Sunday, July 4, 2010

Admission Fraudster meets waterloo

Since the beginning of the session, rumours had being going round OAU about admission fraud. Many thought it unnecessary to investigate as most thought it impossible in OAU. AFOLABI ONI a 400 level student of Education English investigated and reports the story.
On one Sunday after church service, a friend of mine, a graduate of Mathematics who also teaches reported a case of one of his students that had been unfortunate not to have written his test because he wasn’t duly registered, and evidently paid into the wrong hands as the Centre for Distance Learning has not certified him as a student because his name wasn’t on net and was neither in the list of those to write the test. Several other reports had being forwarded to the security committee of the students, union. The Security committee aided by the duped students’ reports progressed into action.
Several names of suspected persons started to emanate among which was Mr. Gbenga Agboola who claimed to be a graduate if International Relation department of OAU in 2004 and the arrest was made.
Campuslife man asked the Chairman of the Security Committee of the Students’ Union, Mr. Hackson Ovitafu, a 400level student of Sociology and Anthropology, how the arrest was made and he said, ‘We have being on this case for over two months as many students have brought reports. We went to his house severally and met his absence on several occasions. We apprehended his wife and little baby for 24 hours (giving them assess to food and drink) thinking that Mr. Gbenga will show up but he didn’t and we let go of the wife and the little child. On the day of matriculation we were in his house unexpectedly and he wasn’t around but we met two students in matriculation gown waiting for him and the also were his victims who he had deceived. Few days later, we were fortunate to have his picture and we informed the Landlord association who were also of help and we were directed to his fathers’ house. When we got there he was signing an undertaking for someone and was about leaving. Others like Alabisma, Dr. Sam, Waro and Murphy are some of those he confessed to be in this with him and we also have information about them.’
Mr. Gbenga Agboola confessed to have collected the money from the students that reported to the students union. He promised the nine students he collected a total of 1,135, 600 naira from admission. While Atolagbe Temitope paid 112,300naira, Adedeji Babatunde paid 100, 000 naira, Tifase Monisola paid a total of 120, 000 naira, Hope Godwin paid 150, 000naira, Ayodeji Ogunleye paid 59, 000naira, Gift Lucky paid 195,000, Adigun Rashidat paid 132,000 naira, Aham Okehie paid 150, 000 and Adedeji Ayodele paid 117,300naira. Speaking with Mr. Agboola, campuslife man gathered, ‘I did collect the money, they are nine students for now. I know others that are involved in this kind of business. One of us is Alabisma, whose office is opposite Ade Sunny Kelly close to Lagere. We are not an association but we are in this together. I issued Identity cards for my students which I made on my own and using the original as sample. Other admission documents including admission letters were also falsified by me. My business is to sell scratch cards for external exams like WAEC, NECO, JAMB and so one and when people fail they come to me for help.’
Speaking with Campuslife one of the students that were fiddled, Atologbe Temitope, told campuslife that, ‘I scored three marks short of the cut off mark and I was introduced to Mr. Agoola who claimed to be a lecturer and he collected a sum of 137,300 naira from me.’
Adedeji Babalola a victim recounted to campuslife that, ‘Mr. Gbenga Agboola collected 50, 000 naira from me in order to advance the JAMB result of Adedeji Ronke my daughter who score 57 marks in the Pre-degree programme last session, and scored 196 in her JAMB and we were told that the requirement for admission after pre degree programme is 200 in Jamb at least. He also collected another some of 100, 000 naira and did nothing and Ronke wasn’t admitted.’
‘I gave Mr. Gbenga and Mr. Darlinton money for admission. Mr. Darlinton came to Lagos to collect 15,000naira cash from me and I sent 30,000 naira to to Mr. Gbenga’s bank account. They promised me admission into University of Ade-Ekiti which didn’t materialize. I did OAU’s post ume and didn’t above the cut off mark, and then 35,000niara to help me increase my post ume scores and he didn’t because he said he need another 15,000naira. He later requested for 10, 000 naira for NECO registration because he said my results were not good for admission and 25,000 naira for accommodation. All these amounts to the sum total of 120,000naira and nothing is done.’ This was the dirge of Tifase Monisola another butt of Mr. Agboola.
Speaking with the Public Relation Officer of Obafemi Awolowo University, Mr. Abiodun Olanrewaju, he said to campuslife man, ‘We have heard the rumours too, but we haven’t gotten any report from any victim. We are investigating the matter and a report will give us headway. The reason admission frauds persist year in year is because people do not report. If you know any of them tell them to report.’
Mr. Agboola when asked by campuslife man if any member of the university management is part of his dealing said, ‘No, I don’t have any connection in senate building or Centre for Distance Learning organizers of the Pre-degree programme, although I tell my clients that I am a special adviser to the vice chancellor or that I work in exams and record among others. All these I say in order to facilitate payment from my clients.’
A student of the Department of Educational technology, Abimbola Michael, 300 level responding to the situation said, ‘Admission fraud is something that is common in other universities but not pronounced in OAU. This is a wake up call to all prospective students that you don’t pay your way through to OAU. The bulk of the blame should be passed to the students who score below merit and yet want to be admitted. Our prospective students should be asked to buckle down and work harder especially now that post ume is just two days away. They should be told, that no matter how much they have, if they score 199, they obviously will not be admitted. Should they fall below the cut off mark; they should just wait for the following year in order not to end up in the hands of the likes of Mr. Agboola the charlatan.’
The Students’ Union President Paul Alaje a 400 level student of Economics told Campuslife that, ‘For me I will blame five persons, first is the parent of the students and they should share the largest portion of the blame because some of our parent behave like desperadoes, they want their children to get admission at all cost all because they want to boost that their children are in university. The second is the children themselves who know the normal rout but they want to cut corners. Third is the management of the university who has left loopholes in their system for these miscreants to break through. Fourthly is the government the day that has made admission to be relatively scare such that the gap between the candidates seeking admission and the space available in universities is at a deficit are to blame for under funding education. Lastly are these miscreants who perpetuated the evil by stealing a whole lot of money from the desperate students. They are criminals and they are not welcome in Ife.’
Afolabi Oni OAU Campuslife The Nation correspondent 08036126690
I will be most grateful if this can be published this week in order to serve as an advise to prospective students writing their post ume this Saturday. We do paste the photocopy run campus for all to read.