In the aftermath of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) 2023 results, a wave of controversy has swept across the nation. Mmesoma Ejikeme, a promising candidate from the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), was caught in the heart of a fraudulence scandal that has put the reliability of JAMB results in the spotlight. An eight-member committee chaired by Professor Nkemdili Nnonyelu, initiated by Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo, recently confirmed the allegations, stating Mmesoma had indeed falsified her JAMB result of 362.
They said they obtained a copy of the committee’s report, which reveals that Mmesoma single-handedly manipulated her result before procuring a printed copy from a local cyber café. The committee’s extensive report, submitted on the 7th of July 2023, is shared in the following sections.
The investigation was necessitated by a conflict of claims surrounding the highest-scoring candidate for the recently released JAMB results. Nkechiyere Umeh was announced as the top scorer with 360 marks. However, Mmesoma, a 19-year-old student of Anglican Girls’ Secondary School, Uruagu Nnewi, from Enugu State, disputed this, stating that she had scored a higher total of 362. This claim created a whirlwind of controversy, leading to the state government commissioning an inquiry committee to shed light on the matter.
The committee’s main tasks were to review Mmesoma’s JAMB results and associated documents, conduct interviews with relevant stakeholders (including Mmesoma, JAMB officials, and other individuals involved), and put forth recommendations based on their findings. The intensive investigation involved an interactive session with Mmesoma, the Principal of Anglican Girls Secondary School, and JAMB officials.
In a shocking turn of events, Mmesoma confessed to the forgery during this session. She explained how she manipulated her UTME results using her mobile phone, creating a deceptive score that she then had printed at Prisca Global Computers, a local cyber café in Uruagu, Nnewi. She, however, did not disclose the motive behind her actions. The news of her confession left the principal of her school and the Education Secretary-Diocese of Nnewi of the Anglican Communion in utter disbelief.
The committee concluded that Mmesoma’s original JAMB result showed a score of 249, contrary to her claimed 362. The fraudulent score had several inconsistencies, including variations in the registration number, date of birth, and center name, further confirming her admission of guilt. The committee recommended that Mmesoma should tender an unreserved written apology to JAMB, her school, and the Anambra State Government. They also suggested she receive psychological counseling and therapy. In a broader sense, the committee emphasized the importance of adherence to guidelines and procedures of the examination body by all prospective JAMB candidates.
The committee commended JAMB for their diligent handling of the situation, providing crucial information about the candidate’s interaction with the board. It hoped that the findings would correct public sentiments and misconceptions surrounding the case.
JAMB officials, led by Dr. Fabian Benjamin, Head of Public Affairs, provided insight into the detailed processes and procedures involved in JAMB admissions, changes in the release of UTME scores since 2021, and the specific interactions with Mmesoma in her quest to obtain her JAMB score. They revealed that Mmesoma had made multiple requests to the JAMB portal asking for her results, each time receiving her original score of 249. However, she had later presented a manipulated score of 362, which significantly deviated from the standard JAMB format, leading to a rebuttal stating her real score.
In a bold move, Mmesoma admitted to the JAMB officials’ narrative being true and correct, in the presence of her principal and the Education Secretary. The shocking revelations and confirmation of Mmesoma forging her JAMB result underscore the gravity of the situation, emphasizing the need for transparency and integrity in the pursuit of academic achievements.