In a shocking turn of events, the panel of inquiry established by the Anambra State Government has substantiated claims that Mmesoma Joy Ejikeme, a student of Anglican Girls’ Secondary School in Nnewi, manipulated her Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) result. The panel’s eight-page report, which was made public on Friday, revealed that Ejikeme had fraudulently altered her score from 249 to 362.
The panel was established by Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, in response to the heated controversy surrounding Ejikeme’s purported UTME result. Despite the panel’s conclusive findings, JAMB has yet to respond to the report and has maintained its initial decision to ban Ejikeme for three years and revoke her manipulated score of 362, reverting it to the authentic score of 249.
The panel, consisting of eight members, recommended several actions in response to Ejikeme’s misconduct. Firstly, it proposed that she issue an unreserved written apology to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), her school, and the state government. Additionally, the report suggested that she undergo psychological counselling and therapy to address the underlying reasons for her deceptive actions.
The investigation conducted by the panel involved interviews with relevant parties, including Ejikeme, JAMB officials, individuals involved in the examination process, and the principal of Anglican Girls’ Secondary School. The findings indicated that Ejikeme had sent a request to JAMB using a different registration number, providing altered scores that significantly deviated from the standard JAMB format. The authentic score of 249 was confirmed by the panel, debunking Ejikeme’s falsified claims.
Furthermore, the panel discovered several red flags raised by JAMB officials, such as inconsistencies in Ejikeme’s date of birth, registration number, and the usage of outdated notification templates. These discrepancies supported the testimony provided by JAMB officials and substantiated their accurate account of the events. Ejikeme confessed to manipulating her results single-handedly, without any external assistance, using her personal phone.
According to her, she proceeded to the cybercafé (Prisca Global Computers, Uruagu, Nnewi) where she printed the results she had manipulated. The Committee tried to find out the motive behind her action, but Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma said NOTHING.
Regarding the involvement of the school, both the Principal of Anglican Girls’ Secondary School in Nnewi and the Education Secretary of the Diocese of Nnewi (Anglican Communion) expressed their shock and disbelief at Ejikeme’s actions. They emphasized that she had deceived not only the school but also her immediate family and the state government.
The revelation of Ejikeme’s fraudulent actions has stirred controversy and evoked various responses from the public. Some individuals, quick to condemn JAMB initially, accused the board of prejudice and animosity toward the Igbo community. Notably, lawyer Johnmary Maduakolam threatened legal action against the Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, and the board’s management if they fail to apologize to Ejikeme. Maduakolam argued that Ejikeme was incapable of forging her own results and accused JAMB of failing to protect her identity.
The defense of Ejikeme by some individuals stems from the perception that young women are unlikely to possess the intellectual capacity to manipulate results. Mmesoma’s case is similar to a previous case involving Rejoice Mordi, who, at the age of 19, was accused of altering her score from 164 to 264. Mordi, during JAMB’s investigation, attributed the falsified results to an agent she had connected with through WhatsApp, named Iyanu Oluwa.
It is clear that Ejikeme’s case has ignited a mix of reactions and opinions. The panel’s findings, coupled with the acknowledgement of her deceptive actions by school authorities, highlight the gravity of the situation. The controversy surrounding this incident serves as a reminder of the importance of academic integrity and the consequences that accompany fraudulent practices.
Did you perceive Mmesoma as an innocent and harmless individual incapable of such actions?
