This question is based on "The Life Changer" novel. In Lafayette, before a stranger is hosted or accommodated…

I'm working from what I know of "The Life Changer" by Khadija Abubakar Jalli, a JAMB-recommended novel.

Analyze the question The question asks who holds the authority in Lafayette to grant permission before a stranger can be hosted or accommodated. It is about the town's leadership structure in the novel.

Explain the concept In the novel, Lafayette is a community with a traditional Hausa-Fulani style of administration. The Hakimi is the district head, a traditional ruler who oversees the people. In this setting, a visitor cannot simply be taken in by a household. The village or district head must first be informed and give approval, mainly for security and order.

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1. Option B, the high priest, points to a religious or traditional-worship role. That doesn't fit a Northern Nigerian setting like Lafayette's.
2. Option C, the governor, is a state-level political office. It is too remote to handle individual visitors in a community.
3. Option D, the community oracle, is a spiritual institution tied to other cultural settings and not to Lafayette's governance.
4. Option A, the Hakimi, is the local traditional authority. In the story, the Hakimi's permission is what is needed before a stranger is accommodated.

Identify the answer The correct option is A. the Hakimi.

Tip For literature questions, match the setting to the type of authority. In a Hausa-Fulani setting, think of titles like Hakimi (district head), Emir, or Dagaci, and not priests or oracles. Also, when a question asks who permits something in a community, the traditional ruler is usually the answer.