What narrative technique is commonly used in The Lekki Headmaster?

Analyze the question: This is a JAMB Literature-in-English question on the prose text The Lekki Headmaster by Kabir Alabi Garba. It asks which narrative technique is commonly used in the novel.

Explain the concept: Narrative techniques are the methods an author uses to tell a story. The main ones here:

• Flashback: the narrative moves back in time to earlier events, usually to explain a character's past or motives.
• Myth: a traditional or legendary story, usually about gods, origins or supernatural beings.
• Foreshadowing: hints that suggest what will happen later.
• First-person narration: the story is told by a character using "I".

Working through the options:

• The Lekki Headmaster is told by a third-person narrator, not a character saying "I". So D is out.
• The novel is a realistic story about corruption, moral decay and the struggle for integrity in a Lagos school setting. It is not built on legend or the supernatural. So B is out.
• Foreshadowing appears in the story, but it is not its defining feature.
• The novel often moves back to the headmaster's earlier experiences and to past events at the school. These explain his principles and the situations that shaped his choices. This is flashback, and it is the most commonly cited technique in the text.

Tip: For prose-text questions, first rule out the obvious mismatches. Check the point of view (first or third person) and the genre (realistic or mythical). Then pick the technique the author uses most often to reveal character and background. In Nigerian prose texts, flashback is a common way of showing a character's past.

Keep going. You're doing well with your preparation!