An Anambra committee tasked with investigating the controversy surrounding Joy Mmesoma says the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidate admitted to faking her results.
In May, Mmesoma, a student of Anglican Girls Secondary School in Nnewi, Anambra state, gained popularity after she was purported to have scored 362 in the 2023 UTME.
Although the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) did not announce her as the overall best candidate, Mmesoma was widely celebrated.
Innocent Chukwuma, the automobile businessman, awarded the candidate a scholarship worth N3 million.
JAMB would later declare, contrary to Mmesoma’s claims, that the student scored 249, not 362.
The exam body said she faked the results to mislead the public, so a panel was tasked with probing the matter.
A report on the Anambra-constituted panel’s investigation has now concluded that Mmesoma indeed faked the results.
The panel of inquiry said Mmesoma is expected to tender a written apology to JAMB, the Anglican Girls Secondary, and the Anambra state government.
“The results paraded by Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma with an aggregate score of 362 are fake as buttressed by significant variations in the registration number, date of birth, centre name, and other infractions,” the panel’s report reads.
“Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma admitted that she manipulated the fake results herself, using her phone.
“The Principal Anglican Girls’ Secondary School, Mrs. Edu Uche, and the education secretary, Diocese of Nnewi (Anglican Communion) expressed dismay at the conduct of Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma.
“Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma should undergo psychological counselling and therapy. We hope that this unearthing of the truth as we have discovered will go a long way in correcting the sentiments, misconceptions, and deceptions that have been in the public domain.”
According to the panel, Mmesoma admitted in the presence of her principal, and the Education Secretary that narration by JAMB officials was true description of what transpired.
It said she also admitted to have given a manipulated result by herself unaided, using same phone Airtel Number.
The panel demanded immediate and unreserved written apology from Mmesoma to JAMB, the School (Anglican Girls’ Secondary School, Uruagu Nnewi) and the Anambra State Government.
It also recommended that Mmesoma underwent psychological counselling and therapy.
The Committee report reads in part, “JAMB revealed the different times that Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma made several requests to JAMB portal asking for her results at different hours, and each of these times (four in number), she received in her phone, same results from JAMB indicating candidate’s UTME Results to wit: Eng: 64, Phy:54, Bio: 74, Che: 57 with a total aggregate score of 249.
“JAMB disclosed that the candidate was well informed of her correct score from JAMB. Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma had sent a request to JAMB with a different registration number showing a UTM E result of aggregate score of 362, with Eng: 98, Phy: 89, Bio: 94, and Che: 81. The results she sent differed substantially from the standard JAMB format where she got an appropriate rebuttal stating her real score of 249.
“Besides, a number of red-flags was also highlighted by JAMB officials showing different date of birth, different Registration Number, Notification of results template that has been discarded since 2021, amongst others.
“It was also evident that even the centre name “Nkemefuna Foundation (Thomas Chidoka Centre for Human Development as it was known before now) used for the examination was also manipulated where the candidate used the old name of the centre (Thomas Chidoka Centre for Human Development) in her own manipulated result sheet.
“In Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma’s submission, she owned up in the presence of her principal, and the Education Secretary that the narration by the JAMB officials was a true and correct description of what transpired.
“She also admitted to have given a manipulated result by herself unaided, using same phone Airtel Number. According to her, she proceeded to the cybercafe (Prisca Global Computers, Uruagu, Nnewi) where she printed the results she had manipulated.
“The Committee tried to find out the motive behind her action, but Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma said NOTHING. In their own submissions, the Principal Anglican Girls’ Secondary school, Uruagu Nnewi, and the Education Secretary – Diocese of Nnewi (Anglican Communion) expressed shock at what transpired where in their presence, Mmesoma admitted to have manipulated her UTME results, deceiving the school, her immediate family and the State Government.
“COMMITTEE’S FINDINGS: The results released by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) with respect to the UTME score of Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma is 249
“The results paraded by Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma with aggregate score of 362 1s fake as buttressed by the very significant and instructive variations in the registration number, date of birth, centre name and other Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma admitted that she manipulated the fake results herself.
“The Principal Anglican Girls’ Secondary School – Mrs. Edu Uche and the Education Secretary, Diocese of Nnewi (Anglican Communion) expressed dismay at the conduct of Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma.
“RECOMMENDATIONS: That Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma tenders an unreserved written apology to the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), the School (Anglican Girls’ Secondary School, Uruagu Nnewi) and the Anambra State Government. This should be done immediately.
“EJikeme Joy Mmesoma should undergo a psychological counselling and therapyAllprospective candidates for JAMB Adm1ss1on should adhere strictly to guidelines processes and procedures of the examination body.
“CONCLUSION: The Committee of Inquiry commends Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for their diligent handling of the matter and the information supplied about the interface with the candidate (see attached).
“We hope that this unearthing of the truth as we have discovered will go a long way in correcting the sentiments, misconceptions and deceptions that have been in the public domain.
“Finally, we thank Mr. Governor for setting up this Committee, and, for the confidence reposed in the committee.”