Ummi also reveals Salim resentful experience with smartphones. Salim confesses to Lawal about a girl he meets on social media. After several exchanges of unethical pictures, and chats Salim visits Natasha according to her preference. Unconsciously to him that he is being tricked by Natasha, he embarks on a journey to see her late in the night. On his arrival, she joins him in the front seat of his SUV and Salim is captivated by her beauty. He is eventually ambushed by gunmen who try to rob him of his possession. Luckily for him, he escapes this only to get involved with another lady he meets on social media.
This time he pleads with Lawal to accompany him to avoid similar contingency. Lawal declines and he goes to see the supposed beautiful girl. Salim leaves in disappointment on seeing an ugly girl.
The children are seen proclaiming admiration for the story relayed to them by Ummi as they await daddy’s arrival.
Possible questions and answers from this chapter
THEMES
School Admission as a life changer
Misuse of freedom
The danger of being judgemental and stereotypical
The need to trust sparingly
The evil of social media
Cultural/Religious misconception of burial proceedings
SETTINGS
The text is set in the Northern part of Nigeria with events occurring in places such as Lafayette, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kongo Campus etc. The text also employs a village and city atmosphere to reflect the custom of the people of Lafayette twenty years ago in contrast with the modern life. The use of Arabic Language, associated with the Islamic religion is also visible in the text.
CHARACTERIZATION
UMMI
Ummi Ahmad is the narrator and the viewpoint character of the text. She also participates and appears within her own story. She is a well-cultured woman who believes in moral training. She maintains and inculcates good personal hygiene among her children. She is the kind of mother who wants to be involved in her children’s lives, little wonder she goes into their room unannounced. She often shares her experience with her children to learn. She thrives to create mutual trust and respect between herself and her children. She is consistently trying to promote peace as she settles dispute among them. Ummi is a loving and caring mother who takes up the responsibility of relaying stories so they could they learn from her experiences. She, therefore, plays the role of a good mother. She is very concerned about her children’s welfare as she inquires about how Omar single-handedly achieved his success and she volunteers to pay for the drinks. She further takes him on a journey of awareness as she tells him stories of possible challenges he might encounter on campus.
OMAR
He is the first and only son in the family. He is eighteen years old but looks older than his age. He looks like he is in his twenties (see page 4). He is a precocious child. He is smart and intelligent as he passes WAEC in one sitting with seven Credits and Scores 230 in jamb. He is given admission to study law. He is hardworking, determined and focused. With no assistance, he manages to go through his admission process and emerges successful.
TEEMAH
She is the second child of the family and the first daughter. Teemah is sarcastic as she seen always taunting Omar. She is also a talkative and Omar is often seen arguing with her. She frequently protests against her brother’s wishes and action and this frustrates him. Teemah is short in height and as Omar puts it; ‘Envy. That’s what stopping you from growing tall’. She is also considerate and concerned. Teemah notices Omar is hurt and she stops taunting.
JAMILA
She is the third child of the family and Bint’s immediate sister.
BINT
She is the last child of the family. She is five years old. She is intelligent, smart and she is considered a genius by many. She is smart enough to ask her teacher a question he could not answer.
UMMI’s HUSBAND
He has always dreamt of studying law at the university. He is an accountant. His presence means a lot to the family as they await and anticipates his arrival. He works at the only bank in the community and closes 5pm.
SALMA
Salma Mohammed is the protagonist. She is a beautiful, tall, slim and fair-complexioned girl. She is often seen wearing tight-fitted clothes. She is very impatient. She is the last on the queue and has arrived barely fifteen but grumbles about the delay in the registration process. She is judgmental, stereotypical and she overgeneralizes issues. Little wonder she is quick to judge the efficiency and integrity of the lecturer in charge of the faculty registration. She is quick to anger and very aggressive. She is rude and quick to insult. She reveals this attribute when she calls the lecturer a monkey. She also calls Tomiwa a chameleon. She is materialistic and believes money solves everything. She is seen constantly offering to bribe her way out of a serious situation. On seeing her roommates, she likes them not until she discovers that her roommate had agreeable traits. She is also irrational. She suddenly feels bad and jealous of Tomiwa when she brings home the gifts from Habib.
TOMIWA
She is a beautiful and dark-complexioned girl. She is the brightest amongst the girls, she is also the cleanest. Tomiwa ambition is to become a singer and constantly feels herself up with the latest musical information. She is also fashion conscious. She is known to adorn herself with the latest and craziest fashion outfit. She hails from Oyo state, an eight hours drive from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. She is also a Muslim. She is overconfident. She doesn’t like to be relegated down, little wonder she snaps at Habib when he says ‘’you are not Tomiwa”. Tomiwa has a wild imagination and she is strategic in making decisions. She chooses to take the back seat in order to avoid intended harm.
ADA
She is from Benue state but she insists people say Middle Belt (see page 31). She is a Christian. She is also friendly and peaceful.
NGOZI
Ngozi is quiet and reticent. She is always reserved and withdrawn. She is generous. She never cooks for only herself. Ngozi is from Umunze in Imo state. She is a Christian.
TALLE
He is called the quiet one because he has a silent character. He becomes more reticent with the death of his father and stepmother. He is a driver and works at the local government office. He is also a criminal. He conspires with Zaki to abduct a boy in exchange for a ransom. Soon after he is released from prison he becomes a smuggler.
MALLAM SALIHU
He is a Social Studies teacher. He acts as though he is all-knowing and often deviates from the subject of discussion. However, Mallam Salihu is considered humble to accept his ignorance. This is perceived when he calls on a senior female mistress to answer a question he is unable to answer.
DR SAMUEL JOHNSON
Samuel Johnson is a HOD at the University. He is a young man with a PhD. He is friends with Ummi’s husband. He has a tribal mark on his face and looks like an Igala man but he is a Yoruba man.
DR DABO
He is a highly disciplined lecturer with the famous principle “don’t come in after me” He is highly respected and very punctual. However, he struggles with his lustful desires for Salma and he is ridiculed by her. He is also repentant and remorseful. This is evident when he says a silent prayer after his encounter with Salma
HAKIMI
He is the district head of Lafayette. He is a very responsible leader who is bothered about his subjects. He takes it upon himself to invite Talle to the palace to understand what the problem was. He has been ruling for over 30 years
HABIB
He is less voluble and rides in a Mercedes Benz. He is a politician and a cunning man. Even when he notices Tomiwa wasn’t the girl he dropped off earlier, yet he still went out with her. He is also a criminal. He employs Zaki to abduct Alhaji Adamu’s son. He is a betrayal. She betrays Labaran by having an affair with Salma. He betrays his driver by having an affair with Salma.
LABARAN
He is voluble and he is Habib’s driver. Labaran is full of ideas. He gives Habib the idea of picking up Salma on the road side. He also gives Habib the idea of using Zaki to deal with Kabir. He betrays Habib by holding on to the money retrieved from Kabir.
ZAKI
He is a criminal. He abducts Alhaji Adamu’s son. He also trails Kabir and causes him to pass out. He is also a business man who import and export spare part of cars.
DR KABIR
He is a Laboratory Technologist but mostly addresses as doctor. He is a gambler and a fraudster. He has a weakness for easy money and he uses his nickname to deceive Salma into believing he is the chairman of the EMEC committee.
BOKA
He is a traditional medicine man
SALIM
He is Salma’s fiancé. He is promiscuous. He regards Salma as his wife yet he is comfortable with having facebook lovers.
LAWAL
He is Salim’s friend. He is a good friend and gives Salim good advice. He refuses to accompany him to visit a girl he has never seen.
NATASHA
She is Salim’s Facebook girlfriend and a criminal. She deceives Salim into visiting her. She acts innocent when the robbers attack them but she is an accomplice in the robbery.
KARTAGI
He is the leader of the gambling group
GUMUZU
He is a thug. He is sent to trail Kabir and to retrieve his wins.