The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has formally verified the Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) result of Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, providing fresh clarification amid renewed allegations questioning his academic credentials.
The confirmation follows weeks of revived claims and petitions alleging forgery, particularly concerning the minister’s secondary school certificate. The matter has remained in public focus since his appointment in 2023, with sustained scrutiny of his educational and service records.
Documents made available by the minister’s media office include a WAEC-issued Attestation of Results, confirming that Tunji-Ojo legitimately sat for the WASSCE in June 1999. The attestation is an official verification document used to validate or replace original certificates and contains standard security and identification features issued by the examination body.
The controversy surrounding Tunji-Ojo’s academic background regained momentum in December 2025 when the Centre for Leadership Legacy International (Centre LLI), a civil society organisation, submitted a petition to President Bola Tinubu. The group called for an investigation into “allegations surrounding the minister’s academic records,” with particular attention on the authenticity of his WAEC certificate. Although supporters of the minister dismissed the claims as politically motivated, the allegations continued to circulate across social media and in periodic public statements.
WAEC Confirms June 1999 Examination
According to the authenticated WAEC document, Tunji-Ojo attended Staff Secondary School, Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), where he sat for the Senior Secondary School Examination in June 1999. The attestation carries his full name, date of birth, an embossed passport photograph, the original certificate number, and official authentication markings designed to prevent forgery and enable verification.
The document shows that the minister sat for nine subjects: Economics, English Language, Yoruba Language, Further Mathematics, Mathematics, Agricultural Science, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. His grades include B3 in Economics, B2 in Mathematics, A1 in Agricultural Science, B3 in Biology, C6 in Chemistry, C6 in English Language, A1 in Yoruba Language, C6 in Further Mathematics, and B3 in Physics.
Also listed are the original WAEC certificate number, NGWASSCS 707650, a candidate identification number, and the official signatures of the registrar to council and the head of the national office. Institutional seals and the embossed photograph are visibly present on the document.
WAEC attestations are widely accepted as valid proof of examination results and are typically issued when original certificates are lost, damaged, or require official confirmation. Educational institutions, employers, and government agencies recognise such attestations as legitimate evidence of academic qualifications.
Context Of Heightened Scrutiny
Since he was appointed Minister of Interior by President Tinubu in 2023, Tunji-Ojo’s credentials have been subjected to intense public examination. The ministry oversees critical agencies responsible for internal security, migration, correctional services, and border control, making leadership integrity a subject of heightened interest.
Following his confirmation, academic records submitted during the Senate screening process became a topic of public discussion. While allegations relating to his WAEC certificate have resurfaced periodically, the most sustained controversy has focused on his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate.
The NYSC Certificate Controversy
In August 2023, questions were raised over the authenticity and issuance timeline of Tunji-Ojo’s NYSC certificate. The minister stated that he completed his service between November 2019 and November 2020. However, the certificate presented carried an issuance date of February 2023 and was reportedly signed by the NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Yushau Ahmed, in January of that year, prompting public concern.
In response, the NYSC issued an official statement confirming that the certificate was genuine. According to the scheme, Tunji-Ojo was initially mobilised in 2006 but absconded from service. The NYSC explained that he resurfaced in 2018, was remobilised in 2019, and served at the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) in Garki, Abuja.
The corps further stated that although his service year ended in 2020, his certificate was omitted during that year’s batch printing and was later issued in 2023. While the explanation was intended to resolve the controversy, it did not entirely silence critics.
Persistent Allegations And Claims Of Smear Campaigns
Despite official confirmations from both WAEC and the NYSC, some groups have continued to raise questions about Tunji-Ojo’s records, often pointing to perceived inconsistencies or administrative delays. Supporters argue that the repeated allegations amount to a coordinated smear campaign driven by political interests, citing multiple document authentications as proof that the claims lack merit.
Critics, however, maintain that public officials must be open to scrutiny and that petitions and inquiries, even when contentious, are essential to democratic accountability.
