Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
Chief Ibezim and the District Officer were good friends Ibezim z was the chief Priest of Ani, the earth goddess in Ndiuzo, and although the District Officer was stationed in far-away, Unueke and the Chief Priest by his calling should not travel out of Ndiuzo, their friendship remained as solid as a rock.
They became friends after Ibezim had testified before the Distrit Officer in the land dispute between Ndiuzo and umueke. He was the only man to testify against his own people in that dispute, and had struck the District Officer as an honest man who was telling the truth.
This was what earned Ibezim the admiration and friendship of the District Officer. Consequently, the District Officer advised him to send his son to the new school and the new religion that held out so much promise of positive change in the future. And when the system of indirect rule necessitated the appointment of a warrant chief at Ndiuzo, the District Officer also promptly thought of his honest friend as the most suitable candidate.
On the other hand, lbesim s testimony in the land dispute earned him the wrath of many of his own people. They not only held him responsible for their loss of the disputed land but also resented his friendship with the District Officer and his patronage of the new education and religion which were threatening to erode the old ways of the land. So, when the District Officer wanted Chief lbezim at Umueke. and he sought to confer with his people on what to do, his detractors quickly turned their backs on him and left him alone in his dilemma. Some even secretly hoped that he was going to be arrested and detained.
After a long period of hesitation Ibezim finally decided to break with tradition and go to Umueke. The times were changing and he was sure the earth goddess would understand and condone his going away from the village.
When he came back, those who had wished him the worst got the shock of their lives. They now had a new Warrant Chief to rule over them!
(a) What had earned Chief Ibezim the District Officer’s friendship?
(b) State two ways in which lbezim benefited from his friendship with the District Officer.
(c) Give two reasons why the villagers were unhappy with Chief lbezim.
(d) State the dilemma in which Chief Ibezim found himself
(e) “….Ibezim finally decided to break with tradition. What tradition is meant here?
(f) “When he came back. (I) What grammatical name is given to this expression? (ii) What is its function as it is used in the sentence?
(g) ….as solid as a rock” What figure of speech is contained in this expression?
(h)For each of the following words, find another word or phrase that means the same and can replace it as it is used in the passage (i) calling: (ii) consequently;
(iii) promptly; (iv) wrath; (iv) detractors; (vi) condone.
Explanation
(a) Chief Ibezim's honesty in testifying against his own people in the land dispute attracted the District Officer.
(b)(i) Chief Ibezim was appointed a warrant chief. (ii) He was advised to send his son to the new school and religion
(c) The villagers were unhappy with Chief Ibezim because: (I) he testified against them.
(ii) he patronized the new education and religion. (iii) he was friendly with the District officer.
(iv) they held him responsible for the loss of the disputed land.
(d) The problem in which Chief Ibezim found himself is that accepting the District officer's invitation to visit
Umueke would break the tradition of his village.
(e) The tradition is that the Chief priest of Ani - the earth goddess should not travel out of Ndiuzo.
(f)(i) "When he came back...." is an adverbial clause of time (ii) It modifies the verb "got".
(g) "...as solid as rock" is simile. (h)(i) Calling - role, function, office
(ii) Consequently - therefore, as a result, thus, so, hence
(iii) Promptly quickly, immediately, instantly, without delay, admiration
(iv) Wrath - anger, resentment, indignation, fury, dislike
(v) detractors - enemies, critics, opponents, foes, adversaries (vi) condone - tolerate, pardon,
accommodate, permit, allow, overlook.