Ummi relays the story of ‘the quiet one’, a boy named Talle. Talle is given birth after many years of child futility and his birth causes the death of his mother. He grows up possessing a silent character and becoming even more reticent with the death of his father and stepmother, thus, ‘the quiet one’ was a perfect description.

Talle is considered a good person by the villager and unable to cause harm. However, Talle needed money at a point and confides in Zaki who proposed the idea of abducting a boy and requesting a ransom. The plan is executed by the duo and Talle restrains the boy in his house. Talle goes to the market for his groceries but his usual request is doubled. Soon, the market woman notices a change in his larger request for groceries and reports the issue to the District head (Hakimi). While Talle is being interrogated by the District head, policemen rampage the palace and arrests Talle as a suspect for kidnap and extortion. Talle and Zaki are eventually sentenced to some years of imprisonment.

Possible questions and answers from this chapter

1. Who apologizes to the HOD on behalf of Ummi?
   Ummi’s husband (see page 20)
2. Who told Ummi the story about “the quiet one”?
   Ummi’s husband (see page 20)
3. What lesson did Ummi intend to teach Omar from the story of the quiet one?
   Never judge a book by its cover. Never judge anyone on the face level. Learn to trust sparingly. (See page 20)
4.  What tradition was established in Lafayette?
   No stranger was hosted or given accommodation without the knowledge of the district head (see page 20)
5. The district head is called _______
   Hakimi (see page 20)
6.  What was the reason for Lafayette established tradition?
   To ensure that no criminal or fugitive from justice was harboured or accommodated in the village (see page 20)
7. Who is a boka?
   A traditional medicine man (see page 21)
8. Who dies while giving birth?
   Talle’s mother (see page 21)
9. How many children did Talle’s stepmother bore?
   None (see page 21)            
10. Who is referred to as the quiet one?
    Talle (see page 21)
11. Who has a reticent nature?
    Talle (see page 21)
12. Who died in a car accident?
    Talle’s Father and Stepmother (see page 21)
13. Where does Talle work?
    He works at the Local government Office, as a driver. (See page 21)
14. When does Talle resume and closes from work?
    8am- 4pm (see page 21)
15. When did Talle stopped being quiet?
    When his usual request doubled (see page 22)
16. The market women reports Talle to whom?
    The Hakimi (see page 21)
17. What was Talle guilty of?
    Talle was guilty of kidnap and extortion (see page 23)
18. Who said “inna liilahi wa inna ilaihir rajiún”
    The courtier, meaning from Allah we came and unto him is our returning (see page 23)
19. Who did not give the Hakimi the respect strangers were supposed to give?
    The leading police officer who is also the IPO (see page 24-25)
20. The Hakimi had been ruling for how long?
    Over 30 years (see page 24)
21. Who suggested the idea of adducting a boy
    Zaki (see page 25-26)
22. Talle and zaki were sentenced to how many years of imprisonment?
    Some years with hard labour (see page 25)
23. The ransom demanded by Zaki was_____
    Initially, One million but later Two hundred and fifty thousand naira was bargained. (See page 26)
24. Where was Zaki arrested?
    At the point of collecting the ransom (see page 26)
25. The full meaning of the acronym EMAL is ____
    Examination Malpractice (see page 26)
26. Why were Zaki and Talle considered amateur kidnappers?
    The abducted boy’s father reasoned they were amateurs because the ransom was one million and later reduced to Two hundred and fifty thousand naira (see page 26)