Yomi BlackNigerian History is examined at advanced level depth, a taught year beyond the school certificate. That is the sentence to hold onto, because the same subject examined by a different body at a different depth needs a different plan, and candidates who carry preparation across from one to the other lose marks they did not need to lose.
- Subject
- Nigerian History
- Examined by
- IJMB
- Format here
- Written examinations per subject, with practicals where relevant, at the end of the programme
- Depth
- Advanced level depth, a taught year beyond the school certificate
- What the grade does
- An aggregate used for Direct Entry at 200 level, with recognition strongest among northern Nigerian universities
- Papers
- Objective and essay.
- Required for
- History, international relations, political science, law and archaeology
How IJMB examines this subject
The format is written examinations per subject, with practicals where relevant, at the end of the programme, and it is marked for points, aggregated across three subjects.
Three subjects only, so each carries a third of your aggregate and there is nowhere to hide a weak one.
What the subject covers
Use these topic areas as the frame for your own checklist, then verify the detail against the syllabus IJMB publishes itself, because depth and emphasis shift between curriculum cycles even when the headings do not.
- Pre-colonial states and societies.
- Trans-Saharan and Atlantic trade.
- Colonial conquest and administration.
- Nationalism and the road to independence.
- The First Republic, the civil war and military rule.
- The return to civilian rule and contemporary Nigeria.
The paper structure, and how to weight your time
Objective and essay.
Split your preparation roughly in the proportion the components are weighted. Candidates habitually over-prepare the part they enjoy and meet the other part for the first time in the hall.
What makes it hard
It is marked on argument, and candidates trained to memorise dates write answers that contain everything except the thing being assessed.
Set that against how this examination works. A taught year at an accredited centre, with the centre’s quality mattering more than any study technique you bring.
Where marks are lost in this subject
- Narrating events where the question asks you to assess causes or consequences.
- Dates without argument. A correct chronology with no analysis scores in the lower band.
- Ignoring the pre-colonial section, which candidates consistently under-prepare.
For every topic, write the three strongest arguments on each side. The essay marks are for weighing them, not for listing events.
Turning it into a plan
- Get the current syllabus from IJMB and check the year range on the cover.
- Write one line per topic area, with a box beside it.
- Work a past paper in this examination’s format, written examinations per subject, and tag every question back to a line.
- Mark the lines your teaching has never covered. Those are the priority.
- Re-weight towards the component carrying the most marks. One academic session.
What a good grade here is worth
In this examination the grade is an aggregate used for Direct Entry at 200 level, with recognition strongest among northern Nigerian universities. Nigerian History is required for history, international relations, political science, law and archaeology, and course requirements are checked subject by subject, so a strong overall result with a weak grade here is a disqualification for the course that names it rather than a near miss.
Quick answers on Nigerian History
How do I turn it into revision?
One line per topic area with a box beside it, then tick the lines off against past papers rather than against your notes. The lines that stay blank are the finding.
Is Nigerian History compulsory?
No. It is a humanities subject, chosen as one of your electives, and you should choose it because a course you want names it.
What is it required for?
History, international relations, political science, law and archaeology.
How many papers are there?
Objective and essay.
What makes it hard?
It is marked on argument, and candidates trained to memorise dates write answers that contain everything except the thing being assessed.
What is the most common way candidates lose marks?
Narrating events where the question asks you to assess causes or consequences.
Where do I get the official syllabus?
From IJMB, on its own site, free. Check the year range on the cover before you use it.
Has the syllabus changed?
Syllabuses are revised on published cycles and old ones stay online after they expire. If the copy you are holding has no year range, you do not know what you are holding.
Sources
- Interim Joint Matriculation Board, Ahmadu Bello University. www.abu.edu.ng