Based on the novel The Lekki Headmaster, what did Mr Bepo's wife insist he should pack for his trip to the UK?
Answer Details
In the novel, Mr Bepo's wife is deeply attached to her Nigerian culinary heritage and insists that he pack traditional food items for his trip to the UK. She specifically demands that he take locust beans (iru), egusi (melon seeds), ground crayfish, and dry snail. These are staple ingredients in Nigerian cooking and are not easily obtained abroad.
This detail serves a thematic purpose beyond mere domestic comedy. It reflects the cultural ties that Nigerian migrants carry with them and the anxiety of leaving behind familiar tastes and traditions. Bepo's wife, by insisting on these items, symbolises the desire to preserve Nigerian identity even in a foreign land. This moment also illustrates the practical, everyday dimension of migration that the novel explores alongside its larger social and emotional themes.