Questions below are based on Bolaji Abdullahi's "Sweet Sixteen" The significance of Mr Bello's advice to Aliya on Bobo's gift is that

Analyzing the question

This is a literature-in-English question on the novel Sweet Sixteen by Bolaji Abdullahi. It asks about the significance of Mr Bello's advice to Aliya when she receives a gift from Bobo.

Recalling the context

In the story, Aliya is a bright teenage girl who receives a gift from Bobo, a boy who admires her. She is unsure whether accepting it means she owes him something. Her father, Mr Bello, advises her calmly and does not forbid her from accepting it. His point is that receiving a gift is not the same as accepting a relationship. A gift does not put her under any duty to respond to Bobo's romantic feelings or to act according to his wishes.

Testing the options

• A. The gift is a demonstration of love and affection. Mr Bello's advice is not about proving Bobo's feelings. It is about how Aliya should handle the gift, so this misses the point.
• B. The gift shouldn't necessarily impose an obligation on Aliya to act in tune with Bobo's interest. This matches the father's message. Aliya is free to accept the gift without being bound to return romantic interest.
• C. One of the foundations of his marriage with Aliya's mother is through gifting. This is a personal detail, not the significance of the advice to Aliya.
• D. Once a boy gives a girl a gift it necessarily means that he has an interest in mind. This is the opposite of the father's reassurance. It would push Aliya toward suspicion and pressure.

Answer

The significance of the advice is that a gift does not automatically create an obligation.

Exam tip: In JAMB literature questions asking for the "significance" of advice, look for the option that states the lesson or principle behind it, not a mere detail or a restatement of the event. Words like "necessarily" in an option often signal an overly rigid claim, as in D, so be cautious with them.