The saddening fable of the claim by 19 year old Mmesoma Ejikeme on her emergence as the highest scorer in the UTME exams and the solid defence of the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board, JAMB again exposed the thin cord that binds Nigerians together.
Once she was disowned by JAMB, she was immediately labelled Nigeria’s youngest Yahoo merchant by the social media influencer, Dr Penking. Remarkably, Dr Penking, who is Yoruba and based in Australia was like many others to recant when the girl spoke. The lucidity with which she spoke and conviction she articulated her claims made many Nigerians across the ethnic divide to reassess the claim. Many believed her. Many also believed that she was 16 until it was proved otherwise.
The saddening fable of the claim by 19 year old Mmesoma Ejikeme on her emergence as the highest scorer in the UTME exams and the solid defence of the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board, JAMB again exposed the thin cord that binds Nigerians together.
Once she was disowned by JAMB, she was immediately labelled Nigeria’s youngest Yahoo merchant by the social media influencer, Dr Penking. Remarkably, Dr Penking, who is Yoruba and based in Australia was like many others to recant when the girl spoke. The lucidity with which she spoke and conviction she articulated her claims made many Nigerians across the ethnic divide to reassess the claim. Many believed her. Many also believed that she was 16 until it was proved otherwise.
However, the enduring assertions of JAMB sooner than later proved that the lady was actually wrong. Whether she was part of a conspiracy or fell into the hands of dupes is a matter yet to be resolved.
In the midst of the ethnic slurs that temporarily accompanied the brouhaha, one must point out that there were some who played commendable roles by looking beyond the ethnic hues in the matter.
Mr Osita Chidoka who interrogated the claims of Mmesoma and found them fallible must be commended. That is despite coming from her Anambra State where he had in the past aspired to be governor and may still be aspiring to be.
Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, the registrar of JAMB, who was unbending in looking beyond the ethnic slurs thrown at him.
Also commendable was the role of Dr Oby Ezekwesili who is also from Anambra State and was not carried away by the apparent sympathy Mmesoma appeared to draw to herself. Of course, no one would crucify Ezekwesili for appearing to interrogate the issues because she is from Anambra State. After all, when in 2014 she led the Bring Back Our Girls choir, there were no Anambra girls taken hostage at that time.
It is also commendable that the real top scorer, that is Precious Umeh, who incidentally is from Anambra State but schooled in the Deeper Life School in Mwoye, Ogun State has now been acknowledged by all.
The fact that Umeh is also from Anambra State may have helped to quickly douse the social media war and suspicions against JAMB. But what if the top scorer were from Oloyede’s Ogun State or happened to be a Muslim?
It is, however, comforting that JAMB was able to address every suspicion that was raised against it by speaking to the process. At every point in time the authorities were able to speak to when Mmesoma interacted with their system raising appreciation of the solid system that JAMB has established.
For anyone to subsequently try to breach the system at JAMB, such a person would have to think out of the box.
Remarkably, as the brouhaha unfolded, Nigerians were periodically drawn to the proceedings at the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC.
The drama unfolded after the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC claimed that their witnesses were initially entangled in domestic issues and hence the failure to appear on the scheduled date.
When one of the witnesses eventually appeared on Tuesday, Lawrence Bayode, a pastor who is also the director of ICT at INEC refused to swear with the bible.
He told the court that as at the time that Prof Mahmood Yakubu announced the result of the presidential election that only 31% of the results had been uploaded to the IREV portal.
Inevitably, the solid performance by JAMB in defending its system is now being compared to what many regard as the inconsistencies in the assertions of the Yakubu led INEC.
Indeed, Yakubu and Oloyede are both professors but there is no doubt as to who Nigerians trust better.
Yakubu after conducting the most expensive election in Nigerian history is yet to speak to the process. A man who declared an election when only 31% of the votes had been uploaded is now at the centre of the drama playing out at the tribunal.
Needless money is being expended on what could have been a seamless process in producing the freest and fairest election in Nigerian history. But alas, the INEC chose to do evil rather than right.
