Nigeria’s education community on Friday celebrated the immediate past Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, as he formally bowed out after 10 years in office, with stakeholders hailing his reforms that transformed the examination body into one of the country’s most transparent and accountable public institutions.
The reception, held at the Abuja Continental Hotel shortly after Oloyede handed over to his successor, Prof. Segun Aina, attracted top government officials, education administrators and other stakeholders.
Among those in attendance were the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa; Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad; former Minister of Education, Prof. Chinwe Obaji; Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Arc. Sonny Echono; Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Egbewole (SAN); members of the National Assembly, vice-chancellors, heads of tertiary institutions, JAMB management and staff, as well as family members and friends.
Leading the tributes, Alausa described Oloyede’s tenure as “nothing short of transformational,” saying his leadership repositioned JAMB through accountability, transparency, innovation and efficient service delivery
“It is with profound admiration and deep appreciation that I pay tribute to Professor Ishaq Olanrewaju Oloyede as he concludes his distinguished tenure as Registrar of JAMB,” the minister said.
He noted that Oloyede restored public confidence in Nigeria’s tertiary admissions system by implementing reforms anchored on transparency, accountability and technology.
According to Alausa, Oloyede’s prudent financial management and commitment to due process made JAMB a model of good governance.
“His tenure has demonstrated that public institutions can be efficient, transparent, technologically driven and citizen focused when led by individuals of character and conviction,” he added.
Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, described Oloyede as an exceptional administrator whose tenure marked a defining era in Nigeria’s tertiary admissions system.
She said his strategic deployment of technology strengthened transparency, reduced examination malpractice, improved service delivery and enhanced the credibility of the Board.
“Under his visionary leadership, JAMB emerged as one of the most credible and technologically driven examination bodies in Africa,” she said.
Former Minister of Education, Prof. Chinwe Obaji, also commended Oloyede’s leadership, describing him as a reformer who restored public trust in JAMB and transformed it into a globally respected institution driven by innovation and transparency.
Similarly, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Egbewole (SAN), described Oloyede as an uncommon Nigerian whose contributions to both the university and JAMB would remain enduring.
He recalled Oloyede’s achievements as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, saying he later replicated the same reform-driven leadership at JAMB by restoring integrity to the admissions process and strengthening public confidence in the institution.
Speakers at the event agreed that Oloyede leaves behind a stronger, more credible and technologically advanced JAMB than he inherited in 2016.
They also highlighted his record in financial accountability, noting that while previous administrations reportedly remitted about ₦50 million to the Federal Government over nearly four decades, Oloyede remitted more than ₦7 billion in a single year and over ₦50 billion during his 10 year tenure.
Beyond financial reforms, stakeholders said his administration fundamentally reshaped Nigeria’s admissions process through technology driven innovations, improved transparency and stronger institutional governance.
