Nigeria Academy of Letters (NAL) has thrown its weight behind the appointment of Prof. Is-haq Oloyede as Registrar/Chief Executive of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) describing it as “a highly merited appointment.”

A statement issued on Friday by the Spokesperson of JAMB, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, said the President of NAL, Prof. Olu Obafemi, made the commendation, when he led the NAL’s team, including the Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, to Oloyede’s office in the Bwari area of Abuja.

Obafemi described NAL as an intellectual organisation whose sole mandate is the promotion of research and scholarship at the highest level in all branches of humanities.

He said Oloyede is an active and dynamic member and a fellow of NAL.

“The appointment of Prof. Is-haq Oloyede is a highly merited one not because he is a former Vice Chancellor but because he has distinguished himself in Nigeria; it is a merited appointment considering his profile and pedigree,” Obafemi said, adding that the Academy’s visit was to assure Oloyede of their support and collaboration with a view to ensuring that he excels in his new appointment.”

He said that “Oloyede is an extremely gifted intellectually and he is also very hardworking and he would perform in whatever capacity he is appointed to work.”

Similarly, the NUC Executive Secretary Prof. Abubakar Ahmed Rasheed reiterated the determination of the commission and JAMB to further strengthen their ties to improve the quality of intakes in the Nigerian tertiary institutions.

He said: “We have agreed to work together to resolve the problems that are affecting the smooth running of admissions into tertiary institutions. We are working for a common goal and that is to improve the education sector in Nigeria.”

Rasheed congratulated Oloyede and the well deserved appointment describing him as a great man and a man of peace.

Earlier, Oloyede called on NAL to support JAMB with a view to realising the dreams of the founding fathers and delivering on her mandate.

He appealed for Nigeria support for the Board saying the Board needs the critical support to deliver credible services rather than castigating JAMB.

“We are poised to give our best sincerely and as firmly as possible. We want to improve the quality and standard of tertiary education but we cannot achieve that without your support. I solicit your support in this regard,” he stated.

•Photo shows JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede.

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