Anambra State Commissioner for Education, Professor Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, said she has adopted as her daughter, Miss Mmesoma Ejikeme, the embattled 19-year-old girl who forged her 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) result to emerge the highest. The commissioner made the announcement while speaking with journalists shortly after receiving the ‘African Jewel of Human Capital and Educational Excellence’ award, presented to her by the chairman, Editorial Board of the FREENEWS Magazine, Published by Obev Industries Limited, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Mr Obinna Evaristus Mbonu, in her office in Awka, on Friday.
She said she had adopted Mmesoma to help her actualise her dreams in life.
Mmesoma, a student of Anglican Girls Secondary School, Nnewi, some few months ago, made the headlines after the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) called her out for manipulating her UTME score from 249 to 362, thereby falsely parading herself as UTME top scorer for 2023.
Before admitting the forgery, Mmesoma had engaged JAMB in accusation and counter-accusation, with the examination body slamming a three-year ban on her.
Speaking further, Professor Chuma-udeh revealed that she adopted Mmesoma to see her through school.
“She is not the first I am adopting. Even as a lecturer, I have been adopting children and trained them through school.
“Mmesoma is doing very well. She is still undergoing a psychotherapy class with the state appointed psychotherapist.
“Mmesoma is a human being, the reason we cannot just push her away like that. We are not going to let her down. Although, we are still pleading with JAMB to reconsider her.
“Governor Chukwuma Soludo is passionate about every citizen in Anambra State. So, we will train her,” she stated.
The commissioner thanked the organisers of the award for recognising her contributions to the education sector, noting that the honour will spur her to do more for her people.
Earlier, in his presentation, the chairman of the FREENEWS Magazine editorial board, Mr Mbonu, had said the award was in recognition of the commissioner’s ability in driving the vision and mission of the state governor, Professor Chukuma Charles Soludo, in the education sub-sector to a greater height.
