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Court Fines OAU, Orders Correction of Graduate’s Result

The Federal High Court in Osogbo has ordered Obafemi Awolowo University to restore the degree classification of Physiotherapy graduate Shekoni Jemima Oluwagbemisola, ruling that the school illegally altered her result, The Guardian reports.  

Justice Adefunmilola Demi-Ajayi held on Monday that OAU breached the student’s fundamental rights by changing her grade from “Pass with Credit” to “Pass” without lawful basis.  

The court awarded Oluwagbemisola N5 million in damages and N800,000 for legal costs.  

Oluwagbemisola, who earned a Bachelor of Medical Rehabilitation in 2023, filed suit FHC/OS/CS/107/2025 after OAU modified her academic record.  

Through counsel Princewill Okoroafor of P. O. Okoroafor & Co, she showed that OAU’s Statement of Result dated November 23, 2023, and its 47th Convocation brochure in December 2023 both confirmed her grade as “Pass with Credit.”  

The dispute arose when she applied for her original certificate and found the classification changed to “Pass.” Internal efforts to fix it failed, leading to the lawsuit. according to The Guardian.  

Justice Demi-Ajayi described OAU’s conduct as “arbitrary and reckless,” noting the university ignored due process and failed to publish her final year results or investigate the alleged error before altering the grade.  

“Having found that the university breached, violated and infringed on the fundamental rights of the applicant by unlawfully and illegally changing her grade from ‘Pass with Credit’ to ‘Pass’, the court holds that the illegal and unlawful action of the defendant must have caused the applicant great inconvenience and hardship,” the judge said.  

Citing Okafor & Anor v AIG Police Zone II Onikan & Ors (2019), the court said OAU’s disregard for law warranted exemplary damages.  

OAU was ordered to issue Oluwagbemisola an original degree certificate reflecting “Pass with Credit,” consistent with its prior records and the Senate’s November 20, 2023 approval.  

The court found the downgrade disrupted her postgraduate plans and caused emotional and psychological stress, noting her evidence on the impact was unchallenged.  All reliefs sought were granted.

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