In a moment both emotional and symbolic, the Registrar of Nigeria’s Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede, broke down in tears during a press briefing, accepting full responsibility for the recent widespread errors that marred the conduct of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). His emotional display, rare in the corridors of Nigerian bureaucracy, has sparked intense national conversation: Is contrition enough? Should he have resigned? And, more urgently, what becomes of the thousands of students whose futures now hang in the balance due to JAMB’s failures?
The Errors That Shook the System
The 2025 UTME, which determines admission into tertiary institutions in Nigeria, was riddled with errors ranging from biometric failures to missing results, exam centre chaos, and instances of wrong subject combinations. Reports from across the country pointed to systemic dysfunction — students were allocated to non-functional centres, some had their results withheld without explanation, while others claimed discrepancies between their confirmed answers and the results released.
This is not the first time JAMB has come under fire for logistical and technical issues, but the scale and gravity of this year’s problems pushed the institution into unprecedented crisis territory. Calls came swiftly from education stakeholders, student unions, and civil society organizations for transparency, accountability, and immediate redress.
The Registrar’s Emotional Apology
In the wake of mounting public pressure, Professor Oloyede convened a press briefing where he publicly apologised. His eyes welled with tears as he expressed regret for the harm caused and acknowledged the pain and confusion students and their families were enduring.
“I take full responsibility for what has happened,” he said. “As the Registrar, the buck stops with me.”
The moment, captured on national television and widely shared on social media, has been met with mixed reactions. While some have praised the Registrar’s honesty and courage, others have viewed the emotional display as insufficient — or even manipulative — in the face of a debacle that may jeopardise the educational prospects of thousands of young Nigerians.
Should He Have Resigned?
In many countries with mature governance systems, top officials are expected to resign when their institutions commit errors of this magnitude. For many Nigerians, Professor Oloyede’s apology raises a critical question: Should he have gone further by stepping down?
There are arguments on both sides.
The case for resignation rests on the principle of accountability. Critics argue that public office demands consequences for failure, especially in institutions as critical as JAMB. By remaining in office, they say, the Registrar undermines the public’s trust in a system already viewed with suspicion. Resignation would have been a powerful statement of moral responsibility, reinforcing the seriousness of the failure and setting a precedent for future public servants.
On the other hand, the case against resignation suggests that Oloyede, who has been widely praised for reforming JAMB in the past, may still be the best person to lead the clean-up. His defenders point to his track record of introducing transparency and digitalisation, increasing revenue remitted to the government, and fighting exam malpractice. They argue that a forced resignation could lead to instability and delay in resolving the current crisis.
Still, one cannot help but ask: can emotional sincerity compensate for operational failure, especially when students’ lives are at stake?
What Happens to the Students?
While the debate around the Registrar’s accountability rages on, the fate of the students affected remains the most urgent concern. For many, the UTME is more than just a test — it is a gateway to a different life. Errors in the examination process mean lost opportunities, delayed admissions, and in some cases, the possibility of missing out on higher education entirely.
JAMB has pledged to reprocess the results of affected candidates and organise a makeup exam for students who missed their exams due to technical errors. However, no clear timeline has been given, and skepticism remains high. Many students and parents have little confidence in the process, and the psychological toll of uncertainty is profound.
Trust, Transparency, and the Way Forward
The JAMB debacle is symptomatic of a deeper issue in Nigeria’s education sector — a failure to modernise, professionalise, and prioritise student welfare. While Professor Oloyede’s emotional display may have been heartfelt, Nigerians need more than tears. They need reform, transparency, and guarantees that such failures will not be repeated.
Concrete steps must include:
An independent audit of the 2025 UTME process.
Clear public communication about redress mechanisms for affected students.
Compensation or prioritised access for students who were wronged.
Legislative oversight to ensure future examinations are conducted with the highest standards of integrity and reliability.
Additionally, the government must recognise that the damage goes beyond statistics and error reports — it’s about the hopes, time, and emotional energy of young people whose lives are shaped by these moments.
Final Thoughts
In the end, while Professor Oloyede’s apology and public tears were striking, they must be matched by action. Accountability in public office should not stop at emotional contrition. It must be followed by restitution for victims, structural correction, and in some cases, the willingness to step aside for the system to heal.
Should he have resigned? Perhaps. But more importantly, should Nigerian students trust JAMB again? That answer depends entirely on what happens next.
