Based on the novel The Lekki Headmaster, what did Bepo's fellow tenant, Iya Matthew, pour on his head after he had embezzled the compound's electricity tari...

Assessment: JAMB UTME - Use of English - 2025 Subject: English Language

Question 1 Report

Based on the novel The Lekki Headmaster, what did Bepo's fellow tenant, Iya Matthew, pour on his head after he had embezzled the compound's electricity tariff?

Answer Details

In The Lekki Headmaster, after Bepo uses the compound's electricity tariff money for his personal needs, his fellow tenant Iya Matthew publicly humiliates him. In her anger and frustration, Iya Matthew pours a bowl of elubo (yam flour) on Bepo's head.

Elubo is a powdery substance used in making amala, a traditional Yoruba food. Pouring it over someone's head is a dramatic, culturally loaded act of public shaming. It is messy, visible, and humiliating, drawing the attention of everyone in the compound. The act signals Iya Matthew's outrage at Bepo's betrayal of communal trust and serves as a form of community justice.

This incident marks one of the lowest points in Bepo's journey. It shows how his financial desperation has cost him his dignity and standing among his neighbours. The other items listed - a bowl of pie, a bucket of water, or fistfuls of sand - are not what the novel describes. The specific choice of elubo adds cultural realism and a distinctly Yoruba flavour to the scene.

Download The App On Google Playstore

Everything you need to excel in your exams

Green Bridge CBT Mobile App
Personalized AI Learning Chat Assistant
200,000+ Exam Questions Across IGCSE, JAMB, WAEC & NECO
Over 3,900 Lesson Notes
Offline Support - Learn Anytime, Anywhere
Green Bridge Timetable
Literature Summaries & Potential Questions
Track Your Performance & Progress
In-depth Explanations for Comprehensive Learning