Lekki Headmaster JAMB Questions and Answers 2026: Complete Study Guide for UTME

If you are preparing for the 2026 UTME, this guide will help you understand the novel clearly and answer questions confidently.

The recommended novel is The Lekki Headmaster written by Kabir Alabi Garba and approved by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.

This guide explains everything in simple English so that even if you have not fully understood the book before, you can now understand it properly.

What Does “Protagonist” Mean?

Before we start, let us explain an important word.

Protagonist means the main character in a story.
It is the person the story is mainly about.

In this novel, the protagonist is Mr. Adewale Adebepo, also called Bepo.

Simple Summary of The Lekki Headmaster

The story is about a school principal named Mr. Adewale Adebepo who works at Stardom Schools in Lekki, Lagos.

Lekki is known as a rich and modern area. The school is a private school owned by a business minded woman called Mrs. Ibidun Gloss.

Mr. Adebepo believes in discipline, honesty and high academic standards. He wants the school to succeed through good education.

However, problems begin when:

Teachers start resigning because many want to travel abroad
There is tension between school management and staff
A large amount of money is discovered in the staff cooperative account
The Managing Director suspects teachers are earning too much

The situation creates conflict between leadership and business interests.

At the end, Bepo faces serious emotional pressure and must decide what kind of leader he wants to be.

Detailed Breakdown of Major Characters

1. Mr. Adewale Adebepo

He is the protagonist, meaning the main character.

He is:

Principled
Strict
Intelligent
Emotional under pressure

He believes education should not be treated only as business.

Why JAMB may ask about him:

His leadership style
His reaction to the cooperative crisis
His moral decisions

2. Mrs. Ibidun Gloss

She is the Managing Director of the school.

She is:

Business oriented
Controlling
Concerned about profit

She believes the school must make money first.

JAMB may test:

Her conflict with Bepo
Her suspicion of staff
Her reaction to the cooperative fund

3. Mr. Fafore

An English teacher dismissed after a grammar controversy.

He represents:

Staff vulnerability
Strict management policies

4. Mr. Okon

President of the cooperative society.

He plays a key role when the cooperative fund issue is discovered.

Character	Role	Key Trait
Mr. Adewale Adebepo	Principal (Protagonist)	Principled, disciplined, under pressure.
Mrs. Ibidun Gloss	Managing Director	Profit-driven, suspicious, controlling.
Mr. Okon	Cooperative President	Represents staff interests/financial tension.
Mr. Fafore	English Teacher	Victim of rigid management policies.

Important Themes Explained in Simple English

1. Japa Syndrome

Japa means leaving Nigeria to travel abroad for better opportunities.

In the novel:

Many teachers want to relocate
Skilled workers are leaving

This shows brain drain in Nigeria.

2. Integrity

Integrity means doing the right thing even when it is hard.

Bepo shows integrity by:

Standing by his principles
Refusing to compromise standards

3. Leadership Conflict

There is conflict between:

Education as a service
Education as a business

Bepo focuses on quality education.
Mrs. Gloss focuses on profit.

4. Suspicion and Trust

When N95 million is found in the cooperative account, management becomes suspicious.

This creates:

Fear
Mistrust
Tension

Important Events You Must Remember

These events are likely to come out in JAMB:

Discovery of N95 million in cooperative account
Teachers hiding their cars
Dismissal of Mr. Fafore
Staff loan limit reduced to N250,000
Emotional breakdown of Bepo
Staff resignations

Memorize financial figures because JAMB likes specific numbers.

50+ Likely JAMB Objective Questions and Answers

Who is the protagonist of the novel?
A. Mrs. Gloss
B. Mr. Okon
C. Adewale Adebepo
D. Tunde
Answer: C
What is Bepo’s position?
A. Proprietor
B. Principal
C. Accountant
D. PTA Chairman
Answer: B
The novel is set mainly in
A. Abuja
B. Port Harcourt
C. Lekki
D. Kano
Answer: C
What amount was discovered in the cooperative fund?
A. N45 million
B. N95 million
C. N20 million
D. N10 million
Answer: B
Why were staff hiding their cars?
A. To avoid robbery
B. To avoid suspicion
C. To save fuel
D. To punish management
Answer: B
Who is the Managing Director?
A. Mrs. Gloss
B. Mrs. Adebayo
C. Mrs. Okon
D. Mrs. Tunde
Answer: A
The major theme of the novel is
A. Politics
B. Oil industry
C. Migration pressure
D. Sports
Answer: C
Japa means
A. School protest
B. Travel abroad for better life
C. Strike action
D. Business expansion
Answer: B
The conflict in the novel is mainly between
A. Students and teachers
B. Parents and students
C. Bepo and management
D. Government and school
Answer: C
The school is located in
A. A rural village
B. A wealthy urban area
C. An industrial site
D. A university campus
Answer: B
Mr. Adewale Adebepo is best described as
A. Careless
B. Principled
C. Corrupt
D. Lazy
Answer: B
The nickname “Bepo” refers to
A. Mr. Okon
B. A student
C. Mr. Adewale Adebepo
D. A parent
Answer: C
Mrs. Ibidun Gloss is mainly concerned about
A. Student friendship
B. School profit
C. Government policy
D. Sports
Answer: B
Mr. Fafore was dismissed because of
A. Theft
B. Fighting
C. A grammar issue
D. Late coming
Answer: C
Mr. Okon is the head of the
A. PTA
B. School board
C. Cooperative society
D. Student union
Answer: C
Bepo believes education should be treated as
A. Pure business
B. Political tool
C. Moral responsibility
D. Entertainment
Answer: C
The staff members hide their cars because they
A. Are ashamed
B. Fear being judged as overpaid
C. Want to save fuel
D. Want to relocate
Answer: B
Mrs. Gloss can be described as
A. Emotional
B. Profit driven
C. Weak
D. Silent
Answer: B
Bepo becomes emotionally stressed because of
A. Student failure
B. Financial pressure and conflict
C. Sports competition
D. Government tax
Answer: B
Tunde represents
A. Academic excellence
B. Migration success
C. Corruption
D. School rivalry
Answer: B
Lekki represents
A. Poverty
B. Rural life
C. Wealth and pressure
D. Farming community
Answer: C
Stardom Schools is a
A. Public school
B. Private school
C. Federal university
D. Polytechnic
Answer: B
The school environment can be described as
A. Disorganized
B. Highly structured
C. Violent
D. Lawless
Answer: B
The location influences the story by creating
A. Political crisis
B. Social pressure
C. Natural disaster
D. Religious conflict
Answer: B
The major theme of the novel is
A. War
B. Migration
C. Agriculture
D. Technology
Answer: B
Brain drain refers to
A. Mental illness
B. Loss of skilled workers
C. School punishment
D. Student failure
Answer: B
Integrity means
A. Dishonesty
B. Doing the right thing
C. Weakness
D. Fear
Answer: B
The cooperative crisis shows
A. Unity
B. Mistrust
C. Celebration
D. Promotion
Answer: B
Leadership conflict occurs between
A. Students and teachers
B. Teachers and parents
C. Bepo and Mrs. Gloss
D. Government and school
Answer: C
The novel teaches that leadership should be based on
A. Profit only
B. Fear
C. Principles
D. Popularity
Answer: C
Suspicion in the novel leads to
A. Trust
B. Harmony
C. Tension
D. Promotion
Answer: C
Education is presented as both
A. Business and service
B. Game and sport
C. Religion and politics
D. Charity and farming
Answer: A
Migration affects the school by
A. Improving performance
B. Reducing staff strength
C. Increasing salary
D. Increasing sports
Answer: B
After the discovery, management became
A. Happy
B. Suspicious
C. Relaxed
D. Supportive
Answer: B
The loan limit was reduced to
A. N500,000
B. N250,000
C. N1 million
D. N50,000
Answer: B
Bepo’s emotional breakdown shows
A. Weakness
B. Leadership pressure
C. Success
D. Celebration
Answer: B
Staff resignations increased because of
A. School relocation
B. Japa trend
C. Student protest
D. Salary increase
Answer: B
The grammar issue led to
A. Promotion
B. Dismissal
C. Award
D. Salary increase
Answer: B
Parents in the novel are concerned about
A. Politics
B. Quality education
C. Farming
D. Music
Answer: B
The cooperative society exists to
A. Punish staff
B. Support staff financially
C. Teach students
D. Control management
Answer: B
The crisis caused
A. Celebration
B. Stability
C. Tension
D. Sports day
Answer: C
Bepo struggles mainly with
A. Student discipline
B. Moral and administrative pressure
C. Sports
D. Farming
Answer: B
Protagonist means
A. Enemy
B. Main character
C. Minor character
D. Narrator
Answer: B
Antagonist means
A. Helper
B. Main hero
C. Opponent
D. Teacher
Answer: C
Conflict means
A. Agreement
B. Peace
C. Disagreement
D. Celebration
Answer: C
Symbolism means
A. Hidden meaning
B. Direct statement
C. Grammar error
D. Question type
Answer: A
Theme means
A. Character
B. Setting
C. Main idea
D. Title
Answer: C
Bepo represents
A. Corruption
B. Ethical leadership
C. Weakness
D. Fear
Answer: B
Mrs. Gloss represents
A. Charity
B. Business minded management
C. Student leadership
D. Migration
Answer: B
The title “The Lekki Headmaster” focuses on
A. The city
B. The school
C. The leader
D. The government
Answer: C
The novel suggests that wealth does not always mean
A. Happiness
B. Cars
C. Schools
D. Business
Answer: A
The major external conflict is between
A. Students and parents
B. School and government
C. Principal and management
D. Teachers and students
Answer: C
The novel warns against
A. Education
B. Lack of trust
C. Friendship
D. Hard work
Answer: B
Bepo’s struggle shows that leadership can be
A. Easy
B. Stressful
C. Funny
D. Short
Answer: B
The cooperative fund discovery creates
A. Unity
B. Celebration
C. Suspicion
D. Promotion
Answer: C
The migration trend weakens
A. Football
B. Staff stability
C. PTA
D. Students
Answer: B
The novel encourages leaders to
A. Compromise values
B. Ignore ethics
C. Stand by principles
D. Focus on money
Answer: C

10 Likely Theory Questions with Answers

Discuss Bepo’s leadership style.
Answer: Bepo is disciplined, principled and reform oriented. He believes in maintaining high academic standards and moral integrity even when facing pressure from management.
Explain the significance of the cooperative crisis.
Answer: The cooperative crisis reveals mistrust between staff and management. It also exposes tension about money and fairness in the school system.
What does Lekki symbolize in the novel?
Answer: Lekki represents wealth, modern lifestyle and social pressure. It shows the difference between appearance and reality.
Discuss the theme of migration.
Answer: The novel shows how many professionals want to leave Nigeria for better opportunities. This affects schools and weakens institutions.
Why is integrity important in the novel?
Answer: Integrity shapes Bepo’s decisions. It shows that leadership should be based on principles, not just profit.

Conclusion

In conclusion, The Lekki Headmaster by Kabir Alabi Garba is more than just a school story. It is a powerful novel that explores leadership, integrity, migration pressure, and the tension between education as a service and education as a business. Through the character of Mr. Adewale Adebepo, readers see the emotional and moral challenges that come with standing by one’s principles in a difficult environment.

For 2026 UTME candidates under the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, understanding this novel goes beyond memorizing events. You must understand the characters, themes, symbols, and conflicts. Pay close attention to key figures like the N95 million cooperative fund and the N250,000 loan limit, as specific details are often tested.

If you carefully study the summary, character analysis, themes, and practice the objective and theory questions provided in this guide, you will be well prepared to answer literature questions confidently.

Revise consistently, understand the deeper meaning of events, and focus on how each conflict connects to the major themes. With proper preparation, you can score high in your Literature section and move one step closer to your admission goals.