- Innoson Group make decision following Mmesoma’s confession and Investigation outcome
- An eight-member panel was set up by the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, on Wednesday to investigate the controversy
Following the conclusion that Mmesoma Ejikeme falsified her results for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, the Commission of Inquiry constituted by the Anambra State Government withdrew the scholarship it had previously granted her.
On Saturday, Cornel Osigwe, the Innoson Group’s Head of Corporate Communications and Affairs, made this information public.
The top scoring in the 2023 UTME, according to Miss Mmesoma, a student at the Anglican Girls Secondary School in Nnewi, Anambra State, was 362.
The ‘feat’ earned her praise from Nigerians on social media, including the Anambra State Government.
Later on, the candidate will get a N3 million scholarship from Innocent Chukwuma, the founder of the Innoson firm.
However, JAMB charged the candidate with falsifying her UTME scores and inflated them from 249 to 362. However, the applicant stated that the 362 was the mark that appeared on the JAMB website and in the SMS that the board gave to her.
The candidate’s first UTME score was subsequently withdrawn by the testing organisation, and she was disqualified from taking the exam for the following three years.
However, Miss Mmesoma, the applicant, stated in a widely shared video on Monday that the contentious result of 362 she claimed to have received was printed off the JAMB website and that the test body’s accusations had scarred her.
Several Nigerians called for an “independent” investigation into the controversy.
Consequently, the Anambra State Government, last week, set up a panel of inquiry into the controversy.
The eight-member panel, led by professor Nkemdili Nnonyelu, concluded on Friday that Miss Mmesoma had fabricated the 362 score that the JAMB had earlier claimed.
The candidate acknowledged, as stated in the eight-page report, that she had fabricated the outcome on her own before going to a cybercafé to have it printed.
Given that Miss Mmesoma received the scholarship from Innoson Motors in acknowledgment of her allegedly outstanding achievement, the company’s spokesperson, Mr. Osigwe, called the discovery that she cheated on her UTME results “deeply disappointing.”
According to him, the candidate’s manipulation of the results “stands in direct contravention of the values” of the organisation.
“In line with these principles and in response to the confirmed findings, we have made the difficult decision to withdraw the scholarship awarded to Miss Joy Mmesoma Ejikeme. This action is a testament to our unyielding commitment to honesty, integrity, and merit-based recognition.
“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,” he said.
IVM added that it believes 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 the educational system in Nigeria.