How I Got Nine Distinctions In SSSCE -Joseph Lambo

His academic attainment in the Senior Secondary School Examination (SSSCE) is for the records.

16-year old Joseph Lambo started taking his education serious right from his kindergarten days, years after, he has continued to be the best in any examination he sits for.

He had A1 in Marketing, Further mathematics, General mathematics, English Language, Civic Education, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Computer Studies.

In this interview he granted us in the presence of his mother, Olubunmi Lambo, Joseph spoke about his strategy that has earned him distinction and his planned course of study.

He also paid glowing tributes to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Michael Adegbola Lambo for their moral and marital support.

My name is Joseph Lambo, but i give all glory to God over the academic achievement. Most of the time, when I feel that something is difficult and unattainable, I just pray to God and I believe that God always helps me to achieve it. I have always been coming first in school. The Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) was like a challenge because all the examination, where I had been getting the best results were internal examinations, people did not know that I could repeat the same feat in an external examination. The best result in my school last year was seven As and it was a challenge for me to surpass his result so that people could know that it was not only in internal examinations that I could do well. Apart from that, I had to read hard, sometimes I sleep at 4am and wake up at 6am just because i was reading. I was also able to succeed through the help of my friends and colleagues and I thank my parents for their financial and mental support throughout my entire school. These were the things that helped me to achieve my results. I also give thanks to God and my parents for helping me to achieve the results.

Apart from academics, I watch and play football. This even helps me in my academics. I am motivated to work hard by watching footballers because the amount they earn is unbelievable. Sometimes, I just feel that if I work hard I could be known or be celebrated as much as them. Apart from football, I am also good in computer system. I used to make games at a period, but I had to stop so that I could put in more efforts on my academics. I still hope to use my knowledge of computer and coding in the future so that it could help me after finishing school.

From primary school, my parents have always been a determining factor in all my achievements. My father and mother always spend time to help me in my assignment and they paid for one lesson or the other for me apart from paying my school fees. The support and the motivation they have been giving me are helpful. I don’t think I could have done what I did without them.

Initially, I wanted to study computer engineering, but after researching a bit into the course, I discovered that I could learn about it outside the university. The course that actually appeals to me is medicine and I would study computer engineering outside the university. Having knowledge in the two fields would be helpful to me because the world is moving and we cannot do without computer engineers and doctors. So, having knowledge in the two fields would help and assist me.

I have written JAMB and I scored 275, but the computer I used had problem and I could not start until 30 minutes after others had started because of several problems. Also, there were errors in my English Language paper, the nearest in meaning was opposite in meaning and I lost about 40 points because of that mistake. My school of choice is the University of Lagos and post-UTME is not yet out there. There was power problem in the centre, where I sat for JAMB and to even connect the server was hard due to the administrator, there were so many problems at the center. I really tried my best in the examination, but there was nothing I could do again. I am now 17 years old.

On examinations malpractice, my school actually organized a long seminar on that. My principal, Mrs. Onochie is a very religious person as she is a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG). She is against malpractice and she organized a seminar about it for us. A school in the area once  had its external examination cancelled over malpractice, so she does not tolerate it at all. The distance between students during examinations was very far. We were on our own, she only allow us to help each other before the examinations and this made us to work hard. The result of the examination was generally good in my school. However, no student or teacher would assist you, we were not allowed to communicate with anybody during examinations. The only  role my school played was to teach us well before examinations and they taught us how to deal with stress and handle examinations.

I have applied for scholarship awards within and outside the country and I have written many examinations to that effect. I have been reading since I finished. I still have some scholarship awards examinations to write in October and November and if they work out, I hope to have full scholarship awards to study in the United States of America (USA).

That was even when he was as young as a year old. He has always been the best in school since his days at Unique Children School, Omole Estate, Lagos. Right from his days in kindergarten to primary school he was always the best graduating student. He started to be the best again from year seven at Unique Heights, which is the secondary school, till he graduated. So, when the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) came out, it was not a surprise because we had been expecting him to be the best. He represented the school in many events, where he won many medals, but all the same, all glory goes to God.