Public figures and citizens have begun reacting to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board’s (JAMB) acknowledgment of technical errors that disrupted the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), leading to widespread failures.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, had earlier admitted that candidates in Lagos and the South East were most affected by system glitches. He issued a formal apology and assured that the affected candidates would be invited to retake the examination.
In response, former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, praised JAMB’s handling of the situation, commending the board for its transparency and accountability.
“I commend JAMB for its consistent commitment to upholding institutional integrity. Unlike many public agencies, JAMB did not default to the usual ‘Go to court’ narrative,” Chidoka stated.
“Instead, it admitted fault, engaged stakeholders, and opened its processes to external review,” he added, while expressing support for the affected candidates.
However, not all responses were sympathetic. Activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, criticized the agency outright, calling for its abolishment.
“It’s time to scrap these extracurricular bureaucratic busybodies… JAMB, NYSC, TETFUND, NELFUND — they are all useless!” he posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju took a more satirical tone, referencing Oloyede’s emotional press conference.
“Na so INEC chair go burst into tears in 2027,” he quipped in Pidgin English, alluding to Nigeria’s electoral body.
Popular medical doctor and online personality, Dr. Chinonso Egemba, also known as Aproko Doctor, criticized JAMB’s public communication, particularly a tweet acknowledging the glitch.
“When you’re asked to define ‘anyhowness,’ show them this tweet from a national agency,” he commented.
The reactions reflect a mixture of praise for JAMB’s transparency and frustration over recurring institutional failures that continue to affect young Nigerians’ futures.
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