INVESTIGATION: Panel Clears Okpata Ozua Oha 2025 Quiz Organizers of Result Manipulation

On July 14, 2025, a Facebook post by Boniface Ogboji, a teacher and school representative, sent shockwaves through academic circles in Ebonyi State. He accused the organizers of the 2025 Okpata Ozua Oha Arts and Sciences Quiz Competition in Ndufu Echara Zone of “manipulating and politicizing” the results to favour what he called “an unqualified school.”

The allegation, which quickly gained attention online and offline, questioned the integrity of a competition known for academic excellence and intellectual merit. But an independent committee of inquiry, formed within days to probe the claims, has now concluded its investigation, and its findings tell a markedly different story.

According to the final report obtained by ASIWAJU MEDIA, the committee found no evidence of manipulation. “After revisiting the answer scripts of the complainants,” the report stated, “we found out that the original grand total scores… were not manipulated by the organizers of the competition as alleged.”

The panel, chaired by Dr. Obisi Nweke, with Comrade Francis Nwoba as Secretary and Engr. Dr. Uche Ogah Stanley as member, conducted an open and detailed investigation involving all key stakeholders, including the complainant himself.

Ogboji’s allegations focused on the Ndufu Echara Zone, where six secondary schools participated. Among them was Glorious Hope College, which he represented. He claimed that deserving students from his school were denied recognition in favour of a particular school. But when the committee re-evaluated the scripts of the four students he referenced—Ukpai Johnson, Nkwuda Oluchi Goodness, Ukpai Chikamso, and Ukpai Collins—the results matched exactly with those originally recorded.

“We ensured that every step of the investigation adhered strictly to the marking scheme used during the competition,” said Dr. Nweke in the report. “There was no room for manipulation, and every concerned party witnessed the process.”

Interestingly, while Ogboji initially accused the organizers of awarding all top positions in the Urban Zone to one school unfairly, the panel acknowledged that while that may have appeared suspicious at face value, the results were firmly rooted in merit. “Our findings revealed that the participants who emerged winners did so on the ground of merit and outstanding performances,” the committee reported.

Faced with these facts, Ogboji withdrew his claims and expressed satisfaction with the integrity of the review process. “The chief complainant… unequivocally expressed optimum satisfaction towards the transparent processes involved in the investigation,” the report noted. It further revealed that Ogboji admitted his Facebook post was driven not by malice, but by frustration, as he could not find the proper channel to lodge his complaints. “His post was triggered by his inability to access the appropriate channel of laying his complaints to the academic team,” the report concluded.

The committee, while absolving the organizers of any wrongdoing, did not stop at clearing names. It offered concrete recommendations aimed at improving transparency and preventing similar controversies in the future. Among them is a proposal that students should be shown their results immediately after marking to eliminate doubt, and that formal complaint channels should be created to handle grievances.

But perhaps the most striking takeaway from the report is its affirmation of the integrity of the process. “We solemnly make bold to conclude,” the committee wrote, “that the first phase of the quiz competition at Ndufu Echara Zone and other zones in Ikwo Local Government Area was conducted without any political influence, fear or favour of any person or group of persons.”

For the C-SAGAS Charity Foundation, which organizes the quiz competition as part of its education and skills acquisition initiative, the report is both a vindication and a reminder of the importance of accountability. For Ogboji, the experience is a cautionary tale about the dangers of public accusations without first exhausting internal mechanisms. And for the students, many of whom had their integrity questioned without cause, it is a restoration of merit.

As Dr. Nweke remarked in the closing paragraph of the report, “C-SAGAS remains committed to transparency, merit, and open-door academic engagement. This incident has only reinforced the strength of our process—not its weakness.”

THE REPORT.

THE SUMMARY OF THE REPORT OF AN INDEPENDENT COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY CONSTITUTED TO INVESTIGATE THE ALLEGATION OF RESULTS MANIPULATION DURING THE OKPATA OZUA OHA 2025 ARTS AND SCIENCES ZONAL QUIZ COMPETITION.

Following the critical investigation of the manipulation allegation made by Mr. Boniface Ogboji on his Facebook page on 14th July, 2025 that, “the organizers of the Okpata Ozua Oha Arts and Sciences Quiz Competition (2025), NDUFU ECHARA ZONE, manipulated and politicized the results of the best students and awarded their best to unqualified school”, the committee made the following findings:

1. That total number of 337 students participated in the Okpata Ozua Oha 2025 Arts and Sciences Quiz Competition at the zonal level.

2. That the competition took place in the five (5) approved zones in Ikwo Local Government Area, and they include; Community Secondary School, Ndiagu Echara; Community Secondary School, Noyo; Community Secondary School, Abina; Community Secondary School, Ndufu Echara and Community Secondary, Ekawoke.

3. That the zonal quiz competition was headed by renowned academics, Assoc. Prof. Arthur Nwachukwu, Head of Education Services and Skills Acquisition Team, C-SAGAS Charity Foundation, and Engr. Dr. Friday Achibong, Secretary, Education Services and Skills Acquisition Team, C-SAGAS Charity Foundation.

4. That the chief complainant, Mr. Boniface Ogboji, and the Okpata Ozua Oha academic team were fully involved in the investigation processes.

5. That six schools, namely; Glorious Hope College, Staff Model Sec. Sch. Ikwo, CSS Ndufu Alike, Urban Community Sec. Sch. Ndufu-Echara Ikwo, Folk Technical College, and Ikwo High School, Agubia, formed the NDUFU ECHARA ZONE.

6. That among the above enlisted schools that participated in the quiz competition at the NDUFU ECHARA ZONE, only Glorious Hope College expressed dissatisfaction over the credibility of the results of the competition.

7. To justify the C-SAGAS Charity Foundation commitment to open policies and programmes, the investigation committee together with the examination team and the chief complainant, revisited the examination scripts of the students at NDUFU ECHARA ZONE, paying critical attention to Ukpai Johnson, Nkwuda Oluchi Goodness, Ukpai Chikamso and Ukpai Collins of Glorious Hope College, who expressed dissatisfaction with the results of the examination. This was done in line with the instructions and marking guide put in place to guide the examination.

8. That after revisiting the answer scripts of the complainants, we found out that the original grand total scores of 35, 27, 33 and 36 respectively were not manipulated by the organizers of the competition as alleged.

9. That the claim made by Mr. Boniface Ogboji, that all the best positions in the URBAN ZONE except one were awarded to one school, was not baseless as our findings revealed that the participants who emerged winners did so on the ground of merit and outstanding performances.

10. That the chief complainant, Mr. Boniface Ogboji, has unequivocally expressed optimum satisfaction towards the transparent processes involved in the investigation, and admitted openly that the first phase of the Okpata Ozua Oha Quiz Competition, 2025 was truly conducted without MANIPULATION and POLITICIZATION of any kind. And that his Facebook post against the peaceful conduct of the quiz competition was triggered by his inability to access the appropriate channel of laying his complaints to the academic team.

11. From the above findings, we, the independent investigation team of the Okpata Ozua Oha Quiz Competition (2025) solemnly make bold to conclude that the first phase of the quiz competition at NDUFU ECHARA ZONE and other zones in the Ikwo Local Government Area, was conducted without any political influence, fear or favour of any person or group of persons.

Recommendations:

Consequent upon the findings of the independent committee of the inquiry, the following recommendations were made:

1. The approach of marking and recording the students’ answer scripts at the venue of the examinations should be sustained for the benefits of doubt and clarity of purpose. Taking cognizance of the fact that C-SAGAS CHARITY FOUNDATION is purely transparent in its programmes and policies.

2. The supervisors/invigilators of the subsequent Okpata Ozua Oha quiz competitions should endeavour to show the participants their scores at the venue of the examination to avoid any prejudice of any kind in the future.

3. There will be an appropriate channel for participants of the subsequent quiz competitions to lodge their complaints when they feel cheated or dissatisfied with the examination process.

Thanks!

Dr. Obisi Nweke 

Chairman, Independent Committee of Inquiry, Okpata Ozua Oha Arts and Sciences Zonal Quiz Competition (2025).

Comr. Francis Nwoba (Pope)

Secretary, Independent Committee of Inquiry, Okpata Ozua Oha Arts and Sciences Zonal Quiz Competition (2025).

Engr. Dr. Uche Ogah Stanley

Member, Independent Committee of Inquiry, Okpata Ozua Oha Arts and Sciences Zonal Quiz Competition (2025).