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An unequalled trail blazer, bar raiser. That’s who he is. That’s exactly what he did. Throughout his eventful 10-year tenure, he daily strived to be different. Unique with an unmatched excellence. Hardly seen in Nigeria’s public service.
He demonstrated aptly that nothing is undoable or unachievable. Particularly as a public servant. It’s a matter of resolve and determination. What a positive thought-process. It accompanied him to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). And the same mindset that drove his tenure throughout.
Professor Ishaq Olarewaju Oloyede is JAMB’s out-going Registrar. Never get it wrong. Never dub him a super-human. No. Neither does he ever claim to be a tin-god. He doesn’t lay claim to either. This, perhaps, will shock you. He internally detests hero-worship like a pandemic. Unarguably, he has his short-falls and misses. But he won’t submit to frivolities and inanities.
You can easily spot perfectionist’s elements in him. They show glaringly in his body language, actions and inactions. You dare not deny him those top-notch attributes. And quality testimonies of these abound. They are all over. Trending on our various spaces, windows, doors, et al.
He holds sway firmly at JAMB. He shies away not from responsibilities. He is in love with challenges. They bother him not. In fact, they spur and energise him. He engages them in their stride. And he does it seamlessly.
He has uncanny knack for quality service. Not yesterday, not today. That has been his mode of operation. His own way and ease of doing business. And from day one on August 9, 2016. He hit the ground hard and running. It’s a rare race of his life.
Oloyede is transparency personified, girded in distinction. And sublimity is his watchword. All of this wrapped up in pure simplicity. Stranger than fiction? Not at all. His outstanding works and deeds testify aptly. They shout it out loud and clear. And they are not extravagant about it. Neither are they noisy or lousy.
Whatever he chooses to do. He does it in measured moderation. Nothing ambiguous, nothing frivolous about it. He’s not given to trivialities. Those are cheap ways of life.
Immediately he assumed the mantle. Things began to fall into pleasant places for JAMB. He altered the trajectory for good reasons. It was a clear demonstration of his prudency. And his hidden financial discipline soon came to play. No place to hide.
Consider this landslide. It’s awesome and wholesome. He swelled the Federal Government coffers by a monumental N7.8billion remittance. Just in his first year. And as a start-up. It was a sign of the positive things to come.
A clear radical departure from the ugly past. From a meagre N50million he met on ground. Oloyode took it to a whopping N50 billion at the last count. A salient proof of his transformational skill. A re-engineered JAMB, a new Sheriff in town.
He stepped some miles further. He put effective measures in place. Aimed to control costs, prevent leakages and stop wastes outright. None of the measures failed.
They worked outstanding wonders for him and his team. The greatest beneficiaries of these wonders are in legion. Expectedly, they include but not limited to government, students, candidates, applicants, staff.
He proved evidently. That prudent financial management shouldn’t be a myth in public institutions. Neither is it a folk tale. But a serious business. And Oloyede took it so seriously. He couldn’t have done otherwise.
He has other firsts that defined and shaped his term. They are not in short supply and credited to his account accordingly. Sampler: The Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS).
It debatably tops the list. In fact, the height of transformation in admission system in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions. It became effective in 2017, barely a year into his tenure.
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CAPS dwells richly on fairness and transparency. It has over the years, brought down the perennial human interference in admission process. It ensures that admissions do adhere strictly to merit. And nothing more. Obliging institutions some reasonable level of autonomy. And that’s key to Nigeria’s university system.
It takes some stress off the JAMB candidates. A huge relief of some sort. A pleasing and friendly platform. It offers “lowly subscribed institutions” a rare opportunity. They have choices in sourcing for candidates. And on their own terms and at their convenience.
That’s not all. CAPS accedes candidates the luxury to track admission status. They can also make up their minds in a jiffy: Accept or reject such admissions. It is one huge marketplace of buying and selling. Demand and supply the natural rule of the game.
You hardly would want to fault Oloyede. Not his exploits, he leaves no stone unturned. He has zero tolerance for errors. He does not derive any delight from it. And he painstakingly guides against such.
He’s a lover of modernisation. And his consolidation of the Computer-Based Test (CBT) model attests. It perfectly fits this bill. It is his one big contribution you dare not ignore. It changed the narrative of examination malpractices for the best.
It brought out improved and greater efficiency. In the conduct of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Its teething challenges notwithstanding. It’s expected. Every new policy has its own. CBT is timely and expedient: “A necessary step toward aligning Nigeria’s assessment processes with global best practices.”
Oloyede is human and emotional. He would not hide it. Or feign it when it mattered most. He did just that last year. This report confirmed it graphically:
“In May 2025, Oloyede broke into tears while apologising for technical glitches that negatively impacted the results of many UTME candidates in the Lagos and South-East zones.
“The problem affected 379,997 candidates who sat for the exam in 65 centres in Lagos State and the five states of the South-Eastern states of the country.” He’s not a pretender. And that component is profound, strong in him. He cherishes it; holds it dearly.
Oloyede was born, 10 October 1954. He became Professor in 1995. Twelve years later in 2007, he was at the helm of affairs of his alma mater, University of Ilorin. He was elected its Vice Chancellor. He had a remarkable five-year tenure.
He left an enduring legacy: “The university became highly-ranked among the best in Africa and the most sought-after university in Nigeria.”
His leadership quality is amazing. And JAMB is a living testifier. Of course, a profitable carry-over from his many feats at University of Ilorin. He demonstrated how a public institution ought to be run and managed. His is all encompassing and holistic.
Oloyede was once Chairman, Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities and Committee of Vice-Chancellors; President, Association of African Universities (AAU); Co-Secretary, National Political Reform Conference (NPRC) and National Coordinator/Executive Secretary, National Inter–Religious Council (NIREC) in 2007.
Since 2013, he has been Secretary-General, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA). He held other positions at national and international levels. Added are honours and awards in varied categories, fields and endeavours.
Oloyede at JAMB: A trail blazer, a bar raiser. Such a distinctive and exceptional combination. You can’t buy it on just any shelf.
A tough stuff. Ishaq Olarewaju Oloyede is it! He bows out on July 31, 2026, in grace. When the ovation is loudest.
