2009 was a year filled with excitement and great expectation. I was about to write JAMB Entrance Examination (The Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board) so I could qualify and gain admission into the University. I was very prepared for the JAMB test, so when the time came, I scored 225. I was very excited because the cut off mark for the University I was interested in was 180/200.
I traveled to the East for my Post UTME (Post Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination). I wrote the examination and got admission into the University, to study Public Administration. With great enthusiasm, I started going for lectures and when the time came for our first-semester examination, I prepared myself and wrote the exams with confidence. The results came out the next semester and I couldn’t find mine, so after making inquiries I found out that my result didn’t come out because my registration number was the same with someone in my department. I went to the School Administration to verify and rectify the issue. After rectifying it, I thought it was over and moved on with my academics.
How time flies, before I knew it, I had written my final exams and project in 2013, I was so excited. However, my excitement was short-lived, when I was invited to the School Examination Malpractice Board. To my greatest surprise, they told me I was involved in examination malpractice and was caught by the exam supervisor. So, while my mates were doing their clearance and registering for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), I was busy going to the Examination Malpractice Board to face the panel, which took about 5 months.
At the end of the interrogation and investigation conducted by the Examination Malpractice Panel, it was discovered that the culprit for the allegation was a student in the mature student program, however, the student was in the same department as me. So I was told to proceed with my clearance and NYSC registration, where I found out that I couldn’t go for the NYSC program because my registration number was the same with some in a different faculty. I was devastated and very frustrated, at that moment my whole world came crashing down.
Questions like “have I wasted all these years for nothing”, “God why me”, “What do I do next”. So I called my Mum and told her everything, She instantly broke down in tears, I could tell she was in so much pain. I was not from a very rich family were going to school again was an easy feat, so imagine my pain and confusion. I shared my problem with some people, they told me that the problem is not a big deal and can be solved if I can pay three hundred thousand Naira. I told my Mum and She was willing to raise up the money to pay, but I refused because there was no guarantee that such an illegal act won’t fail or come back to hurt me.
I traveled home to meet my parents, my Dad asked me what I wanted to do next. I told him that I want to go back to school, He then told me, He has other kids to train in school. I was not discouraged for my mind was made up. I called my Aunt and pleaded with her to give me a lifetime loan by paying for my school fees, then I made a deal with my Dad to take care of my house rent, while I take care of everything else. Just like that, I traveled to the Benin Republic to apply for admission to study International Relations at a private University. I didn’t want to undergo JAMB again or ASUU Strike, because I didn’t want any unnecessary delays. I started my lectures soon after my application process. The lecture hall was very uncomfortable for me, because I was one of the oldest in my class, there were many students as young as 16 years in my class. However, I was not discouraged, I made this choice, so I must see it through.
Around 2016, I received an invitation from my former school in Nigeria that I should come and collect my statement of result. So, I traveled back to the east to get the result, then traveled back to the Benin Republic to complete my program. In the year 2017, I was done with my final exams and project. I came out with a 2.1 Upper-Class Division in International Relations and completed my NYSC program in November 2018. I now hold 2 Bachelor’s Degree.
I am presently working as an Administrator in Federal Capital Territory Administration. The lesson to be learnt here is “Never give up”, “It is better late than never”.
Lesson Learned
“Never Give Up”, “Better Late Than Never”.
About the writer:
My name is Ejiogu Emmanuel Mario, I am from Imo State, Nigeria. I am a graduate of International Relations at ECOTES University. My goal in life is to be a diplomat, an ambassador, a philanthropist, and an entrepreneur. I am a sketch artist, I love art and music.
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