By Osondu Ahirika

“That you scored 100% in a computer-based test does not automatically convert to automatic employment.” – Governor Umo Eno
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Where is the lie there?

I’m surprised this frank statement is generating needless brouhaha.

Keeping a visa interview appointment and speaking well isn’t a guarantee you will be given clearance to travel.

That Mahmood Abbas is the President of the Palestinian Authority couldn’t get him a pass to attend the UN meeting in New York.

Haven’t some national football teams, or part/whole contingents d, been denied visas to participate in an international competition by the host country?

In life, nothing is guaranteed when there are rules in the mix.

Especially on matters that are not exclusively your rights, but privileges, as a person.

Even though there is no such thing as absolute freedom.

Let’s test the hypothesis of Governor Umo Eno with this analogy.

Universities in Nigeria have 3 criteria for admitting students who sat for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Exams, popularly known as JAMB.

♦️Merit list – for those who score very high, say, 280 and above, out of 400 marks.

♦️Indigenes quota – which considers locals with not too low marks, say 230 and above.

♦️Educationally disadvantaged States quota – which considers applicants from States under this designation, especially the core North.

For them, even 180 and above can fly for the same course; others were subjected to the 260 and above cut-off point.

Same examination.

Different standards applied to admit students.

Prove me wrong.

Then let me share a very personal experience.

In 2005, I applied for promotion to the vacant position of Executive Director of the Lutheran Hour Ministries, a.k.a. Christian Radio Studio Obot Idim, Ibesikpo.

From what I was told after the exercise, I performed exceedingly well in the interview.

But I was not hired.

My mentor, who was on the Board that interviewed me, revealed why I was overlooked.

I goofed in my response to a simple question:

“What will you do if you don’t become the Director after this interview?”

In my naive arrogance, I said, I will resign from the job.

I was overconfident.

Especially when I realized the two others who applied for the job had read courses unrelated to managing a Media establishment.

The Board, headed then by Obong Edem Akpainyang, former Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Civil Service Commission, hired someone who read either Library Science or whatever; I can’t exactly remember for the position.

He was obviously more mature and level-headed.

I have since grown from that error to know what Governor Umo Eno said is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

The Civil Service Computer-Based Test (CBT) was conducted in November/December 2025.

33,461 applicants sat for the Computer-Based Test.

12,502 candidates qualified for the oral interview after scoring 50 per cent and above in the CBT.

Subsequently, an oral interview phase of the recruitment exercise commenced on Monday, January 26, 2026.

These were done in batches.

4000 have been recruited.

It was the most open and humane Civil Service recruitment ever in Nigeria by any State.

Governor Umo Eno approved N1.6 Billion in total for every applicant who sat for the CBT.

N50,000 each to applicants, which he described as a transport and lunch rebate.

Show me a State where this kind gesture has happened before in Nigeria?

Let me reinforce that fact.

Scoring 100% in the CBT doesn’t guarantee automatic employment.

There are other requirements one must meet to qualify for Civil Service employment.

Some of those rules that determine the recruitment process in Akwa Ibom State Civil Service include:

♦️- Verification of educational certificates claimed.
♦️Relevance of academic qualification to the advertised jobs.
♦️Age bracket,t which is likely between 18 – 50 years.
♦️Medical fitness without bias for persons living with disability
♦️Gender balance
♦️Quota/inclusiveness/equity in the spread of appointments to all 31 Local Government Areas.
♦️ Personal background checks for any criminal records,s etc

I trust you’re beginning to see more clearly why merely scoring 100 percent is not enough to guarantee automatic employment.

These other filters come into play, especially where many people most probably scored very highly in the test.

Even in applying these filters, there are other layers to it too.

For instance, in terms of gender balance or inclusiveness, some Local Governments will likely earn more slots than others.

So, a lot goes into determining who gets what.

Instead of crying foul, methinks there should be reasons to be grateful.

🎈First, this is the single highest recruitment into the Civil Service I can recall since the advent of democracy.- 4000.

We ain’t adding these to those hitherto engaged in the Health sector, Akwa Ibom Watch,h and SUBEB by the Governor Umo Eno-led administration.

🎈The 4000 employed are still Akwa Ibom sons and daughters.
Nothing lost.

Ebot Otu, ata ebre Otu.

The Head of the State Civil Service, Mrs Elsie Anietie Peters, did a great job.

She should be encouraged, not attacked.

Another recruitment is on course – Governor Umo Eno announced 2000 more to be employed as Teachers.

You/your relative may be the next in line.