JAMB Recommended Novel 2027: What to Read

If you are sitting UTME in 2027, the JAMB recommended novel 2027 for Use of English is The Lekki Headmaster by Kabir Alabi Garba. It is not optional reading for Arts students alone: every candidate, whether you are going for Medicine, Engineering, Law or Mass Communication, will meet questions drawn from this text in the Use of English paper. This guide explains what the novel is about, the characters and themes JAMB is likely to test, how the text is examined, how to get your copy (including the free one you are entitled to at registration), and how to study it without confusing it with the separate Literature-in-English texts. Treat it as your working plan, and still confirm the title on the official JAMB brochure before your exam.

Which Novel Has JAMB Recommended for 2027?

The text is The Lekki Headmaster by Kabir Alabi Garba. According to myschool.ng, the newly introduced compulsory reading text for the JAMB Use of English exam is this novel. A study guide published by EXAM MAJOR also lists it as the 2027 JAMB novel for English, giving the author as Kabir Alabi Garba, the page count as 64 pages, and the number of UTME questions as about 10.

Three things you should note about its scope:

It applies to every UTME candidate. Science, commercial and arts students all write the same Use of English paper, so the same novel applies to all of you.
It is a comprehension text, not a Literature text. You are tested on your ability to read and understand, which is why the questions come inside the Use of English paper.
Confirm it yourself. JAMB can adjust its reading list from year to year, and third-party websites are not JAMB. Before you spend money on a copy, check the official JAMB brochure or JAMB’s verified channels for the current session. If the brochure still lists The Lekki Headmaster, you are on safe ground.

One caution: some websites carry conflicting details about this novel. One study guide online attributes it to a different author and gives a page count of about 200, which does not match the 64 pages reported by EXAM MAJOR and other sources. Where sources disagree, trust the official JAMB brochure and the physical copy handed to you at registration.

The Lekki Headmaster: Story and Setting

The novel is set in Lekki, the highbrow area of Lagos State, inside a private school called Stardom Schools. According to EXAM MAJOR, the story centres on Mr Adebepo Adewale, known simply as Bepo, a strict and principled school administrator assigned to manage the troubled school. The plot follows him as he tries to run the school properly while dealing with the pressures around him.

That setting is not decoration. Lekki stands for new money, gated estates, expensive cars and parents who expect premium service because they pay premium fees. A private school in that environment faces a constant pull between doing what is right for the pupils and doing what keeps the fees coming. That tension is the engine of the story.

The book is short, about 64 pages according to EXAM MAJOR. That is a weekend’s reading, or two evenings if you read slowly. There is no excuse for entering the hall without having finished it at least twice.

Main Characters You Should Know

JAMB comprehension questions often turn on why a character acted the way they did. Knowing who is who, and what each person wants, is therefore more useful than memorising page numbers.

Bepo Adewale and the school proprietress

Mr Adebepo “Bepo” Adewale is the central figure: strict, principled and determined to impose order on a school that has been run loosely. His conflict with the proprietress is the classic Nigerian private-school quarrel: the administrator wants standards, the owner wants profit and happy fee-paying parents. Watch how Bepo handles pressure from above. Does he bend, or does he hold his ground? Questions on motive usually sit right there.

The wealthy, demanding Lekki parents

The parents are a collective character in their own right: wealthy, influential and quick to complain. They can threaten to withdraw a child, or to make trouble, over a punishment or a low score. They represent the customer-is-always-right mentality that makes discipline difficult in a fee-paying school. Expect questions that ask you to infer a parent’s attitude from what they say or do.

Teachers and pupils who drive the conflict

The teachers and pupils carry the day-to-day conflict. Some staff are dedicated; others are discouraged, underpaid or tempted to cut corners. Pupils from wealthy homes sometimes behave as if rules do not apply to them. Note who supports Bepo, who undermines him, and which pupil or teacher triggers a turning point in the story.

Themes and Lessons JAMB Tests

Theme questions are common because they test whether you understood the book, not whether you crammed it. These are the big ones:

Education quality versus profit. Can a school be both a business and a place of genuine learning? The novel keeps pushing that question through the owner’s decisions and Bepo’s resistance.
Social class and corruption. Money buys influence in Lekki, and the novel shows how wealth can bend rules, silence complaints and reward the wrong people. Corruption here is not only cash in an envelope; it is also favouritism and cover-ups.
Discipline, integrity and leadership. Bepo’s strictness is the test case. Is he a bully, or the only honest man in the building? Be ready to argue both sides with evidence from the text.

For each theme, prepare at least two specific incidents from the book that illustrate it. A theme answer without an example is a guess.

How the Novel Is Tested in UTME

Expect roughly 10 comprehension questions drawn from the text, according to EXAM MAJOR. They are not there to punish you for not memorising page 37. They test three things:

Plot detail — what happened, who did it, and what followed.
Character motive — why a character acted as they did, or what a statement reveals about them.
Theme — what the passage or incident is really saying about education, money or integrity.

The practical method in the hall is simple: read the passage first, then answer in your own words. Do not jump to the options. Cover them, form your own answer, then pick the option closest to it. That single habit defeats most distractors, because wrong options are usually true statements from the novel that do not answer the particular question asked. Also watch for words like except, not and best.

How to Get Your Copy (Including the Free One)

Here is the part many candidates miss. According to EXAM MAJOR, you are entitled to a free physical copy at your CBT registration centre. If it was not handed to you during registration, ask for it. Do not assume it will be given on exam day, and do not pay a second time for something you are owed.

If you must buy, or want a second copy to mark up, follow this order:

Buy the physical book from a reputable bookshop or a verified vendor. Check the author’s name and the title on the cover before paying.
Use verified online summaries as support, not as a substitute. Chapter summaries are useful for revision, but the questions are set from the actual text, and summaries often disagree with each other (as the conflicting author and page-count claims show).
Be careful with “JAMB novel 2027 PDF download” links. Many are outdated, incomplete, or carry the wrong author. If a PDF does not match your physical copy, discard it.

A practical tip: read with a pen. Underline names, dates and any decision a character makes. Your marked copy becomes your revision notes.

Don’t Confuse It With Literature-in-English Texts

This is the mistake that costs Arts students marks every year. Use of English and Literature-in-English are two different JAMB subjects with two different reading lists.

Use of English novel	Literature-in-English texts
Compulsory for every UTME candidate	Only for candidates writing Literature-in-English (mainly Arts students)
One text: The Lekki Headmaster by Kabir Alabi Garba	Separate prose, drama and poetry texts
Tested through comprehension questions	Tested through literary analysis, context and appreciation

According to a 2027 JAMB Literature-in-English syllabus breakdown published by Students Forum Nigeria, the prescribed texts include Efua Sutherland’s The Marriage of Anansewa and Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra for drama, and Pede Hollist’s So the Path Does Not Die, Elma Shaw’s Redemption Road and Susanne Bellefeuille’s Path of Lucas for prose. EXAM MAJOR makes the same point plainly: do not confuse JAMB Literature novels with the one for English. Always check the current JAMB Literature syllabus for the full and final list, since prescribed texts can change.

Study Plan for the Novel

Sixty-four pages do not need a semester. They need a plan. Here is one that fits around school or work:

First read: story only. Two sittings, no notes. Just enjoy it and know what happens.
Second read: detail. Slower, with a pen. Mark characters, motives, key incidents and any line that states a theme.
Make one-page notes. A character map (who wants what, who clashes with whom) and a theme sheet (three themes, two incidents each).
Practise past questions. Use JAMB comprehension past questions to train the read-first, answer-in-your-own-words habit. Time yourself: about one minute per question.
Do a timed skim a week before the exam. Flip through your marked copy and your notes. Do not start a new summary site at that stage; it will only confuse you.

Common mistakes to avoid: reading only a summary, memorising page numbers, ignoring the theme questions because they feel “subjective”, and assuming the novel is for Arts students only.

Conclusion

The JAMB recommended novel 2027, The Lekki Headmaster by Kabir Alabi Garba, is short, readable and directly relevant to the Nigeria you live in: private schools, fee-paying parents, pressure on teachers and the daily choice between integrity and convenience. Collect your free copy at registration, read it twice, keep short notes on characters and themes, and practise comprehension under time. Then confirm the title on the official JAMB brochure, and walk into that hall knowing the book better than the person beside you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the JAMB recommended novel for 2027?

The Lekki Headmaster by Kabir Alabi Garba, according to myschool.ng and EXAM MAJOR. It is the compulsory Use of English reading text for all UTME candidates, but confirm it on the official JAMB brochure before your exam.

Is The Lekki Headmaster the same novel for JAMB 2026 and 2027?

Sources indicate it was in use for 2026 and is listed again for 2027, but reading lists can change between sessions. Check the official JAMB brochure for your year rather than relying on a past candidate’s copy.

How many questions come from the JAMB novel in UTME?

About 10 comprehension questions, according to EXAM MAJOR. They test plot detail, character motive and theme rather than memorised page numbers.

Do I get the JAMB novel free at my CBT centre?

Yes. According to EXAM MAJOR, you are entitled to a free physical copy at your CBT registration centre. If it is not handed to you during registration, ask for it.

Is the JAMB English novel different from the Literature-in-English novels?

Yes. The Use of English novel is compulsory for every candidate, while Literature-in-English has its own separate prose, drama and poetry texts for Arts students. Check the current JAMB Literature syllabus for those titles.

Sources and further reading

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JAMB Novel 2027: The Lekki Headmaster Guide