Courageous Admission of JAMB Errors by Prof Ishaq Oloyede Sets Integrity Benchmark – Olagunju

By Chimezie Godfrey

In an era where public figures often evade accountability, the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof Ishaq Oloyede, has exhibited exceptional courage by openly admitting to critical errors in the administration of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

Prof Oloyede, in a tearful and emotionally charged address, acknowledged that substantial mistakes had been made in the processing of examination results, affecting thousands of candidates. “I take full responsibility for the oversight,” he said, visibly moved by the gravity of the error. “We are committed to rectifying the situation and ensuring that all affected candidates are treated fairly.”

The unprecedented public admission has drawn praise from various quarters, including Dr Kayode Olagunju, a retired Deputy Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), who likened Prof Oloyede’s stance to a similar courageous decision by his former boss, Osita Chidoka, during his tenure as the FRSC Corps Marshal.

“Not everyone possesses the courage to publicly admit their mistakes,” Dr Olagunju noted in a reflective piece. “Many will rather blame others or try to explain away the situation. Prof Oloyede’s decision to take full responsibility, even to the point of tears, is commendable.”

Dr Olagunju recounted how, in 2013, he discovered significant discrepancies in FRSC crash data spanning three years. Despite intense internal pressure to maintain the erroneous records, Chidoka chose to correct the data and issue a public apology, prioritizing integrity over reputation.

“There is no going back,” Chidoka had declared at the time. “Data credibility is key, and we discovered there were mistakes. We should be able to accept the errors and correct them.”

Drawing parallels between both incidents, Dr Olagunju emphasized the importance of accountability in public service, stating, “The courage to admit and correct mistakes, especially in such high-stakes scenarios, is a mark of true leadership. Prof Oloyede has set a high standard for others to emulate.”

As JAMB moves to rectify the errors and provide remedies to affected candidates, stakeholders are lauding Prof Oloyede’s transparency as a pivotal moment in the nation’s educational administration. “God bless you, Prof,” Dr Olagunju concluded. “That is the way to go — honour, integrity, and courage, even when it draws tears.”