Denies allegation of ethnic discrimination

The management of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, has denied allegations of abandonment of merit and a deliberate effort to sideline Yoruba students in the admission process for the 2025/2026 academic session.

In a statement yesterday, the university’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Abiodun Olarewaju, while debunking the allegations made by Akin Okunowo, a self-acclaimed National Leader of Anti-Cult Activities in Nigeria, clarified that the university’s admission, renowned for its enduring reputation rooted in intellectual rigour, academic distinction and the pursuit of excellence, is conducted based on candidates’ performance, the number of available spaces, programme-specific requirements and the applicable admission criteria.

He stated that the criteria are within the framework of national policies, regulatory requirements and admission guidelines established by the Federal Government and the relevant statutory authorities responsible for university education in Nigeria.

He said: “The Federal Government’s admission framework incorporates considerations of merit, geographical representation and the need to promote educational access and national integration. These considerations are reflected in the admission policies applicable to federal tertiary institutions, including the principles underpinning catchment areas and the policy for educationally disadvantaged states, as applicable under the relevant guidelines.”

Olarewaju emphasised that this policy framework is intended to balance academic merit with broader national objectives, just as the Federal Character principle seeks to promote equitable representation in appointment and recruitment into federal institutions and agencies.

The objective, according to him, is not to undermine academic excellence or punish any Nigerian on account of his or her state of origin; rather, it is to pursue fairness and inclusiveness within a diverse federation while preserving the academic standards expected of reputable institutions like ours.

The PRO, while reacting to the allegation of admitting candidates with lower scores in law and accounting programmes, said that such insinuations lacked factual evidence.

“Where a candidate or parent believes that an admission decision was inconsistent with the approved guidelines, the appropriate course of action is to submit a formal complaint through the university’s established channels for verification and review.

“Such a complaint should identify the relevant programme, admission session, candidate’s credentials, applicable admission category and the specific grounds on which the decision is being challenged.

“As one of the best universities in Africa, OAU has nothing to gain from denying admission to qualified candidates arbitrarily, or has any institutional interest in discriminating against Nigerians on ethnic grounds. In fact, its responsibility is to implement the applicable admission framework fairly while maintaining the standards and integrity of its academic programmes,” he said.

He, therefore, gave the assurance that the university would address those concerns properly in accordance with its established procedures and applicable regulations.

Olarewaju, while noting that admission into highly competitive programmes can generate disappointment, particularly among parents and candidates whose expectations are not met, said that such disappointment should not be converted into sweeping allegations of corruption, ethnic conspiracy, deliberate educational sabotage or the destruction of the university’s academic standards without compelling evidence.