"No Regrets Over Mmesoma Sanction" - Oloyede Says as Aina Takes Over as New JAMB Registrar

On Friday, 31st July 2026, the immediate past Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede, officially handed over the leadership of the examination body to his successor, Professor Segun Aina, urging him to protect the integrity of the institution and build on the reforms implemented over the past decade.

The handover ceremony, held at JAMB's headquarters in Bwari, Abuja, marked the end of Oloyede's 10-year tenure and the beginning of a new administration under Aina, who becomes the sixth Registrar of the Board.

Addressing members of staff and stakeholders, Oloyede said his greatest satisfaction was leaving JAMB stronger than he met it. He attributed the Board's achievements to the dedication and commitment of its workforce and thanked President Bola Tinubu for the opportunity to serve.

He also urged members of staff to give the new Registrar the same level of cooperation and support they accorded him throughout his tenure.

Beyond public service, Oloyede disclosed that he would be returning to the classroom and devoting more time to religious activities after leaving office.

"But for me, what's next is back to my class and my religious activities. I think that is what is next for me. You cannot serve in these past 10 years without losing one spiritual quality or the other, so I need to go back and we are in a very dangerous system that in one way or the other you will have violated your own principles yourself. You need some time to go and beg God for what was done. And you have to accept the responsibility because for each and every one of them."

The former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin also reflected on the 2023 case involving Mmesoma Ejikeme, the UTME candidate who altered her score from 249 to 362. Oloyede said he had no regrets over JAMB's decision to impose a three-year ban on the candidate, insisting that the action was necessary to protect the credibility of the examination process.

If you want to pass the 2027 JAMB UTME exam with flying colors, practice with ExamGuide UTME Learning App. Download the app from https://www.examguide.com/offline/products/utme

He described Mmesoma as "our daughter" and said the Board handled the matter as a parent correcting a child rather than acting out of malice.

"No hard feelings. If there is any regret, it is that she did what she did because she is part of us. We did what we should do and, of course, we regret that she did what she did. Many people, unfortunately, were misdirected. But as soon as the truth was established, everybody who was supporting her accepted the truth of the matter."

He said it was understandable that many people initially believed the candidate's claims.

"Every parent wants to believe his or her child. When you see them, you want to believe that they are too innocent to manufacture such things. So, I mostly regret that some people supported that narrative, but I am happy that at the end of the day, we have been vindicated. Of course, that does not remove the punishment she had to serve. It's not out of wickedness, but in order to serve as a deterrent."

Oloyede maintained that public officials must carry out their responsibilities without bias or personal resentment.

"Once we do not do things on the basis of hatred, and the office requires that we do certain things and we do them, there should be no regret. There should be no hard feelings. So, no regrets."

In his acceptance remarks, the new JAMB Registrar, Professor Segun Aina, pledged to preserve the Board's reputation for transparency, integrity, and credibility while consolidating the reforms introduced under his predecessor.

AD: Join thousands of successful students and turn your UTME dream score into reality – download the ExamGuide UTME Learning App now and start your journey to academic excellence

He warned candidates and others planning to undermine JAMB's examination process that the Board would continue to rely on technology to combat examination malpractice and fraud.

"The integrity of JAMB is not negotiable. Those harbouring thoughts of outsmarting the system should abandon such plans because our technology-driven processes will continue to frustrate every form of malpractice and fraud."

Aina added that his immediate focus would be to study the Board's existing systems before introducing new initiatives.

He said his administration would prioritise listening, observing, and evaluating ongoing processes while working to strengthen public confidence in JAMB and preserve the integrity of Nigeria's tertiary admissions system.

Preparing to sit for UTME? Download ExamGuide UTME Practice App from www.examguide.com/offline/products/utme