Main Plot
"Lekki Headmaster" follows Mr. Bepo Adewale, a dedicated and compassionate principal who has served Stardom Schools in Lekki, Lagos for 24 years. The story centers on his emotional struggle between staying in Nigeria, where he finds purpose in educating young people, and relocating to the United Kingdom to reunite with his family.
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The Central Conflict
Bepo's wife Seri, a nurse earning substantial income in the UK, pressures him to join her and their two children (Nike and Kike). Despite having secured a teaching job in Britain that promises far better pay than his Nigerian salary of ₦400,000, Bepo is deeply conflicted. He loves his students, dreams of establishing his own school or business in Nigeria after retirement, and believes talented Nigerians should stay and develop their country rather than contribute to "brain drain."
Key Themes Explored
The novel examines several contemporary Nigerian issues:
1. The "Japa" (Migration) Phenomenon - Through various characters' stories, the text explores why Nigerians are desperately seeking to relocate abroad, detailing both success stories and cautionary tales of life in the diaspora.
2. Educational Challenges - The story reveals the struggles of private school teachers (low salaries, job insecurity, long commutes) and the challenges of running elite schools in Nigeria.
3. Class and Economic Inequality - Characters like Mr. Fafore (who wakes at 4am for his commute from Ogun State) contrast sharply with wealthy parents, highlighting economic disparities.
4. Management vs. Workers - The Managing Director Mrs. Ibidun Gloss represents profit-driven school ownership, often making impulsive decisions (like nearly firing Fafore over a grammatical misunderstanding) that reveal the precarious position of Nigerian workers.
Supporting Storylines
- The Ignatius Family: A wealthy couple's relocation plans collapse when DNA tests reveal the husband isn't the biological father of one of their three children
- The Fafore Incident: An English teacher nearly loses his job because a parent and the MD misunderstand a correct grammar rule ("Ade as well as Jide comes")
- Migration Tales: Various accounts of Nigerians abroad - some thriving, others struggling or returning empty-handed
- The Cooperative Society: School staff accumulate enough savings to buy cars, alarming management about potential rebellion
Resolution
Bepo ultimately decides to relocate, choosing family over his professional dreams and patriotic ideals, representing the difficult choices many skilled Nigerians face in deciding between personal advancement abroad and contributing to national development at home.
Character Analysis of "Lekki Headmaster" for Exam Preparation
Major Characters
1. Mr. Bepo Adewale (The Lekki Headmaster/Principal)
Physical Description:
- Tall, six-footer frame
- Light-skinned/fair complexion (compared to "salamo" - yellow ant)
- Prominent, robust eyeballs
- Loud voice that rarely needs amplification
- Broad shoulders
Personality Traits:
- Compassionate and empathetic
- Humanistic in his approach to conflict resolution
- Down-to-earth with a good sense of humor
- Passionate about student development
- Dedicated and hardworking (24 years at Stardom)
- Family-oriented but conflicted about relocation
- Values developing his country over personal gain
Role in the Story:
- Central protagonist facing internal conflict between career fulfillment and family obligations
- Mediator between management, staff, and parents
- Symbol of the Nigerian "brain drain" dilemma
- Educational leader who prioritizes student welfare
Key Conflicts:
- Torn between staying in Nigeria (where he feels purposeful) and joining his family in the UK
- Professional fulfillment vs. family pressure
- Dreams of entrepreneurship vs. reality of relocation
Character Development:
- Begins as a confident, respected principal
- Experiences emotional breakdown at the assembly
- Eventually surrenders to family pressure and accepts relocation
- Represents many Nigerians facing the "Japa" decision
2. Mrs. Ibidun Gloss (The Managing Director)
Physical Description:
- Wears glasses
- Suffers from chronic buttock pain (30+ years)
Personality Traits:
- Business-minded and profit-oriented
- Quick to make harsh decisions
- Impulsive and sometimes unfair
- Protective of the school's reputation
- Lacks patience and empathy at times
- Willing to admit mistakes (Fafore incident)
Role in the Story:
- Antagonistic authority figure
- Represents private school ownership mentality
- Creates tension and conflict
- Employer who prioritizes profit over people
Key Actions:
- Orders Bepo's dismissal process when he joins his family
- Nearly fires Fafore over a grammatical misunderstanding
- Restricts cooperative society borrowing after discovering staff wealth
- Makes impulsive decisions based on parental complaints
3. Mrs. Seri Adewale (Bepo's Wife)
Occupation: Nurse in the UK (earning approximately £10,000/month)
Role in the Story:
- Catalyst for Bepo's relocation decision
- Represents the pull of diaspora life
- Creates the central conflict through her pressure on Bepo
- Lives in London with their two children (Nike and Kike)
Influence:
- Conscripts their children to pressure Bepo
- Refuses to fund any Nigerian business ventures
- Her success in the UK makes staying in Nigeria harder for Bepo
4. Mr. Audu (Fine Arts Teacher)
Personality Traits:
- Humorous and witty
- Outspoken and sometimes sarcastic
- Comic relief character
- Uses "naughty grammar"
- Bold and fearless
Role in the Story:
- Provides comic relief throughout serious situations
- Voice of common staff sentiments
- Defuses tense situations with humor
- Nicknamed Bepo "The Lekki Headmaster"
Memorable Moments:
- Jokes about the MD being "a witch and wizard rolled into one" regarding finances
- Breaks tension after Fafore incident with grammatical humor
- Mock threat to go to airport to join Bepo's wife
5. Mrs. Grace Apeh (Vice Principal)
Role in the Story:
- First to respond when Bepo breaks down
- Administrative support
- Receives calls from concerned parents
- Professional and caring
6. Mr. Fafore (English Teacher)
Background:
- 22-year graduate
- Salary: N175,000
- Lives in Ifo, Ogun State (long commute)
- Wakes at 4:00am, leaves at 4:30am
- Built own two-bedroom house (incomplete)
- Twice won Most Punctual Teacher Award
- Pregnant wife, two children
Role in the Story:
- Victim of hasty judgment and class prejudice
- Represents dedicated but underpaid Nigerian teachers
- Symbol of the struggle of the working class
- His near-dismissal highlights management's impulsiveness
Key Incident:
- Nearly sacked for teaching correct grammar that the MD and parent didn't understand
- "Ade as well as Jide comes" controversy
- Eventually vindicated when grammar rule is verified
7. Pastor Wande (Physics Teacher)
Role in the Story:
- Spiritual counselor
- Called to help with Bepo's emotional crisis
- Provides pastoral care
- Suggests calling Bepo's wife
Minor but Significant Characters
8. Ikenna Egbu (SSS 1 Student)
- Science student and respected poet
- Delivers inspiring pep talk about Jos excursion
- Son of award-winning broadcaster/poet
- Represents the quality students Stardom produces
9. Mrs. Ignatius
- Parent who oversteps boundaries with Principal
- Faces marital crisis due to DNA test revealing husband is not father of one child (Favour)
- Trained in tailoring and hairdressing for UK relocation
- Visa denied due to DNA issue
10. Mr. Ibe Ignatius
- Oil company manager earning high salary
- Frustrated husband dealing with paternity betrayal
- Strong advocate for "Japa" philosophy
- Leaves home in anger over wife's infidelity
11. Sola (Former Home Economics Teacher)
- Relocated to UK with husband (on study visa)
- Works while husband studies
- Provides realistic perspective on UK life
- Lives in Manchester (£650/month rent)
- Earns £200 daily
- Offers Bepo encouragement and practical advice
12. Mrs. Titi (School Nurse)
- Compassionate and caring
- Attends to Bepo during his breakdown
13. Mr. Oyelana (CRK Teacher)
- Helps escort Bepo during crisis
- Participates in staff gossip sessions
14. Jeremi Amos (School Accountant)
- Manages school finances
- Defends cooperative society's integrity
15. Mrs. Mary Ladele
- Parent of Bibi, Tim, and Love
- Complains about Mr. Ayesoro's tribal marks
- Husband Dele works in Abuja
- Watches Nollywood films
16. Bibi Ladele
- Young student traumatized by teacher's tribal marks
- Causes Mr. Ayesoro's transfer
- Mischievous but sensitive child
17. Mr. Ayesoro (Government Teacher)
- Has prominent tribal marks
- Nicknamed "Mr. Owala" by students
- Transferred to Stardom Hub after frightening Bibi
18. Chief Mrs. Solape Bayo
- Board Chairman
- MD's mother
- Makes decision about cooperative society restrictions
Character Relationships and Dynamics
Power Hierarchy:
- Board of Directors (Bayo family)
- MD (Mrs. Ibidun Gloss)
- Principal (Mr. Bepo)
- Vice Principal (Mrs. Apeh)
- Teachers and Staff
- Students
Key Relationships:
- Bepo ↔ MD: Professional but strained; Bepo has integrity, MD has authority
- Bepo ↔ Seri: Marital tension over relocation
- Bepo ↔ Staff: Respected, compassionate leader
- MD ↔ Parents: Customer-service oriented, sometimes overly accommodating
- Teachers ↔ Management: Insecure employment, fear-based relationship
Thematic Roles
Brain Drain Representatives:
- Bepo, Sola, Seri, Ignatius family, Fafore (potential)
Exploitation/Class Struggle:
- Fafore, Audu, teachers generally vs. Management
Educational Excellence:
- Bepo, Ikenna, dedicated teachers
Corruption/Opportunism:
- Mr. Nku (cooperative loan thief), driver who attempted bus theft
JAMB Literature Practice Questions: Character Analysis
Instructions: Choose the most appropriate answer for each question.
1. Mr. Bepo Adewale's breakdown at the morning assembly was primarily caused by:
- A. The school's poor WASSCE results
- B. His internal conflict about relocating to the United Kingdom
- C. A health crisis
- D. Financial problems at the school
2. Bepo's wife, Seri, persuaded him to relocate by:
- A. Threatening divorce
- B. Using their children to pressure him
- C. Offering him a job in London
- D. Selling their property in Nigeria
3. Which of the following best describes Bepo's character?
- A. Materialistic and opportunistic
- B. Conflicted between family duty and personal dreams
- C. Weak-willed and easily manipulated
- D. Ambitious only for wealth
4. Mrs. Ibidun Gloss's reaction to discovering staff members' expensive cars reveals her:
- A. Generosity and support for staff welfare
- B. Fear of losing control and staff independence
- C. Concern for environmental issues
- D. Interest in automobile sales
5. Bepo's defense of Mr. Fafore in the grammar dispute demonstrates his:
- A. Desire to oppose the Managing Director at all costs
- B. Intellectual integrity and commitment to truth
- C. Loyalty to friends over correctness
- D. Need for public recognition
6. Mr. Egi Meko's character is primarily revealed through his:
- A. Dedication to educational excellence
- B. Involvement in occult practices and rituals
- C. Generous treatment of staff
- D. Progressive teaching methods
7. The character of Mrs. Ignatius is used in the narrative to illustrate:
- A. The success of family migration plans
- B. The hidden personal dramas behind relocation attempts
- C. The importance of DNA testing
- D. Marital happiness in Nigeria
8. Bepo's entrepreneurial dreams in Nigeria suggest he is:
- A. Unrealistic and impractical
- B. Visionary with local investment interests
- C. Desperate to avoid his wife
- D. Incompetent as a teacher
9. The character of Akindelee serves as an example of:
- A. Successful migration and wealth accumulation
- B. The harsh realities and disappointments of migration
- C. Proper planning for relocation
- D. The benefits of moving at age 55
10. Mr. Audu's use of humor during the grammar conflict shows his role as:
- A. An instigator of trouble
- B. A mediator who defuses tension
- C. Someone who mocks the Managing Director
- D. An incompetent staff member
11. Bepo's comparison of modern "Japa" to historical slavery reveals his:
- A. Lack of understanding of history
- B. Deep analytical thinking about migration patterns
- C. Hatred for those who travel abroad
- D. Support for the slave trade
12. Chief Didi Ogba's lawsuit against the school demonstrates:
- A. The power dynamics between wealthy parents and schools
- B. His concern for educational standards
- C. His support for student democracy
- D. His criminal background
13. Mrs. Grace Apeh's role in leading Bepo away during his breakdown suggests she is:
- A. Ambitious to replace him as principal
- B. Compassionate and supportive of colleagues
- C. Embarrassed by his behavior
- D. Incompetent in her duties
14. The character transformation Bepo undergoes is best described as:
- A. From strength to weakness
- B. From confusion to clarity about his priorities
- C. From wealth to poverty
- D. From honesty to corruption
15. Sola's realistic account of life in the United Kingdom shows he is:
- A. Trying to discourage Bepo from coming
- B. Honest and balanced in his perspective
- C. Unsuccessful and bitter
- D. Wealthy beyond measure
16. Mr. Ogunwale's role as Bepo's driver to the airport suggests:
- A. He is merely a hired service provider
- B. He shares a close, trusted relationship with Bepo
- C. He is indifferent to Bepo's departure
- D. He disapproves of Bepo's decision
17. Bepo's emotional response at his farewell ceremony indicates:
- A. His regret over leaving Nigeria
- B. His joy at receiving monetary compensation
- C. His relief at escaping his responsibilities
- D. His indifference to his colleagues
18. The character of Riike in the migration tales represents:
- A. The failures of the migration experience
- B. The potential success stories of relocation
- C. The dangers of taking loans
- D. The importance of staying in Nigeria
19. Bepo's final decision to return to Nigeria demonstrates his:
- A. Failure to adapt to British society
- B. Deep-rooted commitment to his mission and country
- C. Financial difficulties abroad
- D. Fear of hard work in the United Kingdom
20. Mr. Jeremi Amos's revelation about the staff cooperative society shows he is:
- A. Dishonest and corrupt
- B. Transparent and forthcoming with information
- C. Fearful of the Managing Director
- D. Incompetent as an accountant