You Can’t Serve for 10 Years Without Losing Spiritual Quality – Ex-JAMB Registrar

The outgoing Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede, has announced that he will return to academic and religious pursuits after completing his 10-year tenure, saying he needs time for spiritual reflection following a decade in public service.

Speaking during the handover ceremony to the new Registrar, Professor Aina, Oloyede reflected on the personal and professional demands of leading Nigeria’s admissions body. He also stood by JAMB’s controversial decision to sanction 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidate Mmesoma Ejikeme, insisting the board acted appropriately to safeguard the credibility of its examinations.

The former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin said public service had tested both his principles and his faith, adding that he now looked forward to a quieter life in the classroom and a renewed commitment to religious activities.

“But for me, what comes next is returning to my classroom and my religious activities. That is the next phase of my life,” he said.

Reflecting on his years in office, Oloyede admitted that the pressures of leadership often came with difficult decisions.

“You cannot serve in public office for 10 years without losing one spiritual quality or another. I need time to return to God because, in a difficult system like ours, there are moments when you may unknowingly fall short of your own principles,” he said.

He added that every decision taken in office carried responsibility, making spiritual renewal a personal priority.

“You need time to go back and seek God’s forgiveness for whatever was done while carrying out those responsibilities,” he stated.

Oloyede attributed JAMB’s achievements over the past decade to the dedication and professionalism of the board’s workforce, expressing confidence that his successor would consolidate on the reforms already introduced.

“The successes we recorded were made possible by the collective commitment and hard work of our staff,” he said. “I have no doubt that Professor Aina will take JAMB to even greater heights.”

Addressing the widely debated Mmesoma Ejikeme case, Oloyede maintained that the board had no choice but to sanction the candidate after investigations established that she altered her UTME score from 249 to 362.

He described Mmesoma as “our daughter”, stressing that JAMB’s action was never driven by malice but by its responsibility to uphold the integrity of the examination process.

“There are no hard feelings. Our only regret is that she did what she did because she is one of us. We simply carried out our duty as a responsible institution,” he said.

According to him, many Nigerians initially believed the false claims surrounding the incident because they trusted the student, but the facts eventually emerged.

“Every parent naturally wants to believe their child. That is understandable. I only regret that some people accepted the narrative before the facts were established, but I am pleased that, in the end, the truth prevailed and the board was vindicated,” he said.

Oloyede emphasised that the three-year ban imposed on the candidate was intended to discourage examination malpractice and protect the integrity of Nigeria’s tertiary admissions system.

“The sanction was never out of wickedness. It was meant to serve as a deterrent. As long as we carry out our responsibilities without hatred or bias, there should be no regrets,” he added.

In his acceptance speech, the new JAMB Registrar, Professor Aina, pledged to preserve the board’s reputation for transparency and fairness while strengthening its technology-driven approach to tackling examination malpractice.

“The integrity of JAMB is non-negotiable. Anyone hoping to beat the system should abandon such plans because our technology will continue to frustrate every form of examination malpractice and fraud,” he said.

Aina added that his immediate focus would be on understanding the board’s existing structures before introducing any reforms.

“My first priority is to listen, observe and carefully study the current systems before making any changes,” he said.

Appointed JAMB Registrar in 2016, Oloyede presided over sweeping reforms that strengthened the board’s computer-based testing system, improved transparency in the admissions process and significantly increased remittances to the Federal Government. His administration also introduced several technological innovations aimed at tackling impersonation, result falsification and other examination-related fraud.

One of the defining moments of his tenure came in 2023 when JAMB sanctioned Mmesoma Ejikeme after investigations concluded that her UTME result had been manipulated. Although the decision initially generated widespread public debate, subsequent findings validated the board’s position, reinforcing its commitment to protecting the integrity and credibility of Nigeria’s tertiary admissions process.