WAEC Literature in English 2022 Theory — Question 3

Model answer

Points to develop: i. Relation to theme; ii. Character identification; iii. The search for siblings; iv. Mama's enquiries about her brother; v. Koforidua and Sampa. The novel is about the adverse effects of failed leadership. The mismanagement of the affairs of government does not only lead to xenophobia but also causes severe economic hardship for the citizens. This hardship tells on the character of Nii Tackie and other characters in the novel. Massa is Nii Tackie's wife. She is about twenty five years, but already looking like a grandmother. Massa is terminally ill, but Nii knows no relative of hers. Nii is unable to take her to a proper hospital and on the way to a spiritualist Massa dies. With Massa dead, and things becoming difficult, Nii decides to leave for Nigeria in search of his people. Simultaneously, Nii's sister, Mama Orojo, embarks on a journey to Ghana in search of Nii. Mama arrives Ghana after Nii has left for Nigeria. Arriving Ghana, Mama is introduced to Joe, the Daga boss, by a policeman. Joe and Mama do business and fall in love. Mama stumbles on the fact of Massa's death during her enquiries about her brother, Nii, at Expense Bank. Mama does not know that Nii has married; neither does she know her sister-in-law. Her sense of decency and fairness urges her to find the body of her brother's late wife and bury it. Mama travels (with Joe) to Koforidua Government Hospital mortuary for the corpse. She then carries the corpse to Sampa for burial. Thus Massa receives a fitting burial from her unknown sister-in-law.