By Gabriella Ogbu
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has verified that Ms. Tiamiyu Ayisat Morenikeji, who faced a request to remove her hijab at the Bafuto Institute in Ejigbo, Lagos, was eventually allowed to sit for the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Dr. Fabian Benjamin, spokesperson for JAMB, stated in a release on Wednesday in Abuja that she did not miss her scheduled exam time and is not entitled to any form of compensation, contrary to circulating rumors.
The statement aims to counter false assertions in certain quarters suggesting that she was only permitted to enter the exam venue after a thirty-minute delay, with some even alleging that she demanded remuneration. Benjamin denounced these claims as baseless and intended to incite further discord in a resolved issue.
According to Benjamin, an extensive inquiry into the matter revealed that the candidate’s test schedule remained unaffected. The supervisor of the exam center, an Islamic studies lecturer at a university and a prolific writer on hijab issues, corroborated this account. The supervisor clarified, “At 6:20 am, as we were about to commence biometric verification, I noticed some female candidates removing their hijabs. Upon inquiry, I was informed that they were instructed to do so by a center official. Upon alerting the official who issued the erroneous directive, I promptly approached the affected candidates, instructed them to don their headscarves, and proceed with their screening. She was subsequently duly vetted, allowed entry wearing her hijab, and proceeded to take the exam.”
The statement emphasized the examination’s reflection of a candidate’s performance, particularly when no rights or privileges were denied. The incident occurred during the allotted time for biometric verification for a specific session, and the brief disruption had no impact on the candidate’s schedule or access to the examination hall. Benjamin underscored that the candidate was among the first to undergo screening, according to records.
JAMB asserted its commitment to impartiality and adherence to statutory duties, urging stakeholders to exercise restraint in their demands. The Board stressed its track record of resolving similar issues satisfactorily and reiterated its dedication to upholding candidates’ rights, regardless of religious, social, or ethnic background.
