A Federal High Court in Osogbo has ordered Obafemi Awolowo University to reissue the degree certificate of a Physiotherapy graduate after finding that the Institution unlawfully downgraded her result without justification, and awarded her N5 million in damages.

Justice Adefunmilola Demi Ajayi, who delivered the verdict, held that OAU breached the fundamental rights of Shekoni Jemima Oluwagbemisola, a 2023 Bachelor of Medical Rehabilitation graduate, by changing her classification from "Pass with Credit" to "Pass" without lawful basis.

The court also awarded N800,000 as the cost of the suit filed under Suit No. FHC/OS/CS/107/2025.

Court documents revealed that OAU had initially confirmed Oluwagbemisola's academic standing as "Pass with Credit" in a Statement of Result dated November 23, 2023. The classification was further affirmed publicly during the institution's 47th Convocation in December 2023, where she appeared in the official convocation brochure with the same grade.

The matter escalated when she applied for her original certificate and discovered the University had revised her classification to "Pass." Internal attempts to resolve the discrepancy failed, prompting her to seek judicial intervention through her counsel, Princewill Okoroafor of P. O. Okoroafor and Co.

Justice Demi Ajayi described the University's conduct as "arbitrary and reckless," finding that OAU failed to publish the plaintiff's final year results and neglected to properly investigate the alleged error before altering her 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 there is no doubt that the illegal and unlawful action of the defendant must have caused the applicant great inconvenience and hardship," the judge held.

The court noted that Oluwagbemisola had already used her earlier result for postgraduate applications, and that a reasonable person would conclude she suffered emotional and psychological stress from the university's actions.

Justice Demi Ajayi granted all reliefs sought, directing OAU to issue a corrected certificate consistent with its Senate decision of November 20, 2023, which had approved her original result.