TG Omori: I battled depression for a year after failing UTME in 2012

TG Omori, the Nigerian music video director, has recalled how he battled depression for a year after failing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in 2012.

The UTME is a computer-based standardized examination for prospective undergraduates in Nigeria. It is conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board. (JAMB).

In a recent chat with the ‘Zero Conditions Podcast’, Omori said he was trying to get into school but needed to pass the UTME.

He said he wrote the examination on two different occasions — in 2012 and 2013 — but was unable to pass the exam.

Omori said the pastor and some members of the church he attended then were willing to sponsor his education.

The 28-year-old cinematographer said his dad was poor then and was unable to pay his school fees and that of his siblings at the same time.

The music video director said, “I was 16 when I failed JAMB the first time and fell into depression”.

Omori said he was depressed for a whole year and by the time he wrote the UTME again, he still could not meet the cut-off mark.

“I was trying to go to the university. JAMB jammed me. The first time was in 2012. JAMB jammed me in 2013. I did my JAMB again, it was not so crazy but that could get me into a film school,” he said.

“They love me a lot, especially the pastors’ wives. I was like their young child. They were all waiting for my JAMB result. They wanted me to go to school. They were willing because with me, my brother was in school, and my dad could not pay his children’s school fees.

“So I was very focused. Because everybody love me in the church so I had people that were willing that ‘if you have good grades, I would pay for your school fees’.

“When I failed JAMB was the first time I faced depression because I was like I saw sponsors and everybody that was willing. I knew my dad could not send me and my brother to school and then boom I blew my JAMB result.

“You know how these things be, you do not know if they are gonna still be in the mood the next year so the whole year I was depressed. I was home, I was not feeling myself. Then JAMB came again, that was the first time I was feeling defeated, I was so nervous writing, it was hell. I was just 16 then I went to write JAMB again, I did not get my cut-off mark again into university.”