Yerima always holds his own in any situation he finds himself.

Analyze the question You are asked to choose the option that best explains the sentence "Yerima always holds his own in any situation he finds himself." The key is the idiom "hold one's own."

Explain the concept To hold your own means to remain strong, capable, and unintimidated in a difficult or challenging situation. You do not get overpowered, and you can stand your ground. For example: "Even among senior debaters, the young girl held her own."

This quality comes from believing in your own abilities, which is self-confidence.

Solution: checking each option

• A. He has self-confidence: This fits. Someone who can cope in any situation, without being overwhelmed, believes in his own abilities.
• B. He has self-respect: Self-respect is about dignity and not lowering your standards. The sentence says nothing about dignity or morals, only about coping and standing firm.
• C. He has self-love: This is about valuing or caring for yourself, which is not what the idiom means.
• D. He has self-discipline: This is about controlling your impulses and behaviour. The idiom is about competence under pressure, not restraint.

Answer: The best option is A. He has self-confidence.

Tip: In "best explains" questions on idioms, work out the idiom's meaning first, then match it to the option. Remember: hold your own = stand firm and cope = self-confidence. Other common JAMB idioms of this kind include "hold water" (to be valid) and "hold forth" (to speak at length).