Meet Edo IDP who aced JAMB exam

Eighteen-year-old Yahaya Danjuma is an Internally Displaced Person (IDP) from Gworza Local Government Area of Borno State presently at the International Christian Mission Centre (ICMC) camp in Ovia Local Government Area of Edo State. He recently wrote the UTME examination conducted by JAMB and scored 294 out of 400.  In this interview, he speaks on […]

Eighteen-year-old Yahaya Danjuma is an Internally Displaced Person (IDP) from Gworza Local Government Area of Borno State presently at the International Christian Mission Centre (ICMC) camp in Ovia Local Government Area of Edo State. He recently wrote the UTME examination conducted by JAMB and scored 294 out of 400.  In this interview, he speaks on how he achieved the feat. Excerpts:

Daily Trust: As an IDP, how were you able to achieve this?

Yahaya Danjuma: First, I will start with the background of my school, Christ Like School, because in all the examinations I have written we did not indulge in malpractices and that was what helped me to pass my WASC and NECO examinations with good grades and also get 294 in my JAMB examination. I do not depend on anybody, I only depend on my God and my books. And because of that, I prepare very well and succeed in all my examinations. Our guardians taught us to depend on God, and ourselves, so, that aided me in my preparation and with God on my side, I made a good grade.

DT: What subjects did you write?

Danjuma: I sat for English Language, Biology, Physics and Chemistry. In English Language I scored 65, Physics 77, Chemistry 79, Biology 73.

bDanjuma: I want to study Medicine and Surgery at the University of Benin.

DT: What has been your experience in the school at the camp?

Danjuma: My experience is good and bad because of the way I came to the camp but God has been helping us and people have been bringing textbooks and other writing materials, though not enough for us all. So God has helped us, people have helped us and because of that we are doing well in school. The experience is good because despite the manner of coming here, I have got my education right and I am on the verge of entering a university.

DT: You were attending a school in Borno State before the Boko Haram insurgency, how would you describe your experience there and what is it like here at the IDP camp?

Danjuma: I was attending Agapolo Primary School and Universal Basic Education  Government Secondary School in Borno State. The teaching I received there was quite different from the one here. In Borno, though we had teachers, they were not as trained as the ones here. Most of them were National Certificate of Education (NCE) holders but when I came here I met teachers with BSC and master’s degrees. Also, in my former school, I was not reading well because we believed in external help but when I arrived here, I learnt how to depend on myself and work hard. So, my experience here is better than that of my former school.

DT: Can you describe on how you escaped from Boko Haram in Borno to this camp?

Danjuma: It was by the grace of God that we were able to leave our community, Ngoshe in Gworza to this camp. I see the journey as destiny. The Boko Haram disguised as military officers when they entered our village. They were wearing army uniforms and we thought they were military officers who came to our rescue, so the community surrendered to them but soon after that they started killing people and burning down houses. Our house was burnt down. I was in school when my father came to meet me and told me that we had become homeless as Boko Haram militants had destroyed everything we had. My father only escaped with the clothes he was putting on. As we were moving from one place to another in search of a safe place so that I get back to school because I was already in JSS 3, my father heard of this IDP camp and we decided to try the  camp in 2015. That was how I came to this camp and I thank God for leading me to this place because of the education.

DT: How has the camp impacted your life apart from the education?

Danjuma: It has really impacted my life physically and spiritually. I can see that my life is improving. When I am ill, I can easily access healthcare here unlike in our place.

DT: Why do you want to study Medicine and Surgery?

Danjuma: When I came here I saw what our pastor was doing by helping others. When I think of it, I discover that the only way I can help others, especially my people, is by becoming a medical doctor. In our place hospitals are not many, so I believe that when I become a medical doctor I will be able to help others the same way our pastor  has helped us.

DT: Do you have any appeal to the government, organisations or individuals?

Danjuma: The population of people in the camp has increased this year and because of this, textbooks and other instructional materials are not enough so I appeal to them to provide instructional materials so that other students can acquire good education.

DT: What do you think about going back to home?

Danjuma: I will go back but I want to achieve what God has destined in my life. Since it was God plan for me to come here, I believe it is also His plan for me go back home.

DT: Do you have any word for the federal government on Boko Haram?

Danjuma: I want the government to eradicate Boko Haram insurgency so that we can all go back home so many students who are out of school can go back to school because education is the best thing one can obtain. The federal government should also establish schools in the camps so that other IDPs can also have the opportunity to attend schools like us.