Alausa, Obaji lead tributes as Oloyede bows out after decade of reforms at JAMB
The education community on Friday celebrated Is-haq Oloyede as he formally ended his 10-year tenure as registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), with senior government officials and education stakeholders describing his stewardship as transformational.
The reception, held at the Abuja Continental Hotel shortly after Oloyede handed over to his successor, Segun Aina, attracted top government officials, heads of tertiary institutions, lawmakers, education administrators, JAMB staff, family members and friends.
Among those in attendance were Tunji Alausa, minister of education; Suwaiba Ahmad, minister of state for education; Chinwe Obaji, former minister of education; Sonny Echono, executive secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund); and Wahab Egbewole, vice-chancellor of the University of Ilorin.
Leading the tributes, Alausa described Oloyede’s tenure as “nothing short of transformational”, saying his leadership repositioned JAMB into one of Nigeria’s most respected public institutions through accountability, transparency, innovation and efficient service delivery.
“It is with profound admiration and deep appreciation that I pay tribute to Professor Is-haq Olanrewaju Oloyede as he concludes his distinguished tenure as registrar of JAMB,” the minister said.
Alausa said working closely with Oloyede gave him firsthand insight into the former registrar’s commitment to excellence, integrity, courage and visionary leadership.
He noted that Oloyede strengthened the credibility of Nigeria’s tertiary admissions process and restored public confidence in JAMB through reforms anchored on transparency, accountability and technology.
The minister also commended Oloyede’s financial management, describing him as a model of integrity whose insistence on due process transformed JAMB into a benchmark for 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,” Alausa said.
Suwaiba Said Ahmad, minister of state for education, said Oloyede’s administration would be remembered as a defining era in Nigeria’s tertiary admissions system.
She described him as an exceptional administrator, distinguished scholar and exemplary public servant whose leadership was marked by integrity, innovation, discipline and an unwavering commitment to excellence.
According to her, Oloyede’s strategic deployment of technology improved transparency, curtailed examination malpractice, strengthened service delivery and enhanced the credibility of JAMB.
“Under his visionary leadership, JAMB emerged as one of the most credible and technologically driven examination bodies in Africa,” she said.
Also paying tribute, Chinwe Obaji, former minister of education, described Oloyede as a transformational leader whose courage and character redefined public administration.
She said the former registrar restored public confidence in JAMB and transformed the board into a globally respected institution driven by technology, transparency and institutional reforms.
Wahab Egbewole, vice-chancellor of the University of Ilorin, 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 institution, saying he transformed the university through infrastructure development, human capital investment and institutional reforms before replicating the same reformist agenda at JAMB.
According to Egbewole, Oloyede restored integrity to the admissions process, strengthened public confidence and demonstrated that honesty and patriotism remain effective tools for public service.
Speakers at the event unanimously agreed that Oloyede leaves behind a stronger, more credible and technologically advanced JAMB than the one he inherited in 2016.
Many also highlighted his record in financial accountability. While previous administrations reportedly remitted about N50 million to the federal government over nearly four decades, Oloyede returned more than N7 billion in a single year and over N50 billion during his decade-long stewardship.
His reforms also reshaped Nigeria’s tertiary admissions system by deepening the use of technology, strengthening transparency and improving public confidence in the conduct of examinations and admissions.
