The JAMB novel for English this is most likely The Lekki Headmaster by Kabir Alabi Garba.
See all you need on the JAMB novel for English this year: what the book is about, the characters and themes, how JAMB frames questions from the novel and the best study strategy for this section.
- ALSO READ: FULL SUMMARY OF THE LEKKI HEADMASTER NOVEL
Remember that since English is compulsory in JAMB for all, this novel also applies to every UTME candidate, no matter your course or institution.
A whole 10 out of the 60 JAMB English questions will be asked just from this novel alone.
But this is different from Literature novels.
The compulsory JAMB novel rule
Use of English and Literature-in-English are two separate JAMB subjects.
Literature-in-English is an optional JAMB subject for Arts students while Use of English is compulsory for all JAMB candidate in Nigeria.
And this JAMB English novel is for Use of English, not Literature-in-English, therefore compulsory for both Science, Commercial and Arts candidates alike.
But you’re not studying The Lekki Headmaster for deep literature knowledge rather because JAMB will ask you factual and interpretive questions from the text.
And each correct answer adds to your Use of English score.
Unlike the comprehension passages or lexis and structure questions, where you meet unfamiliar material in the hall, this JAMB ENGLISH NOVEL QUESTIONS test what you had months to study before the exam began.
Candidates who read the JAMB English novel well can score 9 or 10 out of 10 in this section.
While those who skipped it will score 0 to 3.
That gap alone can be the difference between a 240 and a 260 in your overal JAMB score.
Approved JAMB English novel
The JAMB English novel will be The Lekki Headmaster by Kabir Alabi Garba.
It replaces The Life Changer by Khadija Abubakar Jalli, which served for the previous exams.
Any candidate who reads The Life Changer in preparation for the 2027 UTME will find that none of the 10 novel questions match what they studied.
The Lekki Headmaster by Kabir Alabi Garba
| Title | The Lekki Headmaster |
| Author | Kabir Alabi Garba |
| Number of pages | 64 pages |
| Questions in UTME | 10 questions |
| Applies to | All JAMB UTME candidates |
| Free copy | You’re entitled to a free physical copy at your CBT registration centre. If you weren’t given during registration, request it. |
The novel is set in the highbrow Lekki area of Lagos State and centres on Mr. Adebepo Adewale, (“Bepo”) a strict and principled school admin assigned to manage Stardom Schools, a troubled private school in Lekki.
The story follows Bepo as he navigates the challenges of school management, corruption in the education system, irresponsible staff, poor student behaviour and a personal moral dilemma that runs throughout the narrative.
Bepo’s wife Seri has already relocated to the UK and is urging him to follow her and their children, representing the “Japa” syndrome that has been drawing Nigerian professionals abroad.
Bepo must choose between his family and his commitment to fixing the broken educational environment he is in.
- READ THE FULL SUMMARY HERE
Key figures in JAMB novel for English
JAMB questions from the novel often ask who said what, who performed a particular action or what motivated a specific character’s behaviour.
These questions can only be answered when you’re familiar with the characters.
1. Mr. Adebepo Adewale (Bepo)
The protagonist and the “Lekki Headmaster” of the title.
Bepo is defined by his strict discipline, principled approach to school management and unwavering commitment to integrity.
He’s the central moral anchor of the novel and the character around whom every major conflict revolves.
His internal struggle between leaving Nigeria for the UK and staying to fight for educational standards is the major theme of this JAMB English novel.
JAMB questions about Bepo tend to focus on his decisions, his motivations, his relationship with staff and students and specific instances where his character is tested.
Know his full name, his title at the school, and the key moral choices he makes at different points in the narrative.
2. Seri
Bepo’s wife, already relocated to the UK.
Seri represents the pull of migration and personal family obligation.
She functions as the primary external pressure on Bepo, repeatedly urging him to leave Nigeria.
Questions about Seri in JAMB often test whether you understand her role in the central conflict and can distinguish her position from Bepo’s.
3. Audu
A supporting character whose specific role and interactions with Bepo contribute to the narrative’s exploration of loyalty and professional conduct within the school environment.
Minor characters like Audu are the type of detail JAMB tests in the novel section to separate those who read the book from those who read only summaries.
4. Minor characters and staff members
The novel includes various staff members, students and community figures who interact with Bepo throughout the story.
Some JAMB questions can surprise you by asking about unexpected characters and events involving them.
Read the JAMB novel for English carefully for all named characters, not just the major ones.
Questions from JAMB novel section
The JAMB English novel are tested in two ways: factual recall and theme interpretation.
Factual recall questions ask:
- what happened?
- who said it?
- where it occurred?
Thematic questions ask:
- what the author was trying to communicate through a character’s action or a specific event.
PRACTICE JAMB QUESTIONS ON THE LEKKI HEADMASTER
Core themes in The Lekki Headmaster
| Theme | In the novel |
|---|---|
| Educational integrity | The challenges of managing a school system amidst modern pressures and corruption |
| Leadership and ethics | Personal accountability and the weight of holding community trust |
| The Japa syndrome and migration | Nigeria’s brain drain and the conflict between personal opportunity and national duty |
| Socio-economic realities | Contrasts of daily life, morality, and survival in Lagos |
| Family versus professional duty | Bepo’s tension between his wife’s demands and his professional commitment |
| Moral courage | The willingness to do the right thing under pressure |
Educational integrity is the most featured theme in the JAMB English novel and also the most likely to generate multiple exam questions.
Bepo’s persistent effort to run Stardom Schools well despite institutional resistance is the main expression of this theme.
Understand specific events in the novel where Bepo’s integrity is challenged, who challenges it and how he responds.
Under Leadership and ethics, JAMB questions may ask about specific decisions Bepo makes that show ethical leadership or characters whose behaviour contrasts with Bepo’s standards.
The Japa syndrome reflects a real-time social reality that makes the novel very relevant to 2027 candidates.
JAMB may also ask you to identify the theme represented by Seri’s departure or to explain what Bepo’s decision to stay represents.
How to score 10/10 in the JAMB novel questions
1. Read the full text
Summaries prepare you for broad plot questions but JAMB consistently includes more detailed questions that only a full reading can prepare you for.
What a character ate during a specific scene, the exact words used in a particular conversation, which character made an observation at a specific point in the narrative.
These are the questions that separate high scorers from average ones.
2. Make a character log
After your first reading, write down every named character in the JAMB English novel, their relationship to Bepo and at least two specific things they did or said in the text.
This log becomes your revision tool few weeks before the exam.
3. Identify quotable moments
JAMB sometimes presents a line from the English noveland asks you who said it or in what context.
Read carefully for dialogue and memorable passages attributed to specific characters, especially those expressions in another language.
4. Practice with past questions
Even though the JAMB novel changes from cycle to cycle, the question format remains the same.
Reviewing how JAMB asked questions about The Life Changer gives you a better preview of the types of questions they’ll ask about The Lekki Headmaster.
Get our JAMB ENGLISH PAST QUESTIONS for practice.
5. Cross-check with the syllabus
The JAMB English syllabus states which aspects of the novel JAMB expects candidates to be familiar with.
Check your reading with the OFFICIAL JAMB ENGLISH SYLLABUS to confirm you’re covering the right areas.
Mistakes that cost candidates novel marks
First is that thousands of candidates every cycle read the wrong JAMB novel.
Any site still listing The Life Changer or Sweet Sixteen as the current prescribed text is outdated.
Verify the novel title against the official JAMB website or the JAMB English syllabus before you invest weeks of study.
Another mistake is thinking that reading summary is enough.
Those who read only summaries miss the deeper questions that are the most predictable part of the paper.
Thirdly, most candidates sometimes assume JAMB novel for English is only for Literature-in-English students.
It is not.
The JAMB English novel apply to the Use of English paper, which every candidate sits.
Treating the novel as optional because “I’m not doing Literature” is the surest way to lose 10 free marks.
Finally, JAMB knows that many candidates focus on the protagonist and major characters.
Sudden questions about minor characters, supporting staff and students are often included to separate surface-level from genuine readers.
Know every named character in The Lekki Headmaster.
Summary Checklist: Your JAMB Novel Preparation Plan
- Confirm the JAMB 2027 English novel is The Lekki Headmaster before starting your study.
- Read the full novel twice before your exam date.
- Create a character log covering every named character, their role and specific actions.
- Identify five core themes and specific scenes or events that represent each one.
- Test yourself with practice questions on the JAMB English novel.
- In the final week before the exam, read your character log and theme notes rather than reading the full text again.
Frequently asked questions on JAMB novel for English
The approved JAMB English novel for 2026 is The Lekki Headmaster by Kabir Alabi Garba. It applies to all UTME candidates in 2027 and replaces The Life Changer from previous cycles.
Yes. The JAMB novel is for the Use of English paper, which is compulsory for every JAMB candidate regardless of their course, faculty or institution.
10 questions in the Use of English paper are drawn directly from the prescribed JAMB novel. These 10 questions represent a significant portion of the total Use of English score.
Yes. All JAMB candidates are entitled to a free physical copy of The Lekki Headmaster at their accredited CBT registration centre. If you were not given one during registration, return to the centre and request it.
No. Summaries prepare you for broad plot questions but cannot prepare you for the detail-level questions about minor characters, specific dialogue, and incidental events that JAMB consistently includes in the novel section.
You will be unable to answer any of the 10 novel questions correctly, since they are drawn exclusively from the prescribed 2027 text. The Life Changer is no longer the approved JAMB novel and will not feature in the 2026 exam.
Conclusion
The JAMB novel for English is the most predictable scoring opportunities in the entire UTME because the characters, themes and events are knowable months before exam day.
The text is fixed and publicly available.
So, there’s no surprise variable in this section unlike in comprehension passages or oral English.
Candidates who invest time in The Lekki Headmaster by Kabir Alabi Garba, reading it fully, studying its characters and understanding its themes will approach those 10 questions with confidence.
Read the full novel. Study every character. Understand every theme.
And walk into the exam hall knowing Bepo’s story better than you know your own exam timetable.
Speaking of timetable, check our JAMB LATEST UPDATES PAGE or join our WhatsApp group for real-time updates and study tips throughout this exam and admission season.
GOOD LUCK.
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