Mmesoma Ejikeme admits to forging JAMB result; Authentic JAMB top candidate wins ₦2.5m from Erisco Foods CEO

Mmesoma Ejikeme has admitted that she did manipulate her Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) results following the controversies that arose after she claimed to have been the highest scorer in the recently concluded examinations.

In a report that was submitted by a panel set up by Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State, it was revealed that Mmesoma confessed that her original result was an aggregate score of 249, which she then manipulated with a device and a printout to make it 362.

The report said, “The Committee invited Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma, the Principal of Anglican Girls’ Secondary School, and officials of JAMB for interactive session with the Committee. JAMB officials led by Dr. Fabian Benjamin, the Head Public Affairs presented the detailed processes and procedures involved in JAMB admissions, the policy changes that have occurred in the release of UTME scores since 2021 and what specifically transpired between the candidate Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma with registration number: 20230639047FF in her quest to obtain her JAMB score.

“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 UTME 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 a 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 cybercafé (Prisca Global Computers, Uruagu, Nnewi) where she printed the results she had manipulated.”

However, it was said that when the panel asked Mmesoma for her reason for manipulating her results, she said, “nothing.”

The committee then gave recommendation that Mmesoma tender an unreserved apology to JAMB, her school (Anglican Girls’ Secondary School, Uruagu Nnewi and the Anambra State Government immediately. They also suggested that she go through psychological counselling and therapy.

Recall the position of the UTME top scorer became a national dispute over the authentic highest scorer during the week after Mmesoma Ejikeme, another UTME candidate claimed she scored the highest with 362 marks.

Meanwhile, Kamsiyochukwu Umeh Precious, the overall best candidate in the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB)’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) has won a cash gift of ₦2.5 million from the Chief Executive Officer and President of Erisco Foods Limited, Dr Eric Umeofia.

The exam body announced Umeh, a student of Deeper Life High School, Mowe, as the top scorer in the 2023 UTME with a total score of 360.

A breakdown of her score showed that Umeh got 99 in Chemistry, 98 in Mathematics, 97 in Physics, and 66 in English.

Moved by the student’s academic achievement, Umeofia during a chat with The Punch on Friday, July 7, 2023, pledged to reward her with ₦2.5m.

In addition, the Erisco Foods CEO also announced various cash rewards to the administrator of the school, the four subject teachers, and two other best students of the school.

Meanwhile, speaking on how she managed to ace the exam, Umeh, in a rare interview on Arise TV on Friday, said early preparation was critical to her performance.

She said she started preparing for the examination immediately after she commenced her SS3 class and reviewed past questions to familiarise herself with the system.

The Anambra native also commended her school and dedicated teachers for organising classes and mock exams which helped with her performance.

While speaking about her reading culture, Umeh said she read for an average of six hours a day leading up to the day of the examination.