This question is based on "The Life Changer" novel. Why did Habib call Tomiwa instead of Salma that he gave a ride?

Analyzing the question

This is a literature-in-English question on the JAMB-recommended novel The Life Changer by Khadijat Abdulkadir Jumare. It asks why Habib phoned Tomiwa when he meant to call Salma, the girl he had given a ride.

Recalling the plot

In the novel, Habib gives Salma a lift. Afterwards, he wants to contact her, but the number he dials reaches Tomiwa. This happens because Salma, who did not want to be pursued, gave him Tomiwa's number instead of her own. The mix-up leads to the chain of events that bring Habib and Tomiwa together.

Checking each option

• A. Because Tomiwa is a Muslim and Salma is not. Religion was not the reason for the call. It is a distractor.
• B. Because Salma gave him Tomiwa's number instead of hers. This matches the plot. The wrong number came from Salma's own action.
• C. All of the above. This cannot be right, because A and D are not supported by the story.
• D. Because Habib likes Tomiwa more than Salma. Habib had not even met Tomiwa when he called. He was trying to reach Salma, so this is wrong.

Answer: Option B. Salma deliberately gave Habib Tomiwa's number rather than her own, so his call went to Tomiwa.

Exam tip: For novel-based questions, look for the option that states a concrete plot event. Distractors often rely on feelings ("likes more") or labels ("Muslim"). Also be wary of "All of the above" unless every other option is clearly true.