The Lekki Headmaster is the JAMB UTME Use-of-English reading text for the 2026 exam, written by Nigerian journalist and educator Kabir Alabi Garba. It tells the story of Mr. Bepo Adewale, a devoted school principal in Lekki, Lagos, who is pressured to japa (emigrate) to the United Kingdom but chooses, in the end, to stay and serve his students. JAMB draws 10 Use-of-English questions from the novel, testing its plot, characters, themes and literary devices.
Study the copy JAMB gave you at your registration centre — that is the authoritative text. Use this page to revise the story, then test yourself with the free Lekki Headmaster practice quiz.
Quick facts
- Title: The Lekki Headmaster
- Author: Kabir Alabi Garba (Nigerian writer, journalist and educator)
- Exam use: JAMB UTME Use-of-English recommended text, 2026
- Questions in the exam: 10 from the novel
- Setting: Post-pandemic Nigeria (first quarter of 2022) — Stardom Schools, Lekki, Lagos, with scenes in Badagry and at Murtala Muhammed International Airport
- Central subject: the japa (mass migration) syndrome and the Nigerian education system
Summary of the novel
The novel opens with a shock. Mr. Bepo Adewale — the tall, charismatic principal who has led Stardom Schools for 24 years — walks to the podium at morning assembly, cannot speak, drops the microphone and weeps in front of his staff and students. He has finally given in to family pressure and agreed to relocate to the UK, where his wife, Seri, works as a nurse.
As Bepo prepares to leave, the story looks back over his years at the school and the pressures pushing Nigerian professionals abroad: underpaid teachers, corruption, financial strain, and management that puts money before people. Through these flashbacks the reader sees Bepo’s character — he defends a teacher from unfair dismissal and stands for integrity where others cut corners.
Bepo comes to see emigration as a kind of “voluntary new slavery,” an idea rooted in what he learned at the Heritage Slavery Museum in Badagry. On the day of his flight, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, he has a nightmare about slavery that makes him reject the journey. He abandons the flight, returns to his school, and reaffirms his commitment to his students and his country. He chooses his passion for teaching over life abroad.
Bepo earned the nickname “The Lekki Headmaster” while heading the primary section of the school, because he settled staff quarrels with the wisdom of “King Oloja,” a character from the classic Nigerian television drama Village Headmaster.
Main characters
| Character | Role in the story |
|---|---|
| Mr. Bepo Adewale | The protagonist; compassionate, long-serving principal of Stardom Schools who resists the pressure to emigrate |
| Seri | Bepo’s wife, a nurse in the UK, who pushes him to relocate |
| Mrs. Ibidun Gloss | Managing Director of the school, a law graduate focused on its finances; daughter of the late founder |
| Chief David Aje | The late founder of Stardom Schools, remembered as a visionary invested in quality education |
| Mr. Fafore | Senior English teacher struggling with underpaid work in private education |
| Mr. Audu | Fine-arts teacher known for his eccentric personality and biting humour |
| Mrs. Grace Apeh | Vice Principal and a supportive colleague to Bepo |
| Sola | A former teacher who relocated to the UK |
| Mr. Egi Meko | Arrogant, corrupt director of the Beesway Group of Schools |
| Chief Didi Ogba | A wealthy politician tied to a prefect-election scandal |
| Mrs. Ignatius | A parent whose migration plans collapse after a DNA-test revelation |
| Mr. Ayesoro | A government teacher removed from teaching after student complaints |
Major themes
- The japa (migration) syndrome: the central subject — why Nigerian professionals leave, and the emotional and psychological toll of that choice.
- Patriotism versus economic pressure: Bepo’s love for his country and his students set against his family’s push for a better life abroad.
- Systemic dysfunction: corruption, underpayment and poor management in Nigeria’s education and government sectors.
- Emigration as “new slavery”: Bepo links leaving to the historical trauma of the slave trade, remembered through the Badagry museum.
- Integrity and community: standing up for colleagues and serving the collective good over personal gain.
- Mental health and leadership pressure: the strain a dedicated leader carries in silence.
Literary devices to revise
JAMB Use-of-English questions often ask about how a story is told, not just what happens. In The Lekki Headmaster, watch for:
- Symbolism: emigration presented as a “new slavery”; the Badagry Heritage Slavery Museum standing for historical trauma.
- Flashback: the narrative moves back over Bepo’s years at the school to reveal character and cause.
- Irony: the beloved, unshakeable headmaster who inspires everyone is the one who breaks down and nearly leaves.
- Satire: the novel exposes the failings of the education system and the people who exploit it.
- Allusion: the “King Oloja” reference to the drama Village Headmaster, which explains Bepo’s nickname.
How to study for the 10 questions
- Read the copy JAMB issued to you at registration from cover to cover at least once.
- For each chapter, note one plot event, one thing it shows about a character, and any proverb or figure of speech.
- Learn the protagonist well: Bepo’s job, his 24 years of service, his nickname, his choice at the airport, and why he stays.
- Be able to name each major character and their single defining action.
- Link every theme to a scene, so a question about “migration” or “corruption” points you to a specific event.
- Practise under time pressure with the Lekki Headmaster quiz and the JAMB CBT practice app.
Practice questions and answers
Use these to check your recall. For a full timed set, open the free practice quiz.
- Who wrote The Lekki Headmaster? — Kabir Alabi Garba.
- Who is the protagonist? — Mr. Bepo Adewale, the principal of Stardom Schools.
- What is the central subject of the novel? — The japa (mass migration) syndrome and its effect on Nigeria’s education system.
- How does the novel begin? — Bepo breaks down and weeps at morning assembly, unable to speak, after agreeing to relocate to the UK.
- Why is Bepo under pressure to leave Nigeria? — His wife, Seri, a nurse in the UK, and his family want him to join them for a better life.
- How did Bepo get the nickname “The Lekki Headmaster”? — For settling staff disputes with the wisdom of “King Oloja” from the drama Village Headmaster while heading the primary section.
- How does Bepo come to view emigration? — As a “voluntary new slavery,” connected to the history he learned at the Badagry Heritage Slavery Museum.
- Where is the climax of Bepo’s decision set? — At Murtala Muhammed International Airport, on the day of his flight.
- How does the novel end? — Bepo abandons his flight, returns to his school, and recommits to his students and his country.
- Who is Mrs. Ibidun Gloss? — The Managing Director of Stardom Schools, a law graduate focused on the school’s finances.
- Who founded Stardom Schools? — The late Chief David Aje, remembered as a visionary invested in education.
- Which teacher is known for eccentric humour? — Mr. Audu, the fine-arts teacher.
- Name one theme besides migration. — Patriotism versus economic pressure, systemic corruption, integrity and community, or mental health (any one).
- What literary device is used when emigration is called a “new slavery”? — Symbolism.
- Where is the novel mainly set? — Stardom Schools in Lekki, Lagos, in post-pandemic Nigeria (early 2022).
Keep practising
The fastest way to lock in these facts is repetition under exam conditions. Take the Lekki Headmaster practice quiz, then work through full papers on the JAMB CBT practice app so the Use-of-English novel questions become easy marks.
Sources: this summary is drawn from published study guides for the novel (Literature PADI, MySchool, MyQuest). Where a specific detail is not confirmed by the official text, study the copy JAMB gave you at registration.
