By Mumuni Alao
Some observers have criticised JAMB registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, for shedding “crocodile tears” during his press conference to address the technical and human errors discovered in the handling of the 2025 UTME.
While many qualified computer and data analysts have confirmed the veracity of JAMB’s explanation for the error, and while fair-minded commentators have saluted the registrar for taking responsibility and apologising, we would like to comment on the criticism in some quarters that Oloyede’s tears were “crocodile tears.”
Prof. Oloyede is very well known to us at the University of Lagos Muslim Alumni (UMA). Although he is not a member of our alumni, he has delivered lectures and keynote addresses at many of our programmes. We can vouch for his integrity.
Oloyede is not a pretentious person. His tears were not crocodile tears. He is just a passionate stickler for excellence and this costly error by JAMB would naturally bring him to tears.
Another reason for the tears would be his feeling of personal guilt for the adverse effects of the error on applicants. Will God forgive him on Judgement Day? That thought is always uppermost in his mind in everything that he does because he is a very conscientious person. We know him very well.
We listened to Prof. Oloyede’s press conference in full. JAMB traced the “technical glitch” behind the error to specific exam centers in specific states, which is why it was able to determine the exact number of affected applicants who will now be eligible to RESIT the exams.
On the face of it, this explanation is satisfactory. But of course, further independent investigations, particularly into the conduct of JAMB exams in previous years, are in order to remove all doubts about the integrity of those exams.
Dr. Abdulmumin Alao is the National President, University of Lagos Muslim Alumji (UMA).
