Based on the novel The Lekki Headmaster, why did Mr. Bepo finally decide to leave Nigeria?

Answer Details

This question tests understanding of Bepo's central motivation in the novel. Despite his deep attachment to teaching and to Nigeria, Bepo ultimately decides to leave the country in order to reunite with his family and avoid marital collapse.

Bepo's wife, Seri, had already moved abroad, where she worked as a nurse. The prolonged separation placed enormous strain on their marriage, and Bepo eventually recognised that remaining in Nigeria would cost him his family. His decision to leave was therefore not driven by personal ambition or career advancement but by the need to preserve his marriage and maintain his family unit.

This motivation is central to the novel's themes. Bepo does not leave to pursue further education, to escape insecurity, or because of unresolved conflict. His departure is an act of personal sacrifice - he gives up the profession and country he loves because the alternative is losing his family. The novel uses this dilemma to illustrate how the brain drain is not always about economic opportunity but can also be driven by deeply personal circumstances.