TheCable

Dibu Ojerinde, former registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), says he never had a problem with Adamu Adamu, minister of education, and his removal was not due to any disagreement.

Appreciating Nigerians for their support during his tenure, Ojerinde said he believes that it was God’s timing for him to leave.

“I have always believed in God’s timing. I had prepared my mind that anything could happen and I can say that this development did not meet me unexpectedly,” he said at a thanksgiving service held at the First Baptist Church, Igboho, Oyo state.

“Even when I met with the minister, whom I respect as a good Muslim, and he said he would have loved that I finished my term, I told him that it was God’s time and that God’s time is always the best.

“I am grateful to him and to President Muhammadu Buhari as well as his predecessors in office, Chief Obasanjo and Dr Jonathan. In fact, I am grateful to all Nigerians for giving me the platforms to serve my country in the last 25 years.”

He maintained that he knew about his removal several hours before the announcement, and, in fact, sent a text to the minister on the same day to appreciate him, before visiting him in his office the following day.

Ojerinde said the minister had told him that his door remained open to him, and that he wished Ojerinde had completed his term, which was still to run for another eight months.

He stated that the removal did not shock him, as he had prepared his mind on any eventuality long before his removal.

The professor of Test and Measurement and pioneer registrar/CEO of the National Examination Council (NECO) was first appointed director of monitoring, National Primary Education Commission in 1990.

He had since served in several capacities in the education sector, including the National Board for Education Measurement, Minna, which later became NECO, as registrar/CEO.

He served JAMB for nine years.