This question is based on Chukwuemeka Ike's The Potter's Wheel. Uke was conscripted into the military because

Analyze the question

The question asks why Uke was conscripted into the army in Chukwuemeka Ike's The Potter's Wheel. The novel is set in colonial Nigeria during the Second World War, when the British authorities demanded recruits from villages. The Burma campaign is mentioned in this context.

Explain the concept

Conscription means compulsory enlistment. In the novel, the village authorities were asked to supply men for the army. The recruits were not volunteers. The elders and the colonial officials tended to pick troublesome people the community wanted to be rid of. Conscription was therefore used as a kind of punishment.

Solution, step by step

1. Option B (He loved the British soldiers): Conscription is forced, so it has nothing to do with affection. This is wrong.
2. Option C (His grandfather was a military man): Nothing in the story links his recruitment to family background. This is wrong.
3. Option D (He wanted to travel to Burma): If he wanted to go, he would have volunteered, not been conscripted. This is wrong.
4. Option A (He was a social nuisance): This fits. Uke was a troublemaker, and the community used the army recruitment drive to get him out of the village.

Answer: A

Tip: In JAMB literature questions, ask whether the action was forced or voluntary. "Conscripted" means forced, so eliminate any option that suggests desire or choice (B and D). Then pick the one that gives a reason in the character's behavior or the community's attitude.