Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Prof. Yusuf Ali, has risen in strong defence of the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Olanrewaju Oloyede, describing him as an embodiment of integrity and accountability in public service, despite the recent controversy surrounding the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
In a press statement issued on Friday, Prof. Ali, who identified Oloyede as a close associate of nearly five decades, stated that the backlash following the technical hitches recorded in parts of the South-East and Lagos during the UTME was unfair and failed to recognise the uncommon candour the JAMB boss demonstrated in handling the crisis.
“Prof. Is-haq Oloyede is one of very few individuals for whom I can swear with the Holy Qur’an about their honesty, integrity, transparency, incorruptibility, human empathy and selflessness,” Ali said.
The legal luminary acknowledged that while the disruption of the examination due to third-party technical failures affected about 300,000 of the over 1.5 million candidates nationwide, Oloyede’s decision to admit the flaws and order a retake of the test for the affected candidates was a bold and commendable move in a country where public officials often deny or deflect responsibility.
“That he decided not to take the path of most public servants in our country by treating the complaints about the examination with impunity has led a few of the commentators to ask for his head.
“I dare say that the path he had chosen — of admitting mistakes, owning up and showing genuine empathy — is rare in our part of the world,” he said.
Prof. Ali dismissed calls for Oloyede’s resignation, describing such demands as misplaced.
He stressed that true leadership involves standing firm during adversity, not fleeing when challenges arise.
“No serious leader will abandon his people at the time of a crisis. It makes a lot of sense that he should not abandon ship but be manly enough to see to the end of the problem,” he said.
Ali further described the JAMB boss as a tireless administrator, noting that Oloyede personally supervises JAMB’s preparations for its annual examinations, often making unannounced visits to offices across the country, including at odd hours.
He also lauded Oloyede’s antecedents, recalling his successful tenure as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin and other national assignments, which were marked by excellence and discipline.
“In-sha Allah, his tenure at JAMB will not be different,” the statement concluded.
The 2025 UTME has been marred by reports of technical failures at several Computer-Based Test centres, prompting JAMB to reschedule the examination for affected candidates.
The Board has, however, reassured the public of its commitment to fairness and transparency in the conduct of its examinations.
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