By BONIFACE AKARAH

Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, has rejected allegations of ethnic discrimination, marginalisation and abandonment of merit in its admission process for the 2025/2026 academic session, insisting that its decisions are guided by applicable Federal Government admission policies.

The University’s Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olarewaju, stated this in a press release issued and signed by him in response to an open petition circulating in the public domain, authored by Akin Okunowo, who describes himself as a national leader of anti-cult activities in Nigeria.

The petition reportedly accused the university of deliberately favouring some candidates over others on ethnic grounds, prompting the institution to explain the national admission framework under which it operates.

Explaining the policy, Olarewaju said the Federal Government’s admission framework takes into account merit, geographical representation and educational access as part of efforts to promote national integration.

He stated:

“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.”

The university spokesman said the policy was designed to balance academic merit with broader national objectives, rather than undermine excellence or discriminate against candidates on the basis of their state of origin.

“The objective, according to Olarewaju, 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 a reputable institutions like ours,” the statement said.

He stressed that OAU was bound by the laws and policies governing federal universities and could not independently disregard the national admission framework.

“It must be noted that OAU does not exist outside the laws and policies governing federal universities. As an institution under the supervision of the Federal Government, the University is obligated to operate in accordance with applicable national admission guidelines and the directives of the relevant regulatory authorities,” Olarewaju stated.

He added that petitions seeking a fundamental review or abolition of the Federal Government’s admission policy should be directed to the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), as appropriate.

University rejects ethnic discrimination claims

The institution described as unfounded any suggestion that its admission process was driven by ethnic hostility, a secret agenda against Yoruba students or a deliberate attempt to compromise academic standards.

It maintained that OAU remained a national institution open to qualified candidates from all parts of the country, with a reputation built on intellectual rigour and academic distinction.

The university explained that admission into competitive programmes depended on several factors, including candidates’ performance, available spaces, programme-specific requirements and the applicable admission criteria.

It cautioned against drawing conclusions from comparisons involving individual candidates without considering the complete admission records, approved admission categories and relevant regulations.

The institution also argued that differences in admission thresholds under an authorised framework should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of ethnic discrimination.

OAU addresses Law, Accounting admission complaints

On allegations concerning admission into Law and Accounting, the university said the petition cited cases in which candidates with lower scores were allegedly admitted while others with higher scores were denied places.

However, Olarewaju said individual admission decisions could not be properly assessed using selected figures without access to the complete official records and relevant regulatory context.

He advised candidates and parents who believed that admission decisions were inconsistent with approved guidelines to submit formal complaints through the university’s established channels.

Such complaints, he said, should include the relevant programme, admission session, candidate’s credentials, admission category and specific grounds for challenging the decision.

The university assured that properly submitted complaints would be addressed in line with its procedures and applicable regulations.

It further maintained that it had no institutional interest in arbitrarily denying qualified candidates admission or discriminating against Nigerians on ethnic grounds.

Calls for constructive engagement

OAU acknowledged that admission into highly competitive programmes could lead to disappointment among candidates and parents whose expectations were not met.

However, it warned against turning dissatisfaction with admission outcomes into sweeping allegations of corruption, ethnic conspiracy or deliberate educational sabotage without compelling evidence.

The university said public debate about admission policies was legitimate but should be based on verified information, applicable regulations and a clear understanding of the responsibilities of the institutions involved.

It urged the petition’s author to direct concerns about the underlying Federal Government policy to the appropriate federal authorities, while complaints about the university’s implementation of the policy should be submitted through its established channels.

Reaffirming its commitment to academic excellence, fairness and accountability, OAU said its reputation as Great Ife was built over decades through the contributions of its founding fathers, successive administrations, staff, students and alumni.

The university concluded that its legacy should not be reduced to a single admission controversy, insisting that it remained committed to learning, research, innovation and national development.