Nigerian Lady Shares Heartbreaking Journey of Writing JAMB 5 Times Due to Financial Constraints

A Nigerian woman named Rosemary shared her emotional journey of writing JAMB five times over several years due to financial hardship and her father’s long illness, before finally gaining university admission and graduating, inspiring many online.

A Nigerian woman, identified as Rosemary, has shared the emotional story of her long struggle to gain university admission, which included writing the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination five times.

Taking to TikTok, Rosemary opened up about the challenges she faced growing up, especially after losing her father. She revealed that her first attempt at JAMB coincided with a particularly difficult time when her father was gravely ill, forcing her to drop out of school to care for him while studying from home.

“I’m Rosemary. When I sat for my first JAMB, my father was seriously ill. I had to leave school to care for him and prepare for the exam at home. It was difficult seeing my classmates move on while I was stuck, but I had no choice. Even though I passed, I couldn’t secure admission because we couldn’t afford the school fees,” she recounted.

Rosemary explained that although she passed multiple times, her family couldn’t afford the admission fees due to the high cost and her father’s medical expenses. Over five years, she kept writing JAMB in hopes of one day achieving her dream.

“The university requested a large sum, but all our money went into my father’s treatment. I ended up taking JAMB five times before I finally got into school,” she said.

The most painful part of her experience, she added, was watching her former classmates—many of whom she had tutored in mathematics—graduate while she hadn’t even started her university journey.

“It was heartbreaking. I was one of the best in class and helped others, especially in math. Watching them graduate ahead of me was tough. It made me feel left behind,” she shared.

The prolonged delay in her education also took a toll on her mental health. She revealed that she became socially withdrawn and isolated from her peers.

“At some point, I distanced myself from everyone. But today, I thank God—I’m now a graduate,” she said proudly.

Rosemary also opened up about her father’s long illness, which lasted eight years. She described him as an incredibly intelligent man with a deep knowledge of Nigerian languages and cultures.

“My dad could speak every language in Nigeria. He knew the history of every state and village because he traveled a lot. He would always tell us stories about different parts of the country,” she said fondly.

Rosemary’s heartfelt story has resonated with many online, inspiring others who have faced similar challenges. TikTok users flooded the comments with supportive messages and shared their own experiences:

Reactions from Viewers:

• @ezejenny: “I wrote JAMB 7 times—not because I failed, but because I was never admitted. Now, I’m in 400 level studying Economics. God is good.”
• @neyordelaw: “Wrote JAMB 7 times. Started in 2011, stopped in 2018, missed only 2013. It was tough, but I’m now a Law graduate.”
• @Nanty 🫧💙🦍: “Her dad was a genius—knowing so many languages and sharing rich cultural stories is no small feat.”
• @Hajiya Ramatu: “God has truly been faithful to your life, Roseline ♥️.”

🎥 Watch the video:
View on TikTok – @yomilistens
She was studying for JAMB when she received the heartbreaking news of her father’s passing.

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SOURCES: ALLSCHOOL, GISTREEL