Leadnaija
The three-year ban imposed on Anambra student Ejikeme Mmesoma by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is due to expire this July, making her eligible once again to sit the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
Mmesoma became the centre of national attention in July 2023 after she claimed to have scored 362 in the UTME. JAMB declared the result fake, insisting her authentic score was 249. An Anambra State panel confirmed she manipulated the result using her mobile phone. JAMB withdrew the forged result and imposed a three-year ban.
The scandal led to the withdrawal of a scholarship from Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing and sparked widespread national debate. Governor Chukwuma Soludo directed her to undergo psychotherapy and counselling.
Key Points:
Mmesoma will be eligible to register for UTME after the ban expires this month
The scandal highlighted the issue of examination fraud and digital manipulation
The panel confirmed she acted alone and manipulated the result on her phone
The ban has been a major talking point in education ethics discussions
Her father publicly apologised, saying she failed to tell him the truth on time
Mmesoma is now eligible to sit for the UTME again if she chooses to pursue admission into a tertiary institution. The case remains one of the most prominent examination fraud controversies in Nigeria.
