Oloyede deserves commendation, not condemnation – S’West Group
By Yahaya Umar, AbujaÂ
Following the recent public admittance by the Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, Ishaq Oloyede, Professor Emeritus, of a technical error which compromised the integrity of the results from the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, in 157 centres, there have been barrage of calls on President Bola Tinubu to remove the examination body’s top man.
AljazirahNigeria reports that Oloyede, was appointed by the immediate past President, Muhammadu Buhari, based on recommendations from the then Minister of Education.
The Registrar’s recent revelation that the results of over 387,000 candidates were affected came to many as a thunderbolt.
In this vein, the National Association of Nigerian Students in a swift reaction has joined hundreds of thousand Nigerians calling for Oloyede’s resignation.
NANS National Public Relations Officer, Samson Adeyemi, described the errors as a “damning indictment of the institution’s incompetence”.
Adeyemi stressed that the negligence of JAMB has caused untold psychological distress to the affected candidates.
“The National Association of Nigerian Students is outraged by the unforgivable negligence of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, which has resulted in widespread despair among Nigerian students and, most tragically, the loss of a promising young life in Lagos.
“JAMB’s admission of errors in the released UTME results, particularly in Lagos and five South East states, is a damning indictment of the institution’s incompetence.
Similarly, a former Provost of the College of Education, Ilesa, now University of Education, Ilesa, Osun State, Professor Kolawole Kola-Kazeem, described the error by JAMB in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, as a clear case of human failure.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, Professor Kola-Kazeem noted the emotional gravity of the situation and the need for systemic change.
“We should understand that whatever has happened is based on human error, and whoever is responsible for all of these infractions should be dealt with. One of the things we have here is that each time there are infractions, there are no consequences. Consequences must be given”, he said.
Also the Association of Tutorial School Operators, ATSO, also added its voice over the glitch.
In a press statement at the weekend, the President of the Association, Mr Oludotun Sodunke, called for a comprehensive appraisal of JAMB’s technological systems and operational architecture.
“The recurrence of system failures and glitches suggests fundamental ICT infrastructure weaknesses that require a total overhaul .
“There might be a need for a total appraisal of the whole infrastructural architecture of JAMB going forward, including relationships with service providers, who coincidentally are major partakers in the error/glitch issue”, Sodunke stated
Meanwhile, the Muslim Ummah of the South West of Nigeria, MUSWEN, says Oloyede deserves commendation and not condemnation.
MUSWEN, the umbrella organisation for all Muslim groups and associations in the geo-political zone, stated this following the technical hitches that affected segments of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME.
The group, in a press statement at the weekend signed by Alhaji Rasaki Oladejo and Professor Muslih-Tayo Yahya, President and Executive Secretary, respectively, said “It stands in solidarity with Prof. Ishaq Oloyede”.
It said while it acknowledged the genuine concerns of candidates, parents, and other stakeholders over the disruptions caused by the glitches during the examinations, it strongly cautioned against any rush to impugn the integrity or commitment of the current JAMB leadership.
“Prof. Oloyede has, over the years, distinguished himself as a man of immense capacity, transparency, and accountability.
“Since assuming office, he has restored confidence in the examination body, improved institutional efficiency, returned billions of Naira to the national treasury, and embraced technology as a tool for sanitising the conduct of public examinations.
“We urge all stakeholders especially the media, civil society, and policymakers—to avoid playing into the hands of cynics and detractors who see every temporary setback as an opportunity to undermine institutions and scapegoat public servants”.
MUSWEN called for calm, constructive engagement and systemic support for JAMB to continue on its path of reform, in the spirit of justice and fairness.
“Prof. Oloyede deserves commendation, not condemnation.
“The glitches, though regrettable, do not define his track record they merely remind us of the continuous work needed in building resilient institutions in our country.
“May Allah ,SWT, continue to guide, protect, and strengthen all public servants working conscientiously for the betterment of our nation”, it concluded.
Earlier, University of Ilorin commended the exemplary leadership style of the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, Emeritus Prof. Is’haq Oloyede, in handling the controversy surrounding the glitch encountered in the just concluded 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME.
Reacting to the televised public apology tendered to the affected candidates by the JAMB Registrar on Wednesday, the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, said, “Only a conscientious, sincere, and courageous leader with genuine compassion for the welfare of the people he serves could openly take responsibility for an incident surrounding the service delivery of an organisation he heads but which glitch was not due to his personal negligence”.
The University’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr Kunle Akogun, Egbewole said that the disposition of the JAMB Registrar has clearly shown him as a leader who is conscious of the fact that the buck stops on his desk, pointing out that “given the same circumstance, many Nigerian leaders would have regaled the public with untenable excuses to wash their hands clean of what had happened”.
