Innoson Vehicles has withdrawn the scholarship awarded to
Joy Mmesoma Ejikeme after the Anambra committee of inquiry revealed that her
Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) result was forged.
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 Vehicles, said the company made the
“difficult decision” to withdraw the scholarship “in response to the confirmed
findings”.
“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,” the company said.
“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, Dr. 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 program.
“In line with these
principles and in 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 said it remains steadfast in its mission to
“support deserving students” and invest in the country’s education sector.
The company had earlier said it would withdraw the
scholarship if Mmesoma is found to have manipulated her result — “but if we
observe she is innocent of the accusation, then the scholarship stands, whether
she is the best or not”.
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