Sometime ago, a few months back actually, the not-so-honorable members of the House of Representatives (by now, we all know the only thing they represent is their selfish interest and their individual pockets) argued on the benefits and demerits of the Post-UME (University Matriculation examinations) examinations. Many agreed that it was creating double cost and it was inconveniencing to both the candidates and their parents. Some went ahead to question the integrity of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) if there had to be another examination to revalidate its results and qualify students seeking admission into the nations tertiary institutions. After hearing the arguments the speaker of the house, Hon. Dimeji Bankole agreed that it (the post-UME) should be suspended until further notice.
This development gave rise to a lot of debates in the media. Series of interviews with officials of the National University Council (NUC) and officials from JAMB were aired live on television. For a moment we all thought our law makers were worth their salt, or should I say their outrageous allowances. Surprisingly, before parents and candidates could hive a sigh of relief, universities and other tertiary institutions within the country began the sales of post-UME forms and scratch cards.
TODAY; the 19th of July, the time is 9 0’clock.I write to you from the front gate of the Igbariam campus of the Anambra State University (ANSU) where I am the chaperone to my younger brother who is seating for the post-UME. To be eligible we had to part with N3,200.00 only as payment for the post-UME forms. Travel allowances, and other inconveniencies are not included. To be eligible in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, one has to pay a thousand naira and I am thinking perhaps because it is a federal university.
Now staring into the visibly downcast, stressed and worry-stricken faces of these fellow youths; some younger, some older than my twenty-something year old self, I begin to wonder when Hon.Dimeji Bankole, who has now become famous for suspending his nemesis and arch-rivals and who also suspended this sham of an exam, lifted the suspension. Maybe I missed the news or I didn’t read the dailies where he said the suspension was lifted but I sure watched the one where he did say “suspended until further notice”. The only thing I may have not been able to decipher is if he was laughing or joking when he was saying it or maybe as this is Nigeria, portable bullion vans have changed hands. Yes! I said it.
If you had watched the interview on Channels television, with one of the female executives of the NUC, you would have seen how shallow she was in her arguments. All she did, for those of us who read between the lines well, was defend the money she gets from the very lucrative business called Post-UME. Our leaders have seized to be for the people as it is meant to be in a democratic government. They only concern themselves with the passage and sustenance of bills that enrich them and the few privileged Elite.
Back to my present location. Even in a small unit of the nation you can still find all the symptoms of the disease that has plagued it. Right now, the desperate youths (who can blame them) are trying to gain entrance into the university premises; the venue of the exams, in a manner that seems like a Tug-of-War. Doing their best to restrain the students and maintain orderliness, the ill thinking security personnel are releasing shots from a pump action gun into the air and soon they begin to abuse the human rights of these young adults further by whipping them with a horse whip and branches from trees.
On the other hand, commercial exploitation takes center stage as traders do their best to over maximize profit. To have your passport stapled onto your examination slip cost N10.00 per pin and a bottle of 7up that cost N50 is being sold for 60. With no one to look up to, these youths seek divine intervention from the almighty and merciful God. I watch as they bow their heads and stretch their already tired arms, with their writing materials in them, out. A self acclaimed man of God now begins to pray for their success. I don’t know if they gave offerings at the end.
Nevertheless, as a good “tatafoo”, I take time to listen to the discussion going on next to me and the news that caught my ears is that there’s been an accident. A post-UME candidate trying to make it to the venue on commercial motorbike was crushed. Now the inherent risks of the cross country journeys, accompanied with travel expenses have been made obvious; the financial burden being the lesser of the evils.
A professional journalist is not what I am but if you like you can call me a professional “amebo”, but at this point let me also ask; if Ghana and the United kingdom require only West African Secondary School Examination (WASSCE) to admit Nigerian students, how come two exams, the WASSCE and JAMB administered UME, is not enough to qualify a Nigerian for entry into a Nigerian university? Something is obviously wrong with JAMB; perhaps it lacks integrity or why would the Post-UME be required to revalidate the scores obtained from JAMB.
At this point, the sun is at its blazing peak and I still can’t find a decent seat to rest my human sticks, so I support the motion for the Post-UME to be SCRAPPED. Then again if the honorable speaker’s word is not law then mine is best left unsaid, but na me get my mouth!
