Mitigating The Scourge Of Certificate Forgery

According to the German statesman and former minister of propaganda in Nazi Government, Paul Joseph Goebbels (29th October 1897 – 1st May 1945), “Repeat a lie 1,000 times and it becomes truth”.
This is because truth particularly is transcendental, truth is constant and consistent, while lies are ephemeral and temporary.
As a result, to tell lies and make lies resemble truth, the German statesman recommended to tell a lie a 1,000 times to give it a nature of truth.
Interestingly, an ancient Latinate maxim goes thus; “Lies have short life span.”
This means that no matter how one garnishes a lie to resemble truth, it will not last long.
The Bible in the book of proverbs chapter 12:19-28 captures the totality of reality by saying “Lies have short life span” and this is the warning to all liars.
Incidentally, certificate forgery, falsification of records and scandalous acts otherwise called in local palarice jubity, magomago, wuru-wuru cannot last long.
For instance, in recent times, Salihu Buhari claimed that he graduated from University of Toronto, Canada and won election into National Assembly wherein he, Salihu Buhari became the Speaker House of Representatives.
To be specific, in 1999 Salihu Buhari resigned over allegations of certificate forgery, and was later convicted of certificate forgery and as a result, he was sentenced to two years in prison with the option of fine.
Salihu Buhari chose to pay the option of fine and the government under president Obasanjo pardoned him and Ghali Na’Abba replaced him as Speaker of House of Representative.
The point must be made that certificate forgery is not limited to academic certificates or qualification alone.
One classic example is the case of Evans or Evan, which one should Nigerians take? Is it Evans or Evan Emerem?
The Late former Senate President Evans or Evan was impeached and subsequently removed on 18th November 1999.
Again, the case of former Minister of Finance Kemi Adeosun, involved in NYSC certificate scandal comes to mind.
Worse still is the case of the immediate past President Muhamadu Buhari or Muhamed Buhari in which it was ruled that Muhamadu or Muhamed is correct.
The case of certificate forgery involves adults, mothers and grandparents as cited above.
Adolescents are not free from the fraud and certificate forgery.
This is where the trending case of Miss Mmesoma Joy Ejikeme is instructive and didactic.
Ejikeme Mmesoma Joy claimed she scored 362 marks to become the highest scorer in the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board’s (JAMB’s) examination called Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for which JAMB said it was not true.
It is on record that Mmesoma Ejikeme and her parents argued that she their daughter remains a brilliant student who has been emerging victorious in her school, Anambra Girls School in Anambra State and in other external examinations and JAMB’s UTME is no difference.
She actually scored 249 marks which automatically earn her admission.
JAMB’s spokesman, Mr. Fabian Benjamin, claimed that Joy Mmesoma Ejikeme lied, falsified the result and slammed a 3year ban on the culprit.
Therefore, the Anambra state government set-up a panel to investigate Miss Mmessoma’s JAMB score controversy for which it was confirmed Miss Ejikeme falsified the result.
It is noteworthy that Miss Mmessoma Ejikeme confessed using her phone to falsify and change the JAMB result.
To this end, the Governor of Anambra, Professor Charles Soludo, recommended Psychological counselling. This is similar to demand number four (4) under #Endsars protest in 2020.
Better still JAMB has been vindicated with accurate electronic record of results and calls with her.
It is therefore instructive to draw some LESSONs from the JAMB (UTME) result controversy involving the Mmesoma Ejikeme.
The Join Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) must be commeneded for the display of integrity and proper keeping of records.
JAMB has therefore restored hope in Nigeria as well as Governor Charles Soludo, and former Chairman of Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Chadoka, former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesile must be commended for speaking out in defence of JAMB.
For instance, the former head of Federal Road Safety Commission, Chadoka, had charged Miss Mmesoma Ejikeme long before the conclusion of the certificate scandal to apologise for the crime.
Since the position of extant law on examination result attracts seven (7) years imprisonment without the option of fine; it means that 3-year ban by JAMB is fair enough.
Yes, psychological (evaluation) is the right step in the right direction.
It is pertinent to immediately reward or grant a cash award to Umeh Kamsiyochukwu Nkechiyere of Deeper Life Bible Church Secondary school Osun State, who truly scored the highest marks through scholarship.
Miss Mmesoma Ejikeme on the other hand must be cautioned for showing bad example as a growing child as, while the Anglican Church Girls Secondary School must be applauded for keeping high academic standard.
This is because Mmemsoma scored 249 marks in UTME, which would have earned her admission but for the inordinate ambition to claim the overall best student or highest score that brought her the national shame.
Observation shows that both the controversial Mmessoma and Nkechiyere Umeh Kamsiyuchukwu represent a shining example of the girl-child education because their JAMB scores are commendable despite the mistake made by Mmessoma.
In all, fake result and certificate forgery of any kind are criminal acts which must be condemned.
Truly, lies have short lifespan.
The time to act is now!

By: Baridorn Sika
Sika, a Public Affairs Analyst, writes from Port Harcourt.