JAMB Clears FUTA Graduate Bashola Owodunni, Over 4,000 Others Previously Flagged for Fake Admissions

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has finally cleared Bashola Jamiu Owodunni, a First-Class Civil Engineering graduate of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), previously accused of gaining illegal admission. Owodunni’s name is among over 4,000 students recently exonerated following a wave of public outcry and advocacy.

Owodunni, who graduated with a CGPA of 4.41, had his academic achievements thrown into uncertainty after JAMB invalidated his admission, labelling it “fake.”

This controversial move sparked widespread backlash on social media and drew intervention from human rights activists and education advocates.

According to JAMB spokesperson Fabian Benjamin, the Board has now resolved long-standing admission validation issues for more than 4,000 students across Nigeria, including Owodunni.

The decision allows the graduates to proceed with their National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) mobilisation.

The case gained traction after education reform advocate and Educare CEO, Alex Onyia, posted an update confirming the resolution. “The good news is that it has been resolved,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter), sharing that Owodunni can now join the upcoming NYSC batch.

The controversy began when JAMB flagged Owodunni’s admission as unapproved, despite his graduation with top honors. The Board claimed that although an admission letter had been issued, a post-review revealed FUTA had not properly processed or secured JAMB’s final approval for the placement.

Human rights campaigner and presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore also weighed in, confirming the resolution while criticizing both JAMB and university authorities for their role in the ordeal.

He alleged that systemic administrative lapses left thousands of students stranded after their academic journeys.

“Following our intervention with JAMB officials last week, we’re pleased that the cases of over 4,000 stranded graduates, including Bashola Owodunni, have been resolved,” — Omoyele Sowore

“JAMB and some universities must take responsibility for the crisis they created. These failures have inflicted psychological distress and denied thousands of students career opportunities,” — Sowore added

“We demand full compensation for affected graduates for the time lost, emotional trauma, and denied opportunities,” — Sowore, via X

While the resolution is a relief to thousands of Nigerian graduates, activists continue to push for full accountability and demand urgent attention to the cases of over 10,000 other students reportedly facing similar admission validation challenges.