Mr. & Mrs. George Otu lived in Kanyang their home town. They had one daughter by name Banku. George was a primary school teacher while the wife was a petty trader. Banku just sat for her Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) and was waiting for her result.

Banku''s father, George, was teperamental as well as strict. The mother was the opposite of the father, especially in the aspect of temperament.. Banku alway avoided anything that would cause her to annoy the father.

One day, Emmanuel, popularly called Emman, who incidentally lived in the same neighborhood with Banku sent another girl that also lived in the neighborhood, Assumpta, to call her.

"Good afternoon," Assumpta greeted.

"Afternoon Assumpta," Banku responded.

"Somebody asked me to call you," Assumpta said.

"Who is the person?" Banku asked.

"He said he has a message for you,but that I shouldn't tell you his name," Assumpta concluded.

"That means the message is not genuine," Banku said.

"The message must be genuine

It's just that he doesn't want to come himself because he's afraid of your father as many people are," Assumpta defended.

Banku followed her to see the person that sent for her. Lo and behold, it was Emman. Banku was dumbfounded when Assumpta pointed Emman to her and left. Emman was smiling as she stood speechless before him, putting on a long face. Mr. Obi, who had respect for Banku because of her good behaviour was surprised to see her standing with Emman. Meanwhile, he concluded to wait before drawing conclusion.

Banku, still putting on a long face, asked, "Are you the one that sent for me?" Using her right hand to run Emman down..

"Yes," Emman responded.

"Why did you send for me?" Banku demanded.

"Banku, I love you and do not want to hide my feeling any longer, hence I sent for you to tell you how much I love you," Emman concluded.

"Tell whoever that sent you to me that you did not see me, but if you are the one that sent yourself, you have missed road.," Banku concluded and was about leaving Emman before his father drove past on a bike from school.

Banku walked home while Mr. Obi followed her behind, duffing his hat for her. Mr. Obi got to his house and told his wife how proud he was of Banku; he narrated how Banku humiliated Emman.

Meanwhile, Banku''s father was in the sitting room, pacing thence and forth out of exasperation with a cane in his hand, impatiently waiting to rain his venom on her. As soon as Banku entered the parlour:

"Kneel down there!" he thundered. Banku quietly knelt down as she pleaded; "Let me explain what happened, dad." "Explain what!" he retorted, and pounced on her with the cane. He gave her many strokes which attracted the mother. The wife's pleading to her husband fell on deaf ears. She asked the father what was wrong, but he could not say anything because of the rage in him.

"What did you do, Banku?" The mother asked.

"Dad is beating me because he doesn't know the sort of daughter he has," she responded.

Mr. Obi came in and stood in-between them, holding the cane. Always ask questions before punishing anybody. Banku made me more proud of her today. I saw how she washed Emman," Mr. Obi said.

Mr. Otu sat down in regret, but could not take back the many strokes of cane he gave his daughter. He managed to say "I am sorry," but Banku did not respond. She sobbed and entered her room.

Questions:

1a. Is Assumpta's role encouraging or discouraging?

b. Can you do what she did? Give reasons for your answer

2a. Did Banku''s father act rightly by beating her without hearing from her?

b. What did you think prompted his refusal to listen to her?

c. What lesson (s) do you learn from his action?

3a. How encouraging or discouraging is Emman's role?

b. Do we have people like Emman in our society?

c. What word do you have for people like him?

4a. Rract to Mr. Obi's role in the story.

b. How did his desire to wait before drawing conclusion help Banku?

c. What would have been Banku''s fate if he had left in disappointment, without waiting to see what would happen?

d. How would she have corrected the wrong impression the father and Mr. Obi would have had against her?

5. Comment on Banku''s father's humility in saying, "I am sorry"?