Proactive Leadership in Time of Turbulence: In Defense of Prof. Ishaq Oloyede's Integrity
An iconic activist and former First Lady of the United States of America, Eleanor Roosevelt said once: "Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people." Beautiful words that summarize those calling for Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to resign.
Looking back, the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) was seriously plagued by technical problems that disrupted the performance of the majority of candidates. Because of impromptu complaints, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), immediately ordered an in-depth probe by independent experts to determine and fix the issues.
Facts were finally laid bare at the end of the probe. The inquiry in contrast to what obtains in Nigeria was professional, unbiased, prompt and independent. In Abuja in a media briefing, Prof. Oloyede took responsibility for the administrative errors, stating, "What ought to have been a moment of happiness has been altered as a result of one or two mistakes." His emotional apology, delivered with obvious regret, reflected his commitment to values of leadership that include responsibility, integrity, transparency and accountability. Rather than leaving it to ego or bureaucratic sloth of an ordinary public office-holder, he liked to meet the challenges head-on, demonstrating a very high level of integrity in public life.
The technical issues based on inquiry were faced by 379,997 candidates in 157 centers across Lagos State and the South-East states of Abia, Enugu, Imo, Ebonyi, and Anambra. JAMB's swift response, particularly, inquiry into the matter, listing the affected candidates, and rescheduling retakes from May 16–19—is a demonstration of dedication to equity and transparency in the highly compromised and bureaucratic environment.
In a nation aspiring to institutional integrity, such leaders as Prof. Oloyede must be applauded and praised, not insulted and condemned. His move sets a precedent for accountability and reform, virtues necessary for national advancement. Requiring his resignation by a panel of Fifth columnists and pseudo-perfectionists would not only punish openness but also discourage future leaders from taking responsibility for institutional failures.
As Prof. Oloyede put it so pithily and patriotically, "I apologise for the trauma caused to the candidates." This incident in our national history is a test of accountability in leadership. As John C. Maxwell used to say, "A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way." Prof. Oloyede is a perfect example of this philosophy, showing that leadership is not about being error-free, but about having the guts to face and correct them.
I really sympathize with those demanding the resignation of a public official over procedural mistakes that were patently outside the agency's jurisdiction. Such failures, as unfortunate as they are, occur daily in institutions and systems all over the world. Ironically, most of these self-proclaimed perfectionists cannot even keep a simple WhatsApp group or have a simple family meeting without conflict or chaos. Let us not be deceived, the public is much smarter than they believe. There is more to the appeal. We are all not fools.
#JAMB2025 #IntegrityFirst #Leadership #transparency #examchallenge
