Innoson Vehicles has withdrawn the scholarship awarded to Joy Mmesoma Ejikeme after the Anambra committee of inquiry revealed that she forged her Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination result.
The panel released its findings on Friday, stating that Mmesoma admitted that she manipulated her scores.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Cornel Osigwe, head of corporate communications, Innoson, said the company made the “difficult decision” to withdraw the scholarship “in response to the confirmed findings”.
The statement read, “In recent days, we have been involved in the process of investigating allegations surrounding the 2023 UTME examination results of one of our scholarship recipients, Miss Joy Mmesoma Ejikeme. It was reported initially that Miss Joy scored exceptionally high on the exam, a feat that led to her being awarded a scholarship by our company.
“However, subsequent reports of discrepancies in her UTME score led us to seek clarification from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and to allow her to voice her stance, we engaged in direct dialogue with Miss Joy.
“Further to this, a committee set up by the Anambra State Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, carried out a thorough independent investigation into this matter.
“The findings from this rigorous investigation have now confirmed that Miss Joy Mmesoma Ejikeme did manipulate her UTME results. This conclusion is deeply disappointing and stands in direct contravention of the values we hold dear at Innoson Vehicles, particularly those that underscore our scholarship programme.
“In line with these principles and 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.
“Innoson Vehicles remains steadfast in its mission to support deserving students, invest in the future of our education sector, and uphold the highest ethical standards. We have always been deeply committed to advancing educational excellence and upholding academic integrity through our scholarship program. We believe 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 our educational system.
“We extend our appreciation to the public, JAMB, the Anambra State Governor’s committee, and all those who have shown understanding and support during this challenging situation. We remain committed to fostering educational excellence in Nigeria.”
The management of Innoson Automobile Company had said that the ₦3 million scholarships awarded to Mmesoma Ejikeme, would be withdrawn if the student was found guilty of the allegation by JAMB.
The automobile company had recently awarded the scholarship after Ejikeme purportedly emerged as the candidate with the highest score in the 2023 Unified Tertiary and Matriculation Examination.
Ejikeme claimed to have scored 362 in the 2023 UTME, and was recently awarded a ₦3 million scholarship by Innocent Chukwuma, Chairman of Innoson Vehicles Manufacturing Company.
But on Sunday, July 2, 2023, JAMB accused the candidate of manipulating her UTME result.
The Head, Public Affairs and Protocol, JAMB, Fabian Benjamin, said, Ejikeme “manipulated her UTME result to deceive the public and fraudulently obtained scholarship and other recognition.”
According to the exam body, Ejikeme actually scored 249 and not 362.
Reacting to the development, Cornel Osigwe, Head of Corporate Communications at Innoson Group, had said that the company was conducting an investigation to unravel the truth of the matter.
Osigwe had said that if the student was found guilty, Innoson Motors would withdraw the ₦3 million scholarships.
“We’re doing our independent investigation on the issue of manipulation, if we found that the girl in question willfully manipulated her result, we shall withdraw the scholarship, but if we observe she is innocent of the accusation, then the scholarship stands, whether she is the best or not,” Osigwe had said.
Osigwe had said, “It is strange to us because we did our independent verification and found out that Mmesoma Ejikeme actually scored 362, when we printed her result.”
He added that when Ejikeme made the claim that she had the highest score in the 2023 UTME, the company waited for JAMB to confirm it before awarding the scholarship, but the exam body failed to do so.
