Based on the novel The Lekki Headmaster, why do Mr. Bepo’s colleagues find his reluctance to relocate amusing?

Answer Details

This comprehension question asks about the reaction of Mr Bepo's colleagues to his decision not to relocate to the United Kingdom despite the clear financial advantages of doing so.

Mr Bepo's colleagues find his reluctance amusing because they believe he should jump at the opportunity to earn more abroad. From their perspective, the choice seems obvious: his wife is already established in the UK, earning far more than he does in Nigeria, and joining her would dramatically improve his financial situation. They see his insistence on staying as puzzling or even irrational, given how much more he could earn overseas.

The passage does not suggest that his colleagues think he is afraid of flying, that he harbours entrepreneurial ambitions in Nigeria, or that he dislikes the United Kingdom. Their amusement stems purely from the perceived irrationality of turning down a clear financial upgrade. This reaction from his colleagues highlights the dominant mindset of the japa era, where emigrating for better pay is widely viewed as the sensible choice, making Mr Bepo's devotion to his students an outlier position.