Being a Jambito is not Disease -By Abdulrasheed Akere Abdulkareem

“Jambito is an appellation given to the newly admitted students in higher institution by the returning students or other members of the university. The name is widely given to those who just got admitted by the Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) into the Nigerian universities, as a jest for being neonates in their various institutions.

It is however a surprise to me when I observed that most new students find it offensive when they’re called “Jambito”. A lot of the newly admitted students hate being attached to the name, Jambito, because it is often seen as a ridicule to them and their ego.

Nevertheless, the Jambito naming shouldn’t be a source of the feeling of inferiority, because it is tenurial. Everyone who has gone through JAMB to be admitted into higher institution has once been called a Jambito. And it is a matter of time before new students will be admitted and the Jambito title will be passed down to them while you call them Jambito too.

Therefore, being a Jambito should be a reason to smile because it shows brilliancy and luck with JAMB. Considering the great number of JAMB applicants who aspire to get admitted into higher institution, yet only few are always lucky to secure such aspirations either by the grades or pure luck, you should consider yourself lucky.

Dear Jambitos, it is an opportunity for you to be in university; so do not misuse it. Not everyone is as lucky as you are, as many of your friends are still at home, battling with JAMB, in order to gain admission into higher institution as you’ve done. So, be proud of yourself, be grateful to God for giving you the chance, and be diligent with your primary purpose at the university.
You’re the leaders of tomorrow (Jambitos) and your journey here is for a little time, so do not start on a bad note as the end will ask for your beginning”the tomorrow lies on today”.

Be of good character to all as most institution like Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS) award degree based on character and learning. So keep good company, stay away from examination malpractice because it will destroy you and your future, and be a good ambassador of your parents and your society at large.

Believe in the saying that “nothing is easy and nothing difficult” so, no one should deceive you by saying ‘school is hard and you can’t graduate with first class’. First class is what you can achieve if you work for it now. But, if you play with your studies in your fresh-stage and fail woefully, you may not graduate with it.

And to the seniors of the moment, remember you have also been in a jambitos shoes before, so be kind and be worthy of the title given to you as seniors. Encourage and motivate them to strive for good grades because it’s meant for human beings not for the demons.

In conclusion, Jambito” is a title you should be proud of, because it portends you as a prospect of greatness, aspiring for greatness.

Abdulrasheed Akere Abdulkareem, a 200-Level Student of Education Biology @UDUS