Home » JAMB Syllabus » The Igbo language UTME exam has been designed to test your level of understanding of the local language. The syllabus is divided into 4 sections and you will have to prove just how much you know about the language. Current affairs, the Igbo tradition, your ability to read and understand comprehension passages and more are what you should expect to see
You may have to write Igbo Language if you wish to study International Relations, Igbo Language, Linguistics or any course that requires a foreign language.
The best way to prepare for the exam is to be familiar with the JAMB syllabus, and to make past questions your friend.
The aim of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) 2024 syllabus in Igbo is to prepare the candidates for the Board’s examination. It is designed to test their achievement of the course objectives, which are to:
1) Communicate effectively in Igbo;
2) Analyze issues in the language;
3) Interpret and explain figurative and idiomatic expressions in Igbo;
4) Apply Igbo literature to their daily life experiences and to demonstrate Igbo cultural values
| JAMB IGBO SYLLABUS | ||
|---|---|---|
| SN | TOPICS | OBJECTIVES |
| 1 | LANGUAGES (ASỤSỤ) | |
| 1. Essay (Edemede): Basic principles of essay writing: introduction, body and conclusion Basic essay types and their characteristics (i) Narrative (Akọmakọ) (ii) Descriptive and Expository (Nkọwa na Nkọwami) (iii) Argumentative (Mgbagha/Arụmarụụka) (iv) Speech making (Ekwumekwu) (v) Letter Writing (Edemleta) (vi) Dialogue (Mkparịtaụka) 2. Comprehension (Aghọtaazaa) One passage of about one hundred and fifty (150) words. 3. Sounds and Sound Patterns (Ụdaasụsụ na Usoro Ụdaasụsụ): Vowels and Consonants (Ụdaume na mgbochiume) Sound Patterns/Processes i. Syllabic nasals (myiri ụdaume) ii. Syllable structure (nkeji mkpụrụokwu) iii. Vowel harmony (ndakọrịta ụdaume); iv. Vowel assimilation (olilo ụdaume); v. Vowel elision and consonant elision (ndapụ ụdaume na ndapụ mgbochiume) c) Tone and tone marking (Akara ụdaolu) 4. Spelling and spelling rules (Nsupe na Iwu Nsupe) 5. Igbo Orthography (Mkpụrụedemede Igbo) 6. Dialect and Standard Igbo (Olundị/Olumba na Igbo Izugbe) 7. Vocabulary (Mkpụrụokwu dị n’asụsụ) Expansion through word derivation processes, coinages, loans and loans blends (Ịmụbawanye mkpụrụokwu site n’usoro mmepụta, mkpụpụta, mbite na mbiọgwa). 8. Grammar (Ụtọasụsụ): Parts of speech (Nkejiasụsụ): Nominals (Mkpọaha), verbs (ngwaa), adjectives (nkọwa), adverbs (nkwuwa), affixes (mgbakwunye), enclitics (nsokwunya),dgz. The structure, types and functions of the morpheme (Ndokọ, ụdị na ọrụ mọfịm) Free & bound (nnọọrọonwe na ndabe) (i) the word (mkpụrụokwu) (ii) the phrase (nkebiokwu) (iii) the clause (nkebiahịrị) nominal, relative adverbial (kemkpọaha na kenkwuwa) (iv) the sentence (ahịrịokwu) simple (mfe), compound (ukwu), complex (mgbagwọ, dgz 9. Translation (Ntụgharị) | Candidates should be able to: (i) identify the basic principles of essay writing; (ii) use words and expressions appropriate to a particular topic; (iii) differentiate between different essay types; (iv) describe the characteristics of essay types; (v) compare different types of essay; (vi) criticize other people’s essays. Candidates should be able to: (i) explain the meanings of difficult words; (ii) give correct answers; (iii) differentiate between figurative and idiomatic expressions from the passage; (iv) deduce conclusion based on the passage Candidates should be able to: (i) identify vowels, consonants and syllabic nasals; (ii) distinguish between the speech sounds of the Igbo language; (iii) recognize syllabic nasals ‘m’ & ‘n’; (iv) determine the syllabic structure of any word; (v) identify the vowel groups in Igbo; (vi) describe vowel assimilation and vowel and consonant elision; (vii) assign tone marks appropriately Candidates should be able to: (i) detect words written correctly in Igbo; (ii) observe consonant restrictions in Igbo; (iii) determine appropriate word division in Igbo; (iv) apply correct spellings in writing Candidates should be able to: (i) differentiate between standard Igbo and dialects; (ii) use standard Igbo in their writings. Candidates should be able to: (i) differentiate between loan and coined words; (ii) identify loan words and loan-blends in Igbo; (iii) use words appropriately. Candidates should be able to: (i) differentiate between grammatical categories; (ii) identify parts of speech and their functions; (iii) differentiate between types of affixes and their functions; (iv) determine types of morphemes and their functions; (v) identify words, phrases, clauses, sentences and their functions. Candidates should be able to: (i) translate English into Igbo and vice versa; (ii) communicate effectively in Igbo and English | |
| 2 | LITERATURE (AGỤMAGỤ) | |
| 1. Literary devices (Atụmatụokwu na atụmatụ agụmagụ) dịka alliteration (bịambia mgbochiume), assonance (bịambịa ụdaume), parallelism (kwunkwugha), metaphor (mbụrụ), simile (myiri), hyperbole (egbeokwu), personification (mmemmadụ) and proverbs (ilu), dgz. 2. Oral Literature: Agụmagụ Ọnụ/ Agụmagụ Ọdịnala Questions will be set on the following: folktales (ifo), anecdotes (ụkabụilu), myths (nkọmịrịkọ), legends (nkọkịrịkọ), poems (abụ), songs (uri), chants (mbem), riddles (agwụgwa), oral drama (ejije ọnụ), tongue-twister (okwuntụhị) dgz. Written Literature (Agụmagụ Ederede): Prose (iduuazị) (i) Ude Ọdịlọra (1981) Ọkpa Akụ Eri Eri. Onitsha: University Press. (NECO/WAEC) (2016- 2020). b) Poetry (Abụ) (i) Ikeokwu E.S & Onyejekwe M.C. (2009) Uche Bụ Ahịa. Enugu: Format Publishers Nig. LTD. (WAEC/NECO 2016- 2020 ABỤ NDỊ A HỌPỤTARA (Selected Poems) 1 Ụwa Ndọlị Ndọlị – 1 2. Ọchịchị – 14 3. Ọnwụ 1 – 16 4. Chi-Ukwu – 20 5. Ire 1 – 22 6. Ozi Ọma – 28 7. Mmụta – 30 8. Ezi Nwaanyị – 36 9. Anyanwụ – 40 10. Akụ – 44 11. Akaraka – 49 12. Ọnwa – 69 13. Akwụkwọ – 71 14. Nwanne – 89 c) DRAMA (EJIJE) i. Nwaozuzu G.I. (2005). Nke M Ji ka. Enugu: CIDJAP Press. (WAEC/NECO 2016- 2020). | Candidates should be able to: (i) identify all literary devices in the passages; (ii) interpret literary devices; (iii) differentiate between types of literary devices; (iv) use Igbo literary devices appropriately Candidates should be able to: (i) create folk stories, anecdotes, chants, riddles, oral drama etc. (ii) analyze various genres of oral literature; (iii) present ideas/formulae in accordance with underlying principles; (iv) apply the lessons of oral literature to their everyday life. Candidates should be able to: A (i) interpret the text; (ii) isolate the characters in the book; (iii) compare figurative and idiomatic expressions in the text; (iv) analyze the text; (v) identify the author, publisher and date of the book; (vi) draw moral lessons from the text. b) Candidates should be able to: (i) compare the types and themes of the poems; (ii) relate the poets’ idea to the contents of the poems; (iii) compare figurative and idiomatic expressions in the texts/poems; (iv) analyze the structures of the poems; (v) apply acquired knowledge and moral lessons from the poems to their daily lives. Candidates should be able to: (i) identify types of drama; (ii) determine the themes of the text; (iii) identify the story lines; (iv) find out the characters in the stories; (v) appreciate the language of the play; (vi) appraise the social problems raised by the author in the play; (vii) apply acquired knowledge to their personal lives. | |
| 3 | CUSTOMS AND INSTITUTIONS (Omenala na Ewumewu) | |
| Igbo customs and institutions as categorized below: 1. Ekele dị icheiche: ekele ụtụtụ, ehihie, anyasị, nri, nlakpu, ọrụ dgz. 2. Alụmdi na nwunye, ịgba alụkwaghịm. 3. Ọmụmụ na ile ọmụgwọ, ikupụta nwa, ibi ugwu, ịgụ aha. 4. Echichi: Ọzọ, Eze/Obi/Igwe/Iyom. 5. Ike ekpe, ịkwa ozu, ịgba mkpe. 6. Ụmụnna, ụmụọkpụ/ụmụada. 7. Ọgbọ/ebiri/uke, ọhanaeze, ezinaụlọ 8. Arụ na nsọala: Ihe nsọ – anụ, osisi, ebe, igbu ọchụ. 9. Ọchịchị Ọdịnala: Igwe/Eze, Nze na Ọzọ, Ụmụnna, Ezinaụlọ dgz. 10. Nnabata ọbịa, ọji na ịtu nzu, itu aha, dgz. 11. Ịgba afa, ịchụ aja, ịgọ mmụọ, ofufe. 12. Nkwenye: ịdụ isi/ịṅụ iyi, ịgba ndụ, orikọ, dgz 13. Akụnaụba: inwe ala, ike ala, ekpe, elulu (ịkpa ọkụkọ, ewu, dgz). 14. Ikikere mmụọ: ọfọ, ogu, ọtọnsi, okpesi,ikenga. 15. Egwuregwu: mgba, egwu ọnwa, ikpọ ụga, ịzụ ǹchò, ịzụ okwe, dgz. 16. Akaọrụ ndị Igbo: Ọrụ ugbo, ịkụ azụ, ịkpụ ụzụ, ịzụ ahịa, ịtụ ihe ọtụtụ, dgz. | Candidates should be able to: (i) describe the customs of their people; (ii) determine the rules and regulations guiding specified aspects of the culture and tradition of the Igbo people; (iii) describe the importance of the aspects of Igbo culture; (iv) identify changes that have occurred as a result of civilization; (v) explore their environment for a better appreciation of their culture | |
| 4 | GENERAL AND CURRENT AFFAIRS (Ihe Ndị na-eme Ugbua) | |
| 1. Topical issues on the Igbo language, literature and culture e.g. Ahịajiọkụ and Odenigbo lectures. 2. Ọhanaeze Ndị Igbo 3. Authors, Publishers, dates and places of publication of works in Igbo. 4. Igbo Studies Association (ISA) 2. CURRENT ISSUES (Okwuakpụnọnụ): Note: Item writers should also choose their topics for comprehension exercises from such current issues as the following: HIV/AIDS (Mmịnwụ/Obirinaajaọcha) Drug Abuse (Ịṅu Ọgwụ Agharaaghara) Cultism (Otu Nzuzo) Rights of Women and Children (Oruuru Ụmụnwaanyị na Ụmụaka) Human Rights Violation (Ịnapụ Mmadụ Ikike) Religious Conflicts (Nsogbu Ndọkụrịta Ekpemekpe Ụka) | Candidates should be able to: (i) identify some dates and themes of Ahịajiọkụ and Odenigbo lectures; (ii) identify authors and dates of publication of various textbooks in Igbo; (iii) identify some publishing companies; (iv) analyse some functions of Ọhanaeze ndị Igbo; (v) acquaint themselves with the functions and contributions of the Igbo Studies Association (ISA). Candidates should be able to: (i) acquaint themselves with current issues; (ii) examine their effects; (iii) suggest remedies to the problems |
JAMB’s NEW LITERATURE TEXT FOR UTME IGBO
Asides The Use of English, each question in the remaining 3 subjects is graded 2.5 marks. Hence, the three subjects carry 300 marks. For example: If you get 28 questions right in your Igbo exam, the calculation will be 28 x 2.5 = 70% (in percentage).
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) exam is a two-hour exam. You are expected to complete all 4 subjects within the stipulated time
Practice! Practice and more practice!!!. Study past questions daily. Go through the syllabus and read every single topic under it.
to prepare for JAMB Igbo, study the recommended syllabus provided by JAMB, review textbooks and study past questions. You can equally attend tutorials if necessary so you can interact and learn from others.
There is no official pass mark, but scores above 50 are considered good. However, ensure to score as high as you can. The higher you score, the better your chances of admission for your choice course and institution.
Common mistakes people make at JAMB include inadequate time management, zero knowledge of how to operate a computer and not studying their past questions or even reading the syllabus. Most candidates just read their school notes forgetting that JAMB Is not organized by their school. You can avoid these mistakes by studying the syllabus as well as past questions, improving your time management skills, and seeking clarification on unclear concepts.
You will be tasked to answer 40 questions.
Not at all. You can read and ace your exams yourself. All you need to do is to have a consistent reading habit.
However, tutorials can also help you prepare better, connect with your peers, and gauge your confidence levels.
