Over 200 ‘born -again’ Christians return our certificates every year –WAEC

                                  

Source: Punch

The return of certificates of the West African Examination Council by individuals who have found Jesus, known as ‘born-again’ Christians, is common in the offices of the examination body.

A report in a national daily last week Saturday had stated that 15 individuals, who cheated when they sat for the examination in different years, recently approached WAEC as restitution to return their certificates.

Saturday PUNCH visited the headquarters of WAEC on Tuesday and learnt that not only is restitution that involves the return of WAEC certificates by born-again Christians common, the body has files for such requests as it is almost a routine exercise.

In a report presented before the 56th meeting of the Nigeria Examination Council in Lagos in November 2013, WAEC reported 256 cases of restitution for certificate cancellation approval by the council.

Deputy Director, Public Affairs, WAEC, Mr. Yusuf Ari, said the 256 cases were just the ones the examination body got between April and November 2013.

He said, “The NEC, which is the highest policy making body of WAEC, which deliberates on everything that has to do with examination, meets twice in a year – April and November.

“We report cases of restitution at every meeting of the NEC. The 256 we reported at the 56th meeting in November is the number of restitution cases we got since the last meeting in April. So you can imagine how many cases we get every year.

“It is a routine matter here. It is very common to get requests from such born-again Christians, who are usually from a particular pentecostal church I won’t like to name. The individuals come to our office or write letters. Some of those who come even start crying. They say they cheated and they have decided to return their certificates because they are now born-again.”

But our correspondent learnt through another source at WAEC that most of such born again Christians come from Deeper Life.

It was also confirmed through some of the letters written by individuals who requested to return their certificates, and shown to our correspondent at the WAEC headquarters, Yaba.

However, it is not only those who have dubiously passed the examination and acquired certificates that approach WAEC for restitution. Born-again Christians who in the past have impersonated the actual candidates and helped others to sit for their exam, also seek restitution.

Our correspondent sighted one of such letters written by a student of the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies of the University of Port Harcourt in 2000. In the emotion-laden letter by the individual, whose name WAEC did not want published in order not to violate his privacy, he explained that he had been a bad boy who had impersonated other people in examinations.

The letter reads in part, “I am a Deeper Life member who is now a born-again Christian. I have done terrible things by impersonating other people by helping them to write their examinations.

“The Bible requires us to seek restitution and that is why I am approaching you to seek forgiveness. I am aware now that what I did was wrong and plead that you forgive me. I am on my knees and I hope my request will be granted.”

This correspondent caught a glimpse of a note scribbled on the edge of the letter by an official who treated the strange request.

“He must provide the names and examination numbers of candidates involved and the years of the examination before he can be pardoned,” the note stated.

But that was the last WAEC heard of that UNIPORT student, as Saturday PUNCH would later learn.

An official said he never came back after he was given that directive.