Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters and prominent human rights activist, has stepped into the ongoing controversy involving Bashola Jamiu Owodunni, a Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) graduate who was recently denied mobilisation for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) due to claims by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) that his admission was not recognised.
Bashola, who reportedly sat for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in 2017 and gained admission into FUTA to study Civil Engineering, completed his programme in 2024 with a distinguished Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.41. However, his mobilisation for NYSC was halted when it was discovered that his name did not appear on JAMB’s Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), with the board declaring his admission invalid.
In a statement made available to the public, Sowore confirmed that he had contacted JAMB directly and received assurances that the issue is receiving attention.
“We have contacted JAMB and received assurance that Basola’s issue is being resolved and will be concluded soon,” Sowore stated. “The Vice Chancellor at FUTA is also aware of this development. Please inform Basola that the matter is being addressed and he should stay calm and safe. Thank you!”
The development brings a glimmer of hope to Bashola and many others who have followed the case closely, seeing it as emblematic of deeper systemic issues within Nigeria’s education system.
Sowore’s intervention is viewed by many as a powerful reminder of the importance of public accountability and institutional responsiveness, especially when the future of young Nigerians is at stake. His swift response to the matter underscores the growing role of civil society actors in holding educational bodies to account and ensuring justice for students caught in bureaucratic entanglements.
While the final resolution is still awaited, the assurance from JAMB and the involvement of FUTA’s leadership signal a possible end to what has been a distressing ordeal for Bashola.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.
