Gabriel Dike
Ekene Franklin Ezenala, the 15-year-old boy who had the highest scores in this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), opened up, yesterday, on the hope of gaining admission into the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka.
Despite the disclosure that he would not be offered admission in UNILAG, because of an age barrier policy, Ekene said is still hopeful that something could still be done about his case.
“Said Ekene: I know it is their law and, if it is the will of God, something can done to change the situation.
“I know I can not change the law on UNILAG admission criteria, but, I hope someone can come to my aid on this age issue.
“Initially, I wasn’t aware of the UNILAG law, which states a student must be 16 years old. Based on that, I picked UNILAG as first choice. It is the university law, no one is above it. If I don’t get support from government or the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), on the age issue, I may wait for next year to write another UTME but, if I get any scholarship offer, I will accept it.
“I prefer scholarship that would enable me travel abroad.”
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Oloyede Ishaq, while announcing the 2019 UTME results, revealed that Ekene would not be considered for admission by UNILAG because he is 15 years old.
Ekene reiterated to Daily Sun, yesterday, that his focus is to get scholarship and go abroad to study Chemical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), in the United States of America.
Ekene, who is currently writing the May/June 2019 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) said if he does not get admission or any scholarship, he would prepare for the 2020 UTME. “But, I don’t want to waste my high score,” he added.
Asked how hebecame UTME’x highest scorer this year, Ekene said he was expecting to be among the 10 highest scorers in the UTME and that he prepared for the examination just as other candidates.
His mother, Mrs. Ezenala, described Ekene as an “exceptional child with special brain” and that “he did not attend any JAMB coaching class or school lessons.”
She revealed that Ekene represented the school and Lagos State, in several competitions, and won many laurels for the state and school.
She hoped government, organisations or an individual would award Ekene scholarship; to enable him achieve his dream.
“I don’t want his high score in UTME to be wasted because of age issue. If we knew UNILAG would not admit him because of his age, we wouldn’t have encouraged him to apply to the university. I seek the intervention of government and people, to solve to this age issue’’, his mother said.
At his school, Meiran Community High School, Meiran, Lagos, some of his teachers and classmates acknowledged Ekene’s academic prowess and described him as a genius. They also appealed for help from government and organizations to ensure Ekene does not lose his admission because of the age issue.