DAILY POST
The controversy generated by the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, result of Ejikeme Mmesoma has again brought the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, under scrutiny.
While some have declared Mmesoma guilty of forgery in line with JAMB’s position, many others think otherwise. They believe a perceived flawed process in the board’s running of its affairs needs to be investigated.
Established on February 13, 1978, by the then Head of State, Olusegun Obasanjo, JAMB plays a crucial role in coordinating the admission process into tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
In 2013, JAMB introduced Computer-Based Test (CBT) as a means to modernise the examination process and combat malpractice.
However, despite these efforts, the board has been embroiled in a series of controversies.
One of the most infamous incidents occurred in February 2018 when a JAMB official claimed that N36 million had been swallowed by a snake at its office in Makurdi, Benue State.
The exam board official made the claims after some money generated from the sale of scratch cards mysteriously went missing from the board’s office.
The audacious explanation of a snake swallowing the cash sparked widespread scepticism and ridicule among Nigerians.
Critics viewed the incident as a reflection of deeper issues of financial mismanagement and accountability within government agencies.
