrace values and rewards of effort while eschewing dishonest gain for the rest of her life.

“I do hope that the lessons of this case will help all our pupils, students, parents, guardians and the public at large renew a collective commitment to uphold Exam Integrity in Nigeria as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s Values and Reward System for our children and youth.

“I wish to thank JAMB for their good work and encourage the Registrar and his team to continue with their critical service to our country and people as we all join them to sustain raising of awareness on Exam Integrity.”