JAMB UTME - Use of English - 2025

Maelezo ya Majibu

The novel addresses several socio-economic realities, including the Japa trend, which describes the mass emigration of Nigerians seeking better opportunities abroad. It highlights the challenges faced by bureaucracies, particularly when obtaining essential travel documents. Additionally, it portrays the struggles of middle-class professionals, such as teachers who are often undervalued and underpaid, as well as doctors and other health workers who choose to leave the country for "greener pastures" due to a lack of opportunities at home.

However, while the declining state of Nigerian universities is a significant socio-economic issue, it is not one of the themes explored in this novel.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The sentence "Cinema, tonight?" he asked. "Maybe another time", she replied is a brief conversational exchange. The man poses an informal suggestion about going to the cinema that evening. The woman's reply, "maybe another time", is a polite, non-committal way of declining the specific invitation without firmly shutting the door on a future outing.

The key word is "maybe", which signals uncertainty rather than agreement or forceful refusal. She does not accept the invitation, so any option stating she agreed or accepted is wrong. Equally, she does not refuse vehemently; her tone is gentle and diplomatic, leaving open the possibility of another occasion.

The option that most accurately captures the exchange is the one stating he suggested taking her to a cinema tonight and she said probably another time. This mirrors both the casual nature of the suggestion and the soft, tentative quality of her decline.

Exam tip: In comprehension questions about dialogue, pay close attention to the tone and strength of the language used. Words like "maybe" and "perhaps" indicate hesitation or a soft refusal, not outright rejection or acceptance.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Stardom Schools managed to greatly reduce lateness by lowering its boarding fees from N250,000 to N165,000 per session. This incentive led over 80 percent of parents to move their children to the boarding house, resulting in almost all students arriving by 7:45am for assembly. This can be found on page 6 of the novel. 

Maelezo ya Majibu

During the prefect election speech at Stardom Schools, the conflict erupted because Banky insulted Tosh's father. This personal attack during what should have been a formal school event escalated tensions between the two students and led to a confrontation that disrupted the election process.

Banky's decision to target Tosh's father rather than focusing on his own qualifications for the prefect position reveals the depth of personal animosity among the students. The incident demonstrates how rivalries and personal grudges can spill over into public events, and it gives the school administration, particularly Bepo, a disciplinary situation to manage. The episode also highlights the responsibilities that come with leadership positions and the importance of maintaining respect and decorum during competitive processes, a lesson that resonates with the novel's broader themes of leadership and integrity.

Maelezo ya Majibu

This question asks about the reason behind Mr Bepo's emotional outburst during the drama club performance at his farewell celebration.

Mr Bepo yells "Noooo!" because the drama club's performance triggers powerful memories of his visit to the Heritage Slave Museum (the Black Heritage Museum). The performance likely depicts scenes related to slavery or the suffering of Africans, and these images bring back the deep emotional impact of what Mr Bepo saw and felt during his earlier visit to the museum. The overwhelming rush of those painful memories causes him to cry out involuntarily.

His reaction is not one of disappointment with the quality of the performance, a feeling that the students are being disrespectful, or a disagreement with how history is portrayed. It is a visceral, emotional response rooted in his personal connection to the history of slavery, which the performance vividly brings back to the surface.

Maelezo ya Majibu

This can be page 12 of the novel where it is revealed that Bepo, amongst other things, has thought of establishing his own school after having garnered a lot of experience in teaching and school management. His only fear was if he would have enough money to "float a standard school, given the taste he had already imbibed at Stardom." 

He had initially built a school - "Fruitful Future" but it had crumbled due to socio-economic challenges in the location. 

Maelezo ya Majibu

In The Lekki Headmaster, the Black Heritage Museum in Badagry serves as a point of deep psychological conflict for Bepo. The museum preserves the history of the transatlantic slave trade, including the holding cells, chains, and departure points where enslaved Africans were forcibly taken from the continent.

When Bepo visits this museum during the school excursion, he is forced to confront the painful legacy of slavery. This experience takes on a personal dimension because Bepo himself is at a crossroads: he is considering migrating abroad to seek better opportunities. The museum forces him to grapple with the uncomfortable parallel between the historical forced removal of Africans and the modern voluntary exodus of skilled professionals from the country. The visit stirs up guilt, confusion, and deep reflection about whether choosing to leave Nigeria is, in some way, a repetition of the same tragic pattern of departure that the museum documents.

The other settings listed do not generate this level of psychological turmoil. Bepo's home in Ikeja, the school assembly hall, and the Vice Principal's office are familiar, everyday environments. It is the confrontation with historical trauma at the Black Heritage Museum that triggers a genuinely unsettling internal conflict about identity, duty, and the meaning of migration.

Maelezo ya Majibu

This comprehension question asks about the sequence of events following Mr Bepo's crying incident at the school assembly. After the principal's emotional breakdown in front of the students, the Vice Principal had to act quickly to manage the fallout.

The Vice Principal contacted the Managing Director because parents were calling with concerns. News of the principal breaking down at assembly would have spread rapidly among the student body and, consequently, to their parents. Parents understandably became worried about the situation at the school and began calling to express their concerns. This prompted the Vice Principal to escalate the matter to the MD, who as the school's owner had the authority to decide on the appropriate course of action.

The other options do not align with the passage. The VP did not contact the MD to arrange a general emergency meeting, to announce a retirement, or to discuss boarding fee reductions. The immediate trigger was the wave of concerned calls from parents following the incident.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The school transferred Mr. Ayesoro to Stardom Hub in order to retain Mrs. Ladele's children in the school. Mrs. Ladele was the parent who complained that her child was having recurring nightmares because of Mr. Ayesoro's prominent tribal marks. She threatened to withdraw her children from Stardom Schools if the situation was not resolved.

Faced with the prospect of losing enrolled students (and the tuition fees they represent), the school management decided to move Mr. Ayesoro to Stardom Hub, the property division of the Stardom Group. This was a strategic decision: the school wanted to satisfy the parent's concerns and keep her children enrolled, while also finding an alternative placement for Mr. Ayesoro rather than dismissing him outright.

The transfer was not intended as a punishment for misconduct, a reward for dedication, or a better job opportunity. It was a pragmatic compromise driven by the school's desire to retain Mrs. Ladele's patronage and her children's enrolment.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Banky and Tosh are SSS2 students who have a rivalry that dates back to JSS 3. Both students clashed in the Best Dancer category at the end-of-year party but Banky was crowned winner. This led Tosh's to threaten a lawsuit because they felt slighted. This can be found on page 42 of the novel.

Maelezo ya Majibu

A "slave driver" is an idiom for a person in authority who demands excessive work from those under them. The term originally referred to someone who forced enslaved people to work, and in modern usage it describes any boss or supervisor who overworks their employees.

The sentence reinforces this meaning: the speaker had to work two weekends in a row, indicating an unreasonable workload imposed by the boss. This directly matches the description of a taskmaster who overworks employees.

Being "very rich" describes wealth, not management style. Being "considerate" or "friendly" are positive traits that contradict the negative connotation of "slave driver." The idiom specifically criticises the boss for demanding too much labour.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Mr Meko references the story of a hawker who plucked vegetables from a filthy dumpsite, and when a buyer calls to her, having no intention to probe the source of the product, immediately begins to assure the value of feigned quality. The hawker then retorts: "These vegetables are not from any dumpsite". With this proverb, Mr Meko is trying to hint at how people who feel guilty often defend what wasn't questioned. 

Maelezo ya Majibu

Protagonist is a literary term meaning the main character or central figure in a story, play, or narrative. The protagonist drives the plot and is typically the character the audience follows most closely.

The word opposite in meaning is antagonist, which is the character who opposes or works against the protagonist. In literary analysis, protagonist and antagonist are the established pair of opposites: the protagonist is the hero or central figure, and the antagonist is the opposing force or rival.

The other options are not precise literary antonyms:

• enemy means a person who is actively hostile. While an antagonist may be an enemy, the word enemy is a general term and not the specific literary opposite of protagonist.
• progressive means favouring change or innovation. It has no connection to literary character roles.
• opponent means a person who competes against another. Like enemy, it is a general term and lacks the specific literary pairing that antagonist has with protagonist.

In literature and drama, always use antagonist as the technical opposite of protagonist.

Maelezo ya Majibu

This question asks who was the recipient of the statement: "Yes....That is what you paid the extra amount for. If you had followed the normal channel, you would still be there with them."

In The Lekki Headmaster, this statement was said to Bepo. The context involves a situation where Bepo paid an additional sum of money to bypass a standard bureaucratic process. The speaker is pointing out that the extra payment is exactly what allowed Bepo to avoid the delays that others following the normal procedure are still experiencing. It highlights the theme of corruption and the way money can be used to circumvent official channels.

The key clues in the statement are "paid the extra amount" (suggesting a bribe or expedited payment) and "normal channel" (the standard process that others follow). This exchange reflects the novel's exploration of how bureaucratic systems can be manipulated through informal payments.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The grammatical rule at the source of the disagreement between the MD and the principal (Bepo) was subject-verb agreement with phrases like "as well as." The dispute arose from the sentence "Ade as well as Jide comes early." The MD sided with the parent, Mr. Guta, believing the verb should be "come" (plural) to agree with both "Ade" and "Jide." The principal, Bepo, defended Mr. Fafore by explaining that the grammar was in fact correct.

The rule is that "as well as" is not a coordinating conjunction like "and." It does not create a compound subject. Instead, the verb agrees with the subject that precedes "as well as." In the sentence "Ade as well as Jide comes early," the main subject is "Ade" (singular), so the singular verb "comes" is correct. If the sentence used "and" instead ("Ade and Jide come early"), then the plural verb "come" would be required.

This is a commonly misunderstood grammar point, and the novel uses it to illustrate how confident but incorrect assumptions about language can have serious consequences, including the wrongful dismissal of a competent teacher.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Bepo believed that a major challenge in transportation was that many commercial drivers lacked enlightened business practices and were not trustworthy, which ruined the business dream. This can be found on page 12 of the novel.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The word "beer" is pronounced /bɪə/ in Received Pronunciation. The underlined vowel combination "ee" followed by "r" produces the diphthong /ɪə/, known as the NEAR vowel. This is the same sound heard in words like here, fear, dear, and near.

Examining each option:

• bare is pronounced /beə/, with the SQUARE diphthong /eə/ - a different vowel from /ɪə/.
• their is pronounced /ðeə/, also with /eə/ - not a match.
• swear is pronounced /sweə/, again with /eə/ - not a match.
• serious is pronounced /ˈsɪəriəs/. The first vowel is /ɪə/, matching the vowel in "beer" exactly.

The correct answer is serious, because the "e" in its first syllable produces the same /ɪə/ diphthong as the "ee" in "beer".

Exam tip: The NEAR vowel /ɪə/ and the SQUARE vowel /eə/ are often confused because both involve an "r" in the spelling. Remember that "beer", "here", and "serious" share /ɪə/, while "bare", "their", and "swear" share /eə/. Practise distinguishing these two diphthongs.

Maelezo ya Majibu

This cloze test question requires the word that correctly fills gap 12. The passage discusses the United Nations Security Council and its powers to respond to situations that endanger international peace.

The correct word is threat. Under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, the Security Council is empowered to act when there is a threat to the peace, a breach of the peace, or an act of aggression. "Threat to peace" is the precise legal formulation used in Article 39 of the Charter, which is the gateway to the Council's enforcement powers.

The other options do not match the standard UN terminology:

• "Agitation" means restlessness or disturbance but is not the formal term used in the Charter for situations that trigger Security Council action.
• "Violence" describes physical force, but the Charter uses the broader and more precise term "threat" because the Council can act even before violence erupts.
• "Fear" is a subjective emotion and not a legal criterion used in international law for authorising collective security measures.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The novel uses the term Japa Syndrome to discuss the effects of migration. "Japa" is a Yoruba word meaning "to run" or "to flee," and in contemporary Nigerian usage, it refers to the mass emigration of Nigerians, especially skilled professionals, to countries perceived to offer better opportunities.

By framing the migration phenomenon as the Japa Syndrome, the novel situates Bepo's personal dilemma within a wider national crisis. The term implies not just movement but urgency and desperation, capturing the sense that professionals feel compelled to leave rather than choosing freely. The novel explores how this syndrome affects institutions like schools, families, and communities, showing that when individuals like Bepo consider leaving, the consequences ripple outward far beyond the individual. The use of a distinctly Nigerian term also grounds the discussion in local context rather than treating migration as an abstract global issue.

Maelezo ya Majibu

In The Lekki Headmaster, the stories of Nigerian migrants such as Sola, Hope, Riike, and Akindele serve as cautionary tales about emigration. The Yoruba slang "japa" refers to the act of leaving Nigeria for greener pastures abroad. However, the experiences of these characters reveal that life overseas is far from the paradise many Nigerians imagine it to be.

Each migrant faces significant difficulties: harsh working conditions, loneliness, discrimination, financial struggles, or other hardships that challenge the rosy picture of life abroad. The collective message of their stories is that life is not a bed of roses for those who have emigrated. This does not mean that emigrating is pointless or that those who remain in Nigeria are wasting their time; it simply demonstrates that every environment has its own challenges.

Maelezo ya Majibu

In The Lekki Headmaster, Bepo chooses to renew his passport in Ibadan rather than Lagos because he wants to avoid the notoriously long queues at the Lagos passport office. Lagos, being Nigeria's largest city and commercial capital, has an extremely high volume of passport applicants, leading to overcrowding, long waiting times, and a generally frustrating experience at its immigration offices.

By opting to travel to Ibadan instead, Bepo hopes for a quicker, less stressful process. This practical decision also serves a narrative purpose: the journey to Ibadan gives the author an opportunity to describe the road, the landscape, and Bepo's reflections along the way, including the poem that comes to his mind as he approaches the city.

The other reasons offered - cost differences, family connections in Ibadan, or an official transfer - are not the motivation the novel provides. Bepo's decision is purely practical: he wants to bypass the chaos of the Lagos passport office.

Maelezo ya Majibu

This question tests comprehension of the social dynamics within the novel. Bepo is reluctant to leave Nigeria and relocate abroad, even as many of his colleagues are doing so. The text indicates that most teachers respond to his reluctance with criticism and dismissiveness.

Rather than respecting his choice to remain in Nigeria, the other teachers view his decision as misguided or naive. In a climate where the brain drain is normalised and going abroad is seen as the sensible path, choosing to stay invites scepticism. The teachers who have already decided to leave - or who aspire to leave - dismiss Bepo's attachment to the profession and to his country as impractical.

This attitude creates one of the novel's central tensions: the conflict between loyalty to one's homeland and profession on one hand, and the pursuit of better economic prospects abroad on the other. The dismissiveness Bepo faces underscores the social pressure that contributes to the brain drain phenomenon.

Maelezo ya Majibu

This comprehension question asks about the origin of the principal's nickname at Stardom School. Nicknames in fiction often reveal character traits and provide comic relief, and this one is rooted in a well-known Nigerian cultural reference.

The principal was nicknamed "The Lekki Headmaster" because he humorously imitated characters from the Village Headmaster. The Village Headmaster was a famous and long-running Nigerian television drama series that featured a wise village head who managed community affairs. The principal's habit of imitating characters from this iconic show, combined with the fact that the school was located in the Lekki area of Lagos, naturally led to the nickname "The Lekki Headmaster" - a playful fusion of the TV reference and his location.

The nickname did not originate from him living in Lekki during a previous role as headmaster, introducing a new curriculum, or founding the school. It was specifically his humorous imitations of the beloved television characters that earned him this distinctive title among those who knew him.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The founder, Chief Aje, hired Bepo personally after a one-on-one discussion, unlike many others who faced the school's interview panels. This can be found on page 56 of the novel. 

Maelezo ya Majibu

The Lekki Headmaster is set primarily in Stardom Schools, a private educational institution in the Lekki area of Lagos. The school is where Mr Bepo works as headmaster, and it serves as the central location where most of the novel's events unfold, from daily school administration and student activities to staff interactions and the pivotal moments of Bepo's career.

While the novel includes excursions to other locations such as the Black Heritage Museum in Badagry and other tourist sites, these are secondary settings visited during school trips. The core narrative arc, including Bepo's professional life, his relationships with colleagues and students, and the mounting pressure to emigrate, is anchored at Stardom Schools. The school is not just a physical setting but a symbol of Bepo's dedication to Nigerian education and the life he must weigh against the promise of opportunities abroad.

Maelezo ya Majibu

In The Lekki Headmaster, after Bepo uses the compound's electricity tariff money for his personal needs, his fellow tenant Iya Matthew publicly humiliates him. In her anger and frustration, Iya Matthew pours a bowl of elubo (yam flour) on Bepo's head.

Elubo is a powdery substance used in making amala, a traditional Yoruba food. Pouring it over someone's head is a dramatic, culturally loaded act of public shaming. It is messy, visible, and humiliating, drawing the attention of everyone in the compound. The act signals Iya Matthew's outrage at Bepo's betrayal of communal trust and serves as a form of community justice.

This incident marks one of the lowest points in Bepo's journey. It shows how his financial desperation has cost him his dignity and standing among his neighbours. The other items listed - a bowl of pie, a bucket of water, or fistfuls of sand - are not what the novel describes. The specific choice of elubo adds cultural realism and a distinctly Yoruba flavour to the scene.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Immanent means existing or operating within; inherent or indwelling. When something is immanent in a system, it is an intrinsic, internal part of that system. The sentence states that the gear exists within a car as an inherent component.

The word opposite in meaning is transcendent, which means existing beyond or above; surpassing or exceeding normal limits. In philosophy, immanent and transcendent are a classic pair of opposites: immanent describes what is contained within, while transcendent describes what lies beyond or outside.

The other options are not antonyms:

• available means accessible or obtainable. Something can be both available and immanent, so this does not oppose the meaning.
• necessary means required or essential. While a gear may be necessary in a car, this describes its importance, not its relationship of being internal versus external.
• functional means working or operative. This describes whether something works, not whether it is inherent or beyond.

Maelezo ya Majibu

This cloze test question requires the word that correctly fills gap 15. The passage discusses the United Nations Security Council and the measures it can take to maintain or restore international peace and security.

The correct word is sanctions. Under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, the Security Council can impose sanctions on states or entities that threaten international peace. These may include economic sanctions (trade restrictions, asset freezes), diplomatic sanctions (severing of relations), or other non-military measures outlined in Article 41. Sanctions are the primary enforcement tool the Council uses before resorting to military action.

The other options do not fit the context of UN enforcement:

• "Rules" are general guidelines or regulations, not specific enforcement measures imposed on violators.
• "Order" could refer to a legal order but is not the standard term for the punitive measures the Security Council imposes.
• "Discipline" implies internal correction or punishment, which does not describe the external enforcement measures applied between sovereign states.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Chief Ogba, Tosh's father, demanded that Banky and his parents write separate letters of apology to both him and his son. He also insisted that the letters be published in the school magazine. This was after Banky had called Tosh "the son of an ex-convict" during his speech for the position of Social prefect. This can be found on page 43 of the novel.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The Chairman uses the simile that having such a large cooperative fund is like hanging a snake in the roof and going to bed. This vivid image conveys the idea of living with a hidden danger: a snake suspended overhead could drop down at any time, making sleep reckless and unsafe.

Applied to the cooperative funds, the simile means that allowing such a large sum of money to accumulate in a staff-run cooperative, with limited oversight, creates a lurking risk for the school. The money could be misused, embezzled, or cause division among staff. Just as a sensible person would not sleep beneath a suspended snake, the Chairman argues that the school should not ignore the potential dangers posed by an inadequately supervised cooperative holding N95 million.

The other similes are not the one used by the Chairman in the novel. Building castles in the air, lighting a fire in a haystack, and giving a sword to your enemy are all different expressions with different meanings. The snake-in-the-roof image is the specific one the Chairman employs to describe the situation.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Mr Bepo's emotional breakdown during the school assembly was caused by his upcoming relocation to the United Kingdom. As he stood before the students and staff he had led and mentored, the reality of leaving Stardom Schools overwhelmed him, and he broke down emotionally.

This scene is one of the most powerful moments in the novel. The school assembly, a routine event in Bepo's daily life as headmaster, becomes the setting for a deeply personal reckoning. Facing the community he built, the students whose futures he has shaped, and the colleagues who have become like family, Bepo cannot contain the grief of departure. His breakdown reveals that despite whatever rational arguments favour emigration, the emotional and human cost is enormous. The scene functions as the novel's emotional climax, crystallising its central message about the painful trade-offs inherent in the Japa decision.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Enigmatic means mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to interpret. An enigmatic person or piece of writing is one whose meaning or nature is not easily understood.

The word nearest in meaning is inscrutable, which means impossible to understand or interpret. Both enigmatic and inscrutable describe something that resists easy comprehension - a quality often attributed to complex literary figures like the writers mentioned in the sentence.

The other options do not capture this meaning:

• flamboyant means tending to attract attention because of confidence, exuberance, or stylishness. A flamboyant writer is showy, not necessarily mysterious.
• ludicrous means absurd or ridiculous, which is unrelated to mystery or difficulty of interpretation.
• talented means having a natural aptitude or skill. While both writers mentioned are talented, this word describes ability, not the mysterious quality that enigmatic conveys.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Bepo, the protagonist and principal of Stardom Schools, lives at Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja, Lagos. Ikeja is a major commercial and residential area on the mainland of Lagos, and Adeniyi Jones is a well-known street and neighbourhood within Ikeja. This setting places Bepo in a middle-class Lagos neighbourhood, consistent with his status as a school principal.

The novel uses real Lagos locations to ground its story in a recognisable urban landscape. Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja, is distinct from the other options provided. Oniru on Victoria Island and Obalende near Ikoyi are both on Lagos Island, while Yaba is a separate mainland neighbourhood. The novel specifically identifies Bepo's residence as being in the Adeniyi Jones area of Ikeja.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The boarding fee at Stardom Schools was reduced in order to reduce student lateness. The school administration observed that many students were chronically late to school because of Lagos's notorious traffic congestion. By making the boarding option more affordable, the school aimed to encourage more students to board on the premises rather than commute daily through heavy traffic.

This decision reflects a practical, problem-solving approach to school management. Rather than simply punishing lateness, Bepo and the administration addressed the root cause by removing the financial barrier that prevented families from choosing the boarding option. This detail illustrates Bepo's thoughtful leadership style and his concern for both the academic performance and well-being of his students. It also highlights the everyday operational challenges of running a school in a megacity like Lagos, where traffic can consume hours of a student's day.

Maelezo ya Majibu

This question tests the student's recall of which Nigerian festivals the students attended during their excursions in the novel.

According to the novel, the students attended the Calabar Carnival, the Osun Oshogbo Festival, and the Argungu Festival. These three festivals are among the most prominent cultural celebrations in Nigeria: the Calabar Carnival is a major annual event in Cross River State, the Osun Oshogbo Festival is a UNESCO-recognised cultural celebration in Osun State, and the Argungu Festival is a famous fishing and cultural festival in Kebbi State.

The Abuja Carnival is not mentioned among the festivals the students attended. The correct combination is therefore the first three festivals only (Calabar Carnival, Osun Oshogbo Festival, and Argungu Festival), not all four.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Emphatic stress marks the word that carries the corrective or contrasting information. The stressed word answers the part of the preceding question that was wrong.

In the sentence "The doctor examined the patient with a STETHOSCOPE," the stress falls on STETHOSCOPE. This means the speaker is emphasising the instrument used - it was a stethoscope, not some other device.

The question that would prompt this emphasis must be one that names the wrong instrument. The question "Did the doctor examine the patient with a microscope?" suggests a microscope was used, and the speaker's stressed response corrects this to STETHOSCOPE. The other options change different elements of the sentence: the person examined ("matron" instead of "patient"), who did the examining ("nurse" instead of "doctor"), or the action ("cure" instead of "examine"), none of which would require stressing the instrument.

The correct answer is the question that mentions a microscope instead of a stethoscope.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The central physical setting of The Lekki Headmaster is Stardom Schools, Lagos. This is the school where Mr Bepo serves as headmaster and where the majority of the novel's action takes place. Located in the Lekki area of Lagos, Stardom Schools is the hub of daily interactions among staff and students, the site of major events like assemblies, excursions, and the send-off, and the institution whose fate hangs in the balance as Bepo contemplates emigration.

While the novel features other locations, including Badagry, Bauchi (Yankari Games Reserve), and the airport, these are secondary settings visited during specific episodes. Stardom Schools remains the constant backdrop throughout the narrative. The school is more than a physical location; it represents Bepo's life work, the community he has fostered, and the tangible contribution he has made to Nigerian education. As the central setting, it anchors the novel's themes and gives the reader a concrete sense of what is at stake in Bepo's migration decision.

Maelezo ya Majibu

This comprehension question asks about Mr Bepo's monthly salary at Stardom Schools. The passage provides this financial detail as part of its broader commentary on teacher remuneration in Nigeria and the economic motivations behind the japa trend.

Mr Bepo's monthly salary at Stardom Schools was N400,000 (four hundred thousand naira). While this is a reasonable salary for a school principal in a Lagos private school, it pales in comparison to what his wife Seri earns as a nurse in the United Kingdom. This salary gap is central to the novel's exploration of why Nigerian professionals choose to emigrate and why some, like Mr Bepo, choose to stay despite the financial disadvantage.

The other amounts - N200,000, N600,000, and N1,000,000 - are not what the passage states. The specific figure of N400,000 is a detail that requires careful attention when reading the text, and it anchors the reader's understanding of Mr Bepo's financial situation relative to opportunities abroad.

Maelezo ya Majibu

This comprehension question asks about the specific trait that earned Mr Bepo his distinctive nickname, "The Lekki Headmaster." The nickname is a reference to The Village Headmaster, a famous Nigerian television drama in which the central character was a wise community leader known for settling disputes and maintaining harmony in his village.

The trait that earned Mr Bepo this nickname was his ability to resolve conflicts amicably. Just as the Village Headmaster character in the television series was renowned for mediating disputes and finding peaceful resolutions, Mr Bepo demonstrated a similar talent in his school environment. His approach to handling disagreements and tensions among staff, students, or parents in a calm and effective manner mirrored the beloved TV character's role, and this parallel is what led to the nickname.

The nickname was not about strictness, general teaching excellence, or innovative methods. It was rooted specifically in Mr Bepo's conflict resolution skills, which reminded those around him of the iconic television character and led them to associate him with that peacemaking role.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The Ignatius family's relocation plans were disrupted when a DNA test revealed that Mr. Ignatius was not Favour's biological father. Favour is their fifteen-year-old daughter, and this discovery shattered the family. The revelation led to a severe domestic crisis in which Mr. Ignatius (also referred to as Mr. Ibe in the narrative) told Mrs. Ignatius and Favour to leave the house.

This plot development is one of the novel's most dramatic moments. The family had been preparing for emigration, with Mrs. Ignatius even learning new vocational skills. However, the DNA result brought everything to a halt, as the personal turmoil it caused made relocation impossible. The incident illustrates how unforeseen personal crises can derail even the most carefully laid plans.

The other options do not reflect what happened in the novel. Mr. Ignatius did not lose his job, Mrs. Ignatius did not simply change her mind, and their visa application was not denied. The disruption was entirely personal in nature, arising from the DNA test result.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Astonishing means extremely surprising or impressive; causing great wonder. When something astonishes you, it takes you by surprise in a remarkable way.

The word nearest in meaning is amazing, which means causing great surprise or wonder. Both astonishing and amazing describe something that produces a strong reaction of surprise and admiration. "The scientist made an amazing discovery" carries the same meaning as the original sentence.

The other options express the opposite idea:

• common means occurring frequently or being ordinary - something common would not cause astonishment.
• expected means anticipated or predicted - something expected is by definition not surprising.
• ordinary means with no special or distinctive features - the opposite of remarkable or astonishing.

Maelezo ya Majibu

This question tests the student's recall of a specific factual detail about Mr Bepo's travel arrangements.

According to the novel, Mr Bepo's flight to the United Kingdom is scheduled to depart at 10:00 pm. This late evening departure time is consistent with typical flight schedules from Nigeria to the UK, where many international flights depart in the late evening for overnight travel.

The departure time is relevant to the plot because it gives Mr Bepo enough time to attend his farewell celebration during the day and still make it to the airport for his evening flight. The other times listed (5:00 pm, 1:00 pm, and 8:00 pm) are not correct according to the novel.

Maelezo ya Majibu

In The Lekki Headmaster, the debate organised at Bepo's send-off event has the topic: "The arts have contributed more to national development than the science." This is a classic academic debate motion commonly used in Nigerian schools, and it fits the intellectual atmosphere of a farewell event for an educator.

The debate serves multiple purposes in the narrative. It provides entertainment and intellectual engagement at the send-off celebration, and it reflects the academic culture that Bepo has championed throughout his career at Stardom Schools. The topic itself is a standard inter-house or inter-school debate proposition that would be familiar to both students and teachers.

The other options - a debate about migration, about teachers versus parents, or about public versus private schools - are thematically connected to the novel's concerns, but they are not the specific topic chosen for the send-off debate. While migration is a central theme of the novel, the actual debate at this event takes a different, broadly academic direction.

Maelezo ya Majibu

This question asks why Mr Bepo delays his flight to the UK.

Mr Bepo delays his departure because he is required to attend a farewell celebration organised in his honour at Stardom. The school community, including staff and students, has planned a send-off event to celebrate his years of dedicated service before he leaves for the United Kingdom. Out of respect for his colleagues and students, and because the celebration is a significant event, Mr Bepo postpones his travel to be present.

The delay is not caused by a flight cancellation, resignation paperwork, or a meeting with the Managing Director. It is a social and emotional obligation: the farewell celebration is the school's way of honouring Mr Bepo's contributions, and he feels duty-bound to attend before departing the country.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Bepo, the headmaster of Stardom Schools, does not simply drift toward retirement. Well before his working years end, he draws up a concrete plan: he saves money steadily and identifies the transportation business as a viable post-retirement venture. He thinks through the practical requirements, such as the vehicle he will need and the logistics of running the business.

This forward-looking behaviour marks Bepo as a thoughtful man. An unambitious person would not bother planning at all; an unreasonable person would make impractical plans; a vain person would focus on appearance rather than substance. Bepo's careful, deliberate preparation for life after Stardom Schools is the hallmark of a thoughtful, prudent individual.

Maelezo ya Majibu

In The Lekki Headmaster, Bepo collects electricity tariff money from his fellow tenants in the compound, as he is responsible for gathering the contributions to pay the electricity bill. However, he ends up spending this money on his own needs because he is out of a job and has no savings.

At this point in the novel, Bepo has lost his teaching position and is financially desperate. With no income and no reserves to fall back on, he uses the collected electricity money to survive. This act of desperation - spending money that belongs collectively to his neighbours - leads to serious consequences and public humiliation within the compound.

The other options do not match the novel's account. The money was not spent on school fees, medical expenses, or lost through carelessness. Bepo's action is a direct result of his unemployment and financial hardship, making it a moment that highlights both his personal crisis and the broader theme of how economic deprivation can push otherwise honest people into compromising situations.

Maelezo ya Majibu

In The Lekki Headmaster, as Bepo travels to Ibadan to renew his passport, the poem that comes to his mind is "Ibadan" by J.P. Clark. This is a well-known West African poem that vividly describes the city of Ibadan with striking imagery - its rusted rooftops, sprawling landscape, and chaotic beauty.

The connection is natural and direct: Bepo is literally on his way to Ibadan, and the city's distinctive appearance triggers his recollection of the poem he knows from his education. This detail also reinforces Bepo's identity as a well-read and culturally aware teacher who carries literary knowledge with him even in everyday situations. The poem's imagery of Ibadan's rustic, crowded landscape may also mirror Bepo's mixed feelings about Nigeria - a place of both beauty and frustration.

The other poems listed - "Night Rain" by J.P. Clark, "Abiku" by Wole Soyinka, and "Vanity" by Birago Diop - are all significant works of African poetry, but none of them is the poem the novel associates with Bepo's journey to Ibadan.

Maelezo ya Majibu

This question asks about a specific plot detail in The Lekki Headmaster by Kabir Alabi Garba: how Sola and her husband commuted between Manchester and London every day.

In the novel, Sola and her husband travelled from Manchester to London daily by rail. The train is the most practical and commonly used mode of daily long-distance commuting in the United Kingdom. Manchester and London are connected by frequent high-speed rail services, making a daily commute feasible. The novel presents this detail to illustrate the couple's dedication and the realities of living in one city while working in another.

The other options are less plausible for a daily commute:

• "By road" would involve a very long drive (approximately four hours each way), making it impractical for daily travel.
• "By sea" is not a viable option, as there is no sea route between Manchester and London.
• "By air" is possible but extremely expensive and impractical for a daily commute, unlike the efficient rail network.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Arduous means requiring a great deal of effort, endurance, or stamina; extremely difficult and tiring. The sentence acknowledges that parenting is demanding despite being enjoyable.

The word nearest in meaning is strenuous, which means requiring or involving great exertion or effort. Both arduous and strenuous emphasise the demanding, physically or mentally exhausting nature of an activity.

The other options are close but not the best fit:

• troublesome means causing difficulty or annoyance; it focuses on problems caused rather than effort required.
• hectic means full of frantic activity and rushed pace; it describes a busy tempo rather than the difficulty of a task.
• severe means strict, harsh, or intense; it does not capture the sense of requiring sustained effort that arduous conveys.

Strenuous is the closest synonym because, like arduous, it specifically describes something that demands sustained physical or mental effort.

Maelezo ya Majibu

This question tests knowledge of the correct order of adjectives in English. When multiple adjectives modify a single noun, they must follow a specific conventional sequence. The standard order is:

1. Opinion/quality (e.g., beautiful, shiny)
2. Size (e.g., big, small)
3. Age (e.g., new, old)
4. Shape (e.g., round, square)
5. Colour (e.g., red, blue)
6. Origin (e.g., Nigerian, French)
7. Material (e.g., wooden, plastic)
8. Purpose/type (e.g., lunch, sleeping)

Applying this to the adjectives in the question:

• Shiny = opinion/quality
• New = age
• Red = colour
• Lunch = purpose (it is a lunch pack)

The correct order is therefore: shiny new red lunch pack. Each adjective falls neatly into its expected slot in the sequence, producing a natural-sounding phrase.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Fruitful Future school failed because the roads around the school began to depreciate due to government negligence, as a result, most of the parents started to relocate. The parents that were left could not afford the school fees This can be found on page 39 of the novel. 

Maelezo ya Majibu

This question tests recall of a specific detail from the text. As Bepo prepares to leave Nigeria and heads to the airport, he makes a farewell gesture to his landlord's children by giving them money. This act of generosity is culturally significant in Nigerian society, where parting gifts affirm gratitude and goodwill toward those with whom one has shared a community.

According to the text, Bepo gave the landlord's children five thousand naira. This is a modest but meaningful parting gift from a teacher who has finally decided to relocate abroad. The gesture underscores Bepo's character as someone who values personal relationships, even as he faces the difficult transition of leaving behind the life he has built in Nigeria.

Maelezo ya Majibu

In The Lekki Headmaster, the students explored the Yankari Games Reserve during their visit to Bauchi State. Yankari is one of Nigeria's premier wildlife reserves and a major tourist destination, known for its diverse animal population, warm springs, and natural landscapes.

The visit to Yankari Games Reserve is part of the novel's broader use of school excursions to showcase Nigeria's rich natural and cultural heritage. By taking the students to experience the country's wildlife and natural beauty firsthand, the school reinforces a sense of national pride and belonging. This excursion, like the Badagry trip, serves to highlight what makes Nigeria unique and worth staying for, subtly reinforcing the novel's thematic argument about the costs of mass emigration. The other options listed, such as Ikogosi Warm Springs, Erin Ijesha Waterfalls, and Arinta Waterfalls, are located in southwestern Nigeria (Ekiti and Osun states), not in Bauchi.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The phrase "a bunch of biting humour" contains two key words that define Mr Audu's character. "Biting" means sharp, cutting, and capable of causing discomfort, while "humour" refers to wit or comedy. Together, "biting humour" describes a style of comedy that is pointed, critical, and sometimes stinging in its delivery.

This description means Mr Audu is sarcastic and has sharp, critical wit. His jokes and remarks are not gentle or merely entertaining. They have an edge to them: they expose, criticize, or mock in a way that can feel sharp. Sarcasm is a form of verbal irony where the speaker says something cutting, often with the intention of mocking or criticizing, and that is exactly what "biting humour" conveys.

The other options do not fit this description:

• "Friendly remarks" contradicts the word "biting", which implies sharpness, not warmth.
• "Apt innuendos" refers to indirect hints or suggestions, which is different from openly sharp humour.
• "Unintelligible remarks" means remarks that cannot be understood, which is not implied by "biting humour" at all.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Meticulous means showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise. A meticulous experiment is one conducted with painstaking accuracy and thoroughness.

The word opposite in meaning is careless, which means not giving sufficient attention or thought to avoiding harm or errors. A careless experiment would be one conducted without proper attention to detail - the direct opposite of a meticulous one.

The other options are synonyms of meticulous, not antonyms:

• detailed means involving many carefully considered parts - similar to meticulous.
• thorough means complete with regard to every detail - similar to meticulous.
• careful means making sure to avoid potential problems or dangers; giving close attention - essentially the same as meticulous.

This question requires recognising that three of the four options actually share the meaning of the italicised word, while only one is its opposite.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The board discovers that the Stardom Cooperative Society holds N95 million in its account. Of this total, over N50 million has already been loaned out to staff members. This is a surprisingly large sum for a school staff cooperative, and its discovery is what prompts the MD to convene a board meeting to discuss the risks and governance of the cooperative.

The sheer size of the fund alarms the board because it represents a significant financial pool that, if mismanaged, could expose the school to serious liability. The fact that more than half of the money has been disbursed as loans to staff raises additional concerns about repayment risk, especially given incidents like Mr. Nku absconding abroad with a N2 million loan.

The other figures (over N50 million, N200 million, and N45 million) are not the total amount in the cooperative's account. The N50 million figure refers to the amount already loaned out, not the total holdings.

Maelezo ya Majibu

A metaphor is a figure of speech in which one thing is directly described as being another, without using the comparison words "like" or "as." When Mr. Audu says the MD is "a witch and wizard rolled into one," he is not literally claiming that the MD practises witchcraft. Instead, he uses this vivid image to convey that the MD is formidable, cunning, and perhaps intimidating - combining the negative qualities stereotypically associated with both a witch and a wizard into a single person.

This is not personification because personification involves giving human traits to something non-human, and the MD is already a human being. It is not an allusion, which would require a reference to a specific well-known person, literary work, or historical event. While witches and wizards appear across many cultural traditions, the expression does not reference any particular one. It is not assonance, which is the repetition of vowel sounds in closely placed words - there is no notable vowel-sound pattern in this phrase.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The expression "a man of letters" is an established English idiom. It refers to a person who is deeply involved in literary and scholarly pursuits - someone distinguished in the world of literature, whether as a writer, critic, or scholar. The phrase has nothing to do with the literal act of writing or receiving postal letters.

Among the options, the one stating that Peter is a great literary artist correctly captures the meaning of this idiom. A "man of letters" is someone recognised for literary achievement or scholarly learning, which aligns with the idea of being a literary artist.

The options about letter writing as a hobby or writing letters frequently interpret the phrase literally, missing its idiomatic meaning entirely. The option about liking to read a lot is closer but still too narrow; "a man of letters" implies active participation in literary culture, not merely reading.

Exam tip: When a sentence uses an idiomatic expression, resist the temptation to interpret the words literally. Identify the figurative meaning the phrase carries in standard English usage.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The word similarly has four syllables: SIM-i-lar-ly. In English, the primary stress falls on the first syllable: /ˈsɪmɪləli/.

This follows a common English stress pattern where the base adjective "similar" (/ˈsɪmɪlə/) already carries its primary stress on the first syllable. Adding the suffix "-ly" to form the adverb does not shift the stress; it remains on the same syllable as in the base word.

The other options place the stress on the wrong syllable: stressing the third syllable (simiLARly) or the fourth (simlarLY) or the second (siMIlarly) would produce an unnatural pronunciation that does not match standard English.

The correct stress pattern is SImilarly, with primary stress on the first syllable.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The expression "it is high time" is a fixed English idiom that signals an action is overdue and should have happened already. Grammatically, it demands the past simple tense (subjunctive mood) in the clause that follows, even though the meaning refers to the present or future.

The correct sentence is: "It is high time you stopped visiting that friend of yours."

This use of the past tense after "it is high time" is an example of the English subjunctive, where the past form expresses an unreal or hypothetical situation rather than actual past time. The speaker means "you should stop now" or "you ought to have stopped already," but the grammar requires the past form.

"Should stop," "stop," and "must stop" might seem logical based on meaning, but they do not follow the grammatical rule for this particular construction. Similar expressions that take the past subjunctive include "it is about time" and "if only" (e.g., "If only I knew").