Court Fines OAU N5m Over Graduate’s Degree Downgrade

A Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, has ordered Obafemi Awolowo University to correct the degree classification of a graduate, Shekoni Jemima Oluwagbemisola, after ruling that the institution unlawfully downgraded her result.

Delivering judgment, Justice Adefunmilola Demi-Ajayi held that the university violated the plaintiff’s fundamental rights by altering her grade from “Pass with Credit” to “Pass” without lawful justification.

The court awarded N5 million in damages against the university and an additional N800,000 as the cost of litigation.
Oluwagbemisola, a Physiotherapy graduate who obtained a Bachelor of Medical Rehabilitation (B.MR) in 2023, approached the court to challenge what she described as an arbitrary alteration of her academic record.

Court documents revealed that the university had initially issued her a statement of result on November 23, 2023, confirming her classification as “Pass with Credit.” The same classification was publicly announced during the institution’s 47th convocation ceremony in December 2023 and reflected in the official brochure.

The discrepancy, however, emerged when she applied for her original certificate and discovered that her classification had been downgraded to “Pass.”
After exhausting internal mechanisms without resolution, she sought legal redress.

In her ruling, Justice Demi-Ajayi described the university’s action as arbitrary, reckless, and a clear breach of due process. The court faulted the institution for failing to publish the plaintiff’s final year results and for not conducting a proper investigation before effecting the change.

The judge held that the unlawful alteration infringed on the plaintiff’s rights, caused significant hardship, and disrupted her academic and professional advancement.

The court subsequently ordered the university to issue a corrected certificate reflecting the original “Pass with Credit” classification, in line with its earlier records and Senate approval.

It further noted that the downgrade adversely affected the plaintiff’s postgraduate prospects and subjected her to emotional and psychological distress.

All reliefs sought by the plaintiff were granted, reinforcing the obligation of academic institutions to uphold transparency, accuracy, and due process in managing students’ academic records.

Reacting to the judgment, the institution Public Relations Officer, Mr Abiodun Olarewaju said the university will study the judgment and act accordingly.