While many adults are setting limits for
themselves in life, a nine-year-old Miss Anjola
Victoria Mautin Botoku, a pupil of Edidot School,
Badore, Ajah and daughter of a Lagos Chief
Magistrate dared all odds and took part of her
up-keep money to register for last year’s
November/December WASSCE with Exam Number
5250802098.
She was assisted by her older siblings without
her parents’ knowledge at the Eti-Osa Centre not
out of a desire to experiment and test her
knowledge and ability to write an external
examination and with little or no coaching and at
the tender age of nine passed English and French
languages at credit level despite thousands of
“qualified candidates” failing English Language
woefully year after year and coaching upon
coaching.
Miss Anjola Botoku registered as a private
candidate for five subjects, namely English
Language, Mathematics, French, Yoruba, Food
and Nutrition, and Christian Religious Knowledge.
She sat for only two subjects, English and
French, after going through some past GCE
question papers, but was absent for the others
because she wasn’t prepared for them. When the
results were released, she scored C6 in English
and C5 in French.
The young girl took the huge gamble without the
knowledge of her parents or school teachers. “I
was aware I was underage and it was illegal but
determination and curiosity took the better part
of me,” she said.
Recounting her experience, Anjola said: “I studied
a lot preparing for the exam using old past
question papers of GCE. Nobody was aware in
my school what I was up to although what I
learnt at school played a huge role, as well as
the coaching from my parents. My mother was
my English teacher while my father took me on
French lessons.”
Her parents were informed of the action after the
registration process was complete and they
coached her in the two subjects.
“When I told my parents about it, they were
shocked and felt it was a daring joke considering
my age, but I begged them to coach me for the
exam. They both had degrees in English and
French respectively before studying Law. My dad
is a bilingual lawyer and a former French
teacher.”
Like every child, Anjola’s biggest wish is to
secure a scholarship into a great secondary
school as she feels it will help her excel. “It
would encourage me greatly to excel because I
will feel fulfilled to have stepped into my
mother’s shoes. My mum won a scholarship
when she was my age. I am currently preparing
for entrance examination into secondary school
and would prefer Lagoon Secondary School or
Atlantic Hall School.”
As expected, she faced a number of challenges
sitting for the examinations and the biggest ones
were peering eyes that kept staring at her and
being denied access into the hall. “Several times,
I was denied access into the hall by examiners.
It was the biometric test, which matched my
thumbprint with the one in their system that
usually saves the situation”.
“Some candidates were mocking me and calling
me names like ‘over-ambitious’, ‘wait for your
time.’ Another challenge was when the computer
rejected my original age. I burst into tears when
my application was rejected. I had to falsify my
age by adding five years before the application
could be completed.”
She spoke further about her school and another
huge desire to visit Paris. “In Edidot School, they
usually organize French Day and Miss French
pageant competition. I once won the Miss French
competition. Currently, I am the Head-Girl of my
school. My daddy said Paris is a beautiful city. I
heard of the famous French proverb ‘See Paris
and die’, and I wish to visit Paris some day.
“My dream is to be a medical doctor in future. If
possible, be the youngest medical doctor in the
history of Nigeria. I will continue reading and
preparing for my exams, and write the GCE again
when I officially attain the age of 13. This
attempt was an experiment.”
She expressed her displeasure with the age limit
set by the examination body for the examination
stating other places in the world do not use such
restrictions. “I would like the concerned
authorities to change the age limit to allow
Nigerians break or set new world records.
Recently, a 10-year-old Nigerian passed
Microsoft professional exams; the youngest
medical doctor in the world is aged 17.
“Also, the youngest professor ever, Alla Sabur,
became a professor at age 18. She was an
undergraduate at 10 and got her first degree at
14 from New York State University.
“My message to children of my age is for them
to cultivate the reading culture, be ready to learn
and show seriousness in the studies because
having the right attitude is better than hard-work
and knowledge.”
Anjola’s mother, Mrs Abosede Botoku had much
to say about her daughter. She described Anjola,
the baby of the house among two boys, as an
extrovert, hardworking, inquisitive, and talkative.
“She works with less supervision at her age,
even with her school assignments. She is an
early riser; she sleeps at 8pm and wakes at 6am
daily.”

Like every child, Anjola’s biggest wish is to
secure a scholarship into a great secondary
school as she feels it will help her excel. “It
would encourage me greatly to excel because I
will feel fulfilled to have stepped into my
mother’s shoes. My mum won a scholarship
when she was my age. I am currently preparing
for entrance examination into secondary school
and would prefer Lagoon Secondary School or
Atlantic Hall School.”

All i can say to the OP is that we will meet in court, for denying me my fundamental right to first to comment according to paragraph 15, subsection 5, section 15 of the 2005 constitution of Nairaland.

@OP, lemme tell you, i have the full backing and support of the Nairaland Space Bookers Association, they will soon troop in.

“I
was aware I was underage and it was illegal but
determination and curiosity took the better part
of me,” she said.

bizngr: Who in that WAEC Board approved her application?
Chai, Nigeria.

DONMAYOR19: she dreamt of going to one of this school via scholarship.



and today she has been given a full scholarship to study in Atlantic Hall school, Ajar. with a school fee worth more than 2m/session.

Enahi: A Hall is not located at Ajah,its located at Epe.

Johnfavour: I pray the witches n wizard of your home do not do evil to you. May you succeed. Op, btw, y did u book space for yourself? U neva join association oh

lawrenceunaa: if this is true then she tried but i still have my doubts cos of the comprehension and phonetic parts of waec english questions

nwaobitex: so? where's pix

funshyboi: Show me the result or #idontBelieve #TeamThomas

DONMAYOR19: the story is worth doubting just like u said. But is a fact and I will tell u that if u see this girl and the way she always study, u will appreciate education.

funshyboi: Show me the result or #idontBelieve #TeamThomas