Graduate Threatens N100million Lawsuit After School Used Matric Number To Mobilise Another Student For Youth Service

Ogunbamowo Damilola, a graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, is set to sue the institution after discovering that her matriculation number was used to mobilise another student of the institution for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme.

In a petition obtained by SaharaReporters, the student, a graduate of the department of Mathematics Education from the institution's affiliate, Yaba College of Technology Satellite Campus, completed her course work in December 2018.

However, while her colleagues were mobilised for NYSC in 2019, she was not accorded similar treatment in spite of having no carry-overs at the time.

The petition initiated by the Yakubu Eleto chambers further stated that when she demanded to be sent for NYSC, the school authorities informed her that her Matric No; F/BS/14/3880001 was used by someone else for NYSC.

The chambers had since requested that the institution to immediately deploy its client for NYSC.

In the petition, the graduate also demanded the sum of N100million as damages, citing the negligent transfer of her Matric number to a third party to use for NYSC.

The petition signed by Yusuf Malik Bello, the Assistant Head of Chambers, was addressed to the registrar of the institution with the title, “A Demand For Immediate Mobilisation For National Youth Service Corp Of Ogunbamowo Damilola Abigail, A 2018 Graduate of Mathematics Education.”

It reads, “The above subject matter refers. We are the solicitors to Ogunbamowo Damilola Abigail, a 2017/2018 graduate of Mathematics Education with Matric No: F/BS/14/3880001 (hereinafter referred to as “our clients”) and on whose instructions we hereby write this letter of demand.

“Our clients briefed us as follows; That she was offered admission on a full-time basis as could be deduced from her admission letter into Mathematics Education with the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Yabatech Satellite Campus. The said course of study was completed in December 2018.

”It is our brief that our client successfully completed her course of study in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Yabatech Satellite Campus in flying colours and her name was cleared as not having any outstanding (Carryovers).

“It is our further brief that our client’s co-graduates of the same Academic Session from other Departments and the domicile department of the University of Nigeria Nsukka, Yabatech Satellite Campus were mobilized in 2019 for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) without according our client similar treatment.

“It is also our brief that when our client demanded to be sent to NYSC, the school authority rather came up with strange news by saying that our clients Matric No; F/BS/14/3880001 was used by someone else for NYSC.

“Regrettably, this development has left our client in a state of frustration, stagnation and dilemma, as she cannot gain employment in Nigeria without her NYSC discharge or exemption certificates (of which you are aware), after spending huge sums of money and wasting the vital years of her youthful life pursuing a career of her choice.

“TAKE NOTICE therefore that we have our client’s authority to demand and we hereby demand that you send our client to NYSC without further delay because she was offered admission on a full-time basis deserving of NYSC and on the representation that her Matric No; F/BS/14/3880001 can’t be shared with anyone which is the standard all over the world, we are now emphatically demanding the sum of N100,000,000.00 (Hundred Million Naira) as damages suffered by our client by negligently transferring her Matric No: to a third party to use for NYSC.

“This is an act deliberately orchestrated to frustrate our client’s four years of devoted study in YABATECH, the trauma of wasted years and fraud perpetuated on her. TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that should you fail and/or neglect to heed our demand within Seven (7) days of the receipt of this letter, we shall have no other option than to perfect our client's further instruction. Be properly guided.”

When SaharaReporters contacted the Dean of School of Technical Education, Yaba College of Technology, Olusola Akeredolu, he stated that the issue had nothing to do with the college but the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and the NYSC.

According to him, the college does not have the authority to communicate with the NYSC.

He said, “The issue is that somebody used her Matriculation number which is not in our jurisdiction. That person used it and NYSC was able to pick that person which is outside our own jurisdiction, we have been trying to follow it up to see if we can get the person.”

When SaharaReporters asked him if it was possible for a student to make use of another's matriculation number without the institution's consent, he replied, “It is outside the school's jurisdiction, when you're with NYSC, the college does not even have any affairs with that, once your result has been passed from here, we send it to Nsukka which is the Affiliate parent so they're the ones that will put it to NYSC so we don't have any jurisdiction. All we just try to do is monitor if our students are doing well.

“When matric numbers are used, it is within NYSC and them (UNN), they should be able to check that one. We are just trying to see that our students should not miss the NYSC, we are doing everything possible to see what can be done to rectify the issue so she can go for NYSC.”

On whether the student who used the matric number had bribed a member of staff, the Dean stated: “Go to NYSC, we are an affiliate body of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. When we compile results, Nsukka comes here to pick results and takes it over there and they're the ones who would relate with NYSC. Once the result has been approved by the senate of UNN, they send it to the NYSC.

“We have nothing to do with their mobilisation. But I know we have been working to make sure that we find a way by which she must go for NYSC as soon as possible.”

Also, the Faculty Officer of the Science Education faculty of the college, Odundayo Kolawole, said the lawyer of the student could take a further step.

“If there is any case of such, I think the best thing for the person to do is to write a letter to the management. If the faculty has gotten a letter from her lawyer, why is she going to the press? The lawyer should do the needful.

“If her lawyer has written to management, I think management will definitely give a response. There's no need making a mountain out of nothing. If the lawyer had written to management, definitely the management will reply, I don't think there is need escalating issues unnecessarily,” the officer said.