UTME fraud: I regret all my actions – Ejikeme, Mmesoma’s father

By Chuks Eke

Romanus Ejikeme, the father of Mmesoma Ejikeme, who has been indicted over the manipulation of her University and Tertiary Matriculation Examination, said he regretted all his actions of supporting his daughter.

Ejikeme said his daughter misrepresented the real facts behind the controversy without opening up to him on time.

He stated these following the release of the findings of the panel of inquiry set up by the Anambra State government which revealed that Mmesoma manipulated her UTME result, where she actually scored 249 as against the 362, she paraded.

The eight-member panel of inquiry set up by the Anambra State governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, to investigate the ongoing controversy between Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board and Mmesoma, whose UTME result has come under controversy, with the mandate of making it’s findings public had indicted her for inflating her UTME figures.

Reacting to the report in a telephone chat yesterday, Ejikeme, who tendered unreserved apologies to Nigerians and the management of JAMB, admitted that his daughter lied.

He said, “When I realised what she did, I regretted all my earlier actions on this matter. I apologise to Nigerians and JAMB. I still beg JAMB and Nigerians to pardon her.

“We are not considering any legal action. We have handed the matter over to God. We had never thought of taking JAMB to court over the matter but we would leave the matter to God because He is the only person that can show mercy.

“It was very shocking and devastating to us. We were not expecting such news because we never suspected any foul play as far as the result presented by Mmesoma is concerned, so the news jolted us and everybody around us.

“Since the controversy started, I received over 500 calls in one hour. A lot of people have been visiting us, even press men and some human rights groups. Any one of them that comes always come with camera and they always video my daughter. So, they were the ones that did the video for her. We can only plead that JAMB should tamper justice with mercy.

“Mmesoma would have completed her secondary education before this time, but we had issues of accommodation and relocation and in the process, she missed about two years.

“We were formerly leaving in Ogbunike before fighting erupted in that community and we had to move to Asaba in 2012, we had yet to settle down at Asaba before the 2012 flooding occurred where the building we were leaving was submerged by flood.

“And for about two years or so, my children were not enrolled in school during the period because we did not settle down as we were battling with the flood. After this, we had to move again to Oba, where she was enrolled at a government school, where she also maintained her top position. We moved to Nnewi three years ago from Oba, where she enrolled at Anglican Girls Secondary School.”

Meantime, Innoson Group said it has withdrawn the scholarship it earlier awarded to Mmesoma following her indictment over the manipulation of her University and Tertiary Matriculation Examination score.

Chairman of Innoson group, Chief Innocent Chukwuma in a statement signed by the Head of Corporate Communications & Affairs, Cornel Osigwe, yesterday, said the move is in line with the company’s principles and response to the confirmed findings by a panel of enquiry set up by the Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo.

It said, “In recent days, we have been involved in the process of investigating allegations surrounding the 2023 UTME examination results of one of our scholarship recipients, Miss Joy Mmesoma Ejikeme.

“It was reported initially that Mmesoma scored exceptionally high in the exam, a feat that led to her being awarded a scholarship by our company.

“However, subsequent reports of discrepancies in her UTME score led us to seek clarification from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board and to allow her to voice her stance, we engaged in direct dialogue with Miss Mmesoma.

“Further to this, a committee set up by the Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, carried out a thorough independent investigation into this matter.”

The organisation said findings from the rigorous investigation have now confirmed that Mmesoma manipulated her UTME results.

It added that the conclusion is deeply disappointing and stands in direct contravention of the values it holds dear at Innoson Vehicles, particularly those that underscore its scholarship program.

“We acknowledge that this development is regrettable, and it has undoubtedly caused dismay among those who stood by Miss Joy, including her school principal and other well-meaning supporters. However, it is crucial to maintain the integrity of our scholarship program and the values it represents.

“Innoson Vehicles remains steadfast in its mission to support deserving students, invest in the future of our education sector, and uphold the highest ethical standards.

“We have always been deeply committed to advancing educational excellence and upholding academic integrity through our scholarship program. We believe in rewarding exceptional students who display not just academic prowess but also embody the values of honesty, transparency, and respect for the processes that govern our educational system.

“We extend our appreciation to the public, JAMB, the Anambra State Governor’s committee, and all those who have shown understanding and support during this challenging situation. We remain committed to fostering educational excellence in Nigeria,” the statement added.