Fathers of Nations Questions and Answers Guide PDF

Guide to Fathers of Nations: Questions and Answers PDF – Paul B. Vitta

©Wafula Wekati 2023

 

Foreword

How many heads of state are attending the summit?

50 heads of state

Where is the venue for the summit?

Gambia’s capital of Banjul.

The heads of state boycott a closing ceremony organized by Gambia. What reason does a paper give for the boycott?

The boycott was as a result of a bitter disagreement the heads of state had earlier.

What happens to the man caught selling confidential documents marked for 100 eyes only?

He disappeared never to be seen again.

What is the  assessment of the summit by the visiting heads of state?

They posit that the summit was a failure.

How do the Gambians respond to the views expressed by the visiting heads of state?

That the foreigners have freedom of expression and the right to say anything they please.

What is Gambia’s feeling about the summit?

In their own light, they see it as the most successful summit ever held they illuminate high points and blur out low points.

 

Chapter one: Arrival at the Sea Mount (P1-2)

How many strangers check in at the Sea Mount hotel?

 Four strangers (PG1)

Identify the strangers in the order in which they arrive. Give their occupation and nationalities.

Karanja Kimani , 60- Professor in the institute of development studies at the university of Nairobi (Kenya)

Ngobile Melusi, 70- Comrade and citizen of Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe), ex politician

Chineke Chiamaka, 50- Pastor at the church inside Africa ‘CIA’ in Lagos (Nigeria)

Seif Tahir, 40- engineer, former employee at the Ministry of Defence in Tripoli (Libya)

Which rooms does the hotel give them?

Professor Kimani- 4^th floor,  East wing

Comrade Melusi- 5^th floor, South wing

Pastor Chiamaka- 6^th floor, West wing

Engineer Tahir- 3^rd floor, North wing (PG1-2)

 

First phone call from Guide (P1-2)

For how long had Professor Kimani been in the room before the phone rang?

Less than an hour (PG2)

What is AGDA in full?

Agency for Governance and Development in Africa (PG2)

What is a AGDA's message to Professor Kimani according to the caller?

That he accepts the caller as his guide while he was there (PG3)

What is the nationality of the caller?

Nigerian (PG3)

What is the combination lock of the briefcase Professor Kimani finds in his room?

One, one, two, four

How does the caller reply when Professor Kimani asks for his name?

He identifies himself as their guide

 

Fiona & Afolabi interview (P2-4)

How is Fiona dressed when Dr. Afolabi meets her for the first time?

She was wearing a scarlet blouse, a black skirt and red high heels

What is Fiona’s full name?

Fiona McKenzie

What is the explanation behind her second name?

Her natural parents were Gambians but they are dead. She was adopted by Scottish missionaries, Ian and Elspeth McKenzie when she was less than a year old

What is Fiona’s occupation?

Fiona Mackenzie is a reporter for the Gambian news

What is Dr. Afolabi's level of education and his occupation?

Dr. Afolabi studied at Harvard University in the USA. He teaches at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

What is the title of the book he has authored?

Failure of States

How old is Dr. Afolabi?

45 years old

How old is Fiona McKenzie

35 years old

Where will the African heads of states be having the debate?

At the Pinnacle Hotel

What are Afolabi and Fiona’s assignments in relation to this?

Afolabi will be the adviser of the heads of state, while Fiona will be covering the debate on behalf of the Gambian News.

What is the debate all about?

African heads of state are in Banjul to adopt a document entitled Way Omega: a document containing a way to develop the African continent, discovered by 20 noble laureates as a common development strategy for Africa.

What are Dr. Afolabi Afolabi’s expectation of the summit?

He expects an end to military coups and rigged elections in Africa. He believes Way Omega will rid Africa of coups and civil wars.

What question does Fiona ask Dr. Afolabi that irks him?

She asks him what makes him so optimistic about Africa’s future now, when in his book he is very pessimistic. Is it about Way Omega or the prestige of its authors?

How does Afolabi’s perception of Fiona change?

He had seen a lamb: vulnerable. Now, he saw a lioness: dangerous. 

Why does the interview end abruptly?

Fiona’s phone rings. Her boss wants her back at the office.

 

The pain of hosting VIPs (P10-16)

Why do the 49 foreign heads of state look happy?

They had escaped troublemakers in their own home countries. They expected to get rest, and a trouble free stay in Gambia, the land of Kunta Kinte. 

The 49 heads of states give the hosting country good publicity but this publicity comes at a high price. Explain.

Bulldozers are dispatched at night to demolish roadside kiosks on which whole families depend for their livelihood. Dignitaries see that a few streets once had sidewalks.

Roads get rare layers of tarmac at times of maximum traffic. Motorists come to a standstill when it really hurts.

Checkpoints sprout everywhere. Guards get more basis for extorting bribes from passers-by

Water taps at which whole neighborhoods queued just to get buckets of water dry up. All the water has gone to mesmerize the dignitaries with new water fountains (PG11)

Which ministries are jointly charged with the responsibility of preventing catastrophe at the summit?

The Ministry of Internal Security and the Ministry of Defence.

Which effective way of ensuring that all the heads of state would be safe do they come up with?

All heads of state including the host, would stay in one place, the Pinnacle Hotel, located on the outskirts of Banjul.

The elementary task of ensuring the Pinnacle Hotel became and remained an impenetrable fortress rested on two pillars intelligence and combat. Explain.

Intelligence meant secret agents combed every hideout in Banjul investigating rumours about plans to storm the pinnacle. The police handled this. 

Combat meant trained soldiers engaging any unauthorized person who came near the Pinnacle.

Which ministries are jointly tasked with extending to each head of state his or her due respect or protocol?

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the ministry of International Cooperation. 

They are tasked with seating arrangement of their heads of state at the feast and their accommodation at the Pinnacle.

How do they go about the issues of seating arrangement and hotel accommodation ?

The heads of state would sit in Alphabetical order. The floors were also given out according to Alphabetical order with Algeria and Angola getting the top floor.

Assuming each delegation, big or small, had to be equal, each delegation was given four rooms.

 

Chapter 2: Guides second phone call (P16-20)

At what time does Pastor Chiamaka receive the second phone call?

Pastor Chiamaka receives the second phone call from the guide at 9:00 PM

What are the contents of the briefcase he found in his room? (p16)

A letter from AGDA

A copy of Way Omega

A copy of Path Alpha

Leaflets, pamphlets and brochures from AGDA

A mobile phone

What was Pastor Chiamaka doing when his guide saw him at the bar at the Seamount Hotel?

He was having a Pepsi

How long does the guide take to talk to the four men on the phone?

He takes two hours between 9:00 PM and 11:00 PM.

 

Chapter 3: The rise of Professor Kimani (P21-25)

Which vacant position does Professor Kimani fill at the University of Nairobi?

He joins the University of Nairobi directly as a senior lecturer to fill a vacancy in the Institute of Development Studies.

Where was he studying before he applied for the position?

University of Oxford.

What  proposal does Professor Kimani make noisily, a month after his arrival at the University of Nairobi?

He demands that the university henceforth strives for the relevance to the society rather than simply excellence of its work.

What is the university's official motto as a result of this effort?

Relevance to the society.

Which other proposal does he make?

He wants the university to be an agent of change, not a mere spectator of it.

What is the reaction of his colleagues?

Some deem it too radical while others ridicule it as simple minded.

What is the name of Kimani's wife?

Asiya Omondi

After their marriage, what else does Professor Kimani achieve?

A Professorship. He becomes a  Professor.

 

The global recession (P22)

Explain how the donors are the forces behind the changes in Africa after the global recession.

They threatened to withhold aid unless Africa makes the changes they want.

What did the changes catalyze in parliament?

The changes catalyzed excesses or extravagance in parliament ostensibly to make up for the time they felt they had lost

Explain how the parliament staged a coup.

The MPs increased their salaries.

Those earnings are no longer deemed salaries so they are not taxable. They are exempted from taxation.

This is akin to a coup since the MPs make laws to permit such plunder. It becomes legal but immoral.

Why are parliaments worse than armies?

Soldiers could stage coups but they could not legalise their action. MPs break the law and legislate that breach as a new law.

Professor Kimani's woes (P25)

How has guarding matured into a fully fledged industry in Kenya?

Guarding does not stop at home protection

In transport area, vehicles have anti-theft gadgetry

In tourism, tour operators warn their foreign clients to avoid exposing valuables in public

In the workplace, we have seminars on personal safety

Why does Professor Kimani view this growth in guarding with disapproval and contempt?

He considers it a symptom of failure by the state to ensure safety for its citizens.

How is his view different from his daughter’s?

Tuni thinks attending seminars on personal safety is clever while Professor Kimani thinks safety is a necessity the state should provide.

Tuni says she intends to take precaution against male violence.

Which three reasons does the seminar instructor give that prove women are the easy prey?

 The lack of awareness

 A look of weakness and helplessness

 A temptation to stray

Why can’t Tuni borrow her father’s car?

The car is down again. Professor Kimani will fix it as soon as he gets his next salary.  Asiya refers to it as "That dying old Toyota"

How has the car become a metaphor of Professor Kimani according to Asiya?

Once she had seen him as a young man going places. Now she only saw an old man going nowhere. The car was going nowhere as well.

Which hurtful career advice does Asiya offer her husband Professor Kimani?

She advises him to leave the university and seek greener pastures. 

It is hurtful because he compares him to Newborn Walomu, who left the university and is now a wealthy member of parliament with four cars (P29)

What did Newborn Walomu do before going to parliament?

Walomu, a  rowdy fellow from a minor tribe without roads or schools, was a junior colleague of Professor Kimani at the university.

Why won’t Professor Kimani leave teaching and join politics?

He tells Asiya that he was born a teacher and a teacher he will die. He considers people like Newborn losers.

How does Tuni meet her death?

She dies in a car crash. A trailer crashes a minibus she was traveling in. 

She dies in freak accident, in a minibus under a truck trailer.

What is ironical about how she meets her death?

She does not die in an act of male violence as she had anticipated

How long does it take for Tuni’s parents to find closure?

 six months

Why does Asiya Omondi leave Professor Kimani?

Newborn has asked to marry her

How does Asiya blame Professor Kimani for their daughter’s death?

 She claims that Tuni would be alive if he had a real car.

How old is Asiya at the time they part ways?

 60

Kimani and Walomu's altercation (P34-38)

How does Professor Kimani greet Newborn when he visits his office?

 You, fat baboon (P34)

How many wives does Newborn have?

Three beautiful young women who have already borne him a child each.

How does Newborn go to parliament?

He won the seat in a by election, after his predecessor was killed by gunmen while he was wobbling out of a bar.

Who is Newborn's predecessor?

Kazi-Kubwa Pesa-ndogo, a swaggering rogue.

What reason does Walomu give for marrying Asiya who is older than he?

He says: old is gold (P36)

Why does Professor Kimani attack Newborn?

Professor Kimani had gone to confront Newborn for ‘stealing’  his wife and is infuriated when Newborn takes the opportunity to mock him. He is unable to tolerate.

What is Professor Kimani charged with?

Assaulting a Member of Parliament.

What disciplinary measure does the university take after this fiasco?

The university demotes Professor Kimani from his current rank as full Professor back to his starting rank as senior lecturer. 

This is due punishment for disgracing the university in the face of the public.

 What is the length of his jail term?

 Six months

 

Professor Kimani joins AGDA (P38-45) 

What is the name of the director of special projects at AGDA? How old is he?

Tad Longway, 50

Where is AGDA based?

Cape Town, South Africa

What retribution did Mr. Mark Thatcher get for staging a coup in Equatorial Guinea?

The government of South Africa fined him $1,000,000 and handed him a suspended 4 year jail sentence

At independence, what problems did African leaders vow to eradicate?

Poverty, ignorance and disease.

Instead of eradicating these problems, they have added a fourth and are adding a fifth. Which are these two new problems?

 Corruption and impunity

According to Longway, what is AGDA's mission?

To question Africa's status quo.

• What will it take to develop this continent? 
• Is it human effort or supernatural effort?  
• Are the present leaders helping or impeding Africa’s development agenda? (P42)

How is a teacher similar to an activist according to Longway?

A teacher's job is to coach people towards the better future and activist’s job is to coax them towards that future. 

They may use different methods common but there are similarities in their ultimate objective.

 What is Path Alpha's motto?

Mobilizing civic discontent into will to change.

Why does Professor Kimani fit the profile of a Path Alpha traveler?

A traveller must believe in Path Alpha. From his history Professor Kimani is an idealist.

A Path Alpha traveler must have the drive to pursue goals and the tenacity to stick with them.

What is Professor Kimani expected to do after joining Path Alpha?

Attend the orientation in Cape Town, South Africa

Attend the next summit of African head of states in Banjul, Gambia as an observer.

When does Professor Kimani enlist for AGDA?

A day after Tad Longway’s visit (P45)

Which woes push Professor Kimani to take this Path?

Loss of her daughter, desertion by a wife and mistreatment by his university and the state.

 

Chapter 4: Fiona's Taxi Ride (P46-48)

When Fiona leaves the Seamount Hotel for her office, how long does she tell the boss she would take?

 About an hour

This estimate overlooks which recent phenomenon?

Roadblocks. Her first stop is at Arch Number 22

What is Arch Number 22?

A colossal arch, erected by the architect of a coup which saw the undisputed, legitimate president of Gambia overthrown. 

This happened on July 22, 1994.

How did the current president of Gambia ascend to power

By overthrowing the legitimate president in a military coup staged on July 22^nd, 1994.

What is the ironical story of the taxi driver?

He forms part of a growing African phenomenon. Taxi drivers with university degrees but no meaningful employment in the professions they trained for.

Why does the taxi driver refer to the guards as bullies?

They falsely claim that his taxi has faulty brakes and demand for a bribe

Which news does Fiona's boss deliver to her when she arrives at the office?

That he is pulling her out of the assignment to the summit at the Pinnacle. 

She joins VOA from the Gambian News on a two year leave-on-loan arrangement.

 

Fiona joins Voice of America (48-57)

What does VOA do that it could not do before just to save its image?

Employing non-Americans in senior VOA positions. Miss McKenzie joins VOA bureau in Banjul

Who is Robert Manley? How old is he?

The chief of the VOA bureau, 40 years old

Who is the VOA communications-technician-in-residence?

 Nicholas Sentinel, 25

Which breaking story does the VOA need Fiona to help them cover?

The heads of state summit at the Pinnacle Hotel.

Why does VOA choose Fiona to cover the story for them?

Because of her professional expertise and her African background.

Where did Fiona study?

 Edinburgh, Scotland

What does Nick Sentiment use to monitor electronic transmissions or wireless communication?

Real-time multi-phase mega-channel analyzer also known as the silent listener.

Liberian mauler (P57-65)

Why is the clerk at the Seamount Hotel indifferent to the altercation? 

He has a wife and five kids to feed and fears losing his job.

Who is the Liberian Mauler? 

His real name is Leo. He is the man that attacks Fiona at the Seamount Hotel lobby.

What is the name and nationality of Doctor Afolabi’s ex-wife?

Pamela, American

Why was the Liberian Mauler referring to Fiona as Joy?

It is a local slang for a street walker or a sex worker.

 

Chapter 5: Afolabi in Boston (P66-70)

What is Doctor Afolabi invited to do in America before he is invited to Banjul to serve as advisor to the summit of the heads of state?

He had previously been invited by The Foundation for Democratic Rule in Washington to give a keynote address at an annual conference

For his wife Pamela, how was the invitation by the foundation Godsend?

She had not been able to see her father, who lived alone as a widower in Boston

How do the views of Doctor Afolabi about children varying from Pamela's? 

He wanted to have two children of his own, whereas Pamela wanted them to adopt two African children.

Afolabi meets AGDA (P70-74)

According to Tad, what is the law of will?

 Unless there is will to change, there will be no change.

What is AGDA's underlying idea?

 To mobilize our discontent with Africa, in its present state, into will to change it

What are Doctor Afolabi's view on Way Omega?

That the summit should go with Way Omega. It will put an end to military coups, rigged elections, civil wars or ethnic clashes. 

He feels it is a breath of fresh air.

What is the difference between Path Alpha and Way Omega according to Tad Longway?

Whereas Way Omega is top-driven and lacks the will for its implementation, Path Alpha is bottom-lead and has the will.

What is Doctor Afolabi’s prescribed role in AGDA?

To guide four Path Alpha travellers whom AGDA is sending as observers to the summit

Tad Longway does not want Doctor Afolabi to defect from way Omega to Path Alpha. Why?

 Afolabi is supposed to serve as Path Alpha's entry point at the summit

Pamela divorces Afolabi (P75-81)

What is the name of Doctor Afolabi and Pamela’s houseboy?

Issa,  a Hausa

Who is Femi?

Femi is Doctor Afolabi’s cousin. He is a Yoruba from Kaduna. He has a scary scar on his face.

What is Femi doing in Doctor Afolabi’s house?

He wants Doctor Afolabi to marry a second wife.

He believes Pamela can’t have children of her own.

He thinks she hates children.

He has brought Afolabi a wife to marry.

What is the name of the girl he has brought for Doctor Afolabi to marry?

 Nimbo

Doctor Afolabi says Femi is not guilty while Pamela wants him out of her house immediately. Explain why.

Doctor Afolabi explains that people back at home came up with the idea. Femi is only a messenger. Nimbo, the girl to be married, is only what they wanted him to deliver. She too is innocent, according to Doctor Afolabi.

What makes Pamela feel that Doctor Afolabi is part of the Fermi and Nimbo scheme?

He is adamant about throwing them out that night

She thinks he knew about the girl all along

He wants children but she would rather adopt.

His village people sent him a girl to bear all the children he wants

The scheme fits so closely. He must have had a hand in it

What disagreement or standoff makes Pamela to leave the house?

Doctor Afolabi's refusal to throw out Femi because he is his cousin. He suggests that they leave the next day. Pamela leaves.

After how long does Pamela phone Dr. Afolabi to tell him that she had filed for divorce?

A week after the stand-off. She phones him from her father’s home in Boston.

Chapter 6: Security screening (P82-85)

According to comrade Ngobile Melusi, what is the logic behind the security clearance?

Detection: Spotting actual danger at specific points and punishing it there and then

Deterrence: Seeing potential crime everywhere and punishing it anywhere

The youthful guard at the summit security screening has an issue with Comrade Melusi's cellophane pouch. What does it contain?

A needle and some medicine for his diabetes

When did Melusi discover that he had diabetes?

 During a medical checkup that AGDA asked him to take while joining Path Alpha

Why does Comrade Melusi insist on taking the needles and medicine inside?

Without the medicine, he couldn’t live a day. Because of diabetes, he cannot regulate the sugar level in his blood. The medicine keeps him alive. The needle is his life: for shooting the medicine into his veins.

What makes the youth change his mind about confiscating Melusi needles?

The litany of bad things that could happen to Melusi if he did not take his medicine: Blindness, kidney failure, foot ulcers, leg amputation etc.

Story of Ngobile Melusi (P85-99)

Where do Comrade Melusi and Tad Longway first meet?

They meet for lunch at Chaminuka Restaurant in downtown Harare

After defeating Smith, what urgent order of business did Zimbabwe have?

A peaceful passage to an elected government. They hurriedly put together a transitional government to oversee this process.

At 1:30 PM, it is expected that the restaurant should have many diners but Melusi and Longway are the only customers. Why?

The economy had crashed and people in Zimbabwe could not afford to eat out anymore, unless someone foreign was footing the bill.

Who was the head of transition government?

The leader of Comrade Melusi's group (P86)

How did Melusi earn the title comrade?

He fought Smith alongside his leader for many years. His leader used to call him comrade.

Which is the largest ethnic group in Zimbabwe?

 Shona

What is Comrade Melusi's mother tongue?

Ndebele

What was Zimbabwe’s national motto at independence?

 Unity, freedom and work

Why didn’t the new ruler appoint Comrade Melusi minister?

He wanted to strengthen supporters and weaken enemies. The ruler was Shona and when he discovered Melusi was Ndebele, he threw him out as a perceived enemy.

Why was the leader of Comrade Melusi's group thrown out of the government?

A cache of weapons was allegedly found at his home. He was accused of plotting a coup. He is Ndebele, not Shona.

What were the two men having for lunch?

Comrade Melusi had roast chicken with fries while Longway had mashed potatoes and pepper steak. For dessert, they had chocolate cake and a coffee respectively.

Comrade Melusi Ngobile is a hungry man. Give proof.

He looks blacker than usual because of hunger (P87)

He polishes off his roast chicken and French fries (P88)

He helps himself to the mashed potatoes that Mr. Longway rejects (P89)

He relishes chocolate cake for dessert (P92)

Which events follow the dismissal of the Ndebele leader?

Anti government unrests erupts in the South. The Ndebele were angry with the government for humiliating their man

They attacked government supporters

 The government retaliates with the 5th brigade as retribution for the protests

What is Gukurahundi?

The 5^th brigade. Shona for the first years rainstorm that washes chaff off fields so that tiling can start. They ‘wash away' Ndebele insurgents like chaff.

Where was Comrade Melusi's business office?

Downtown Bulawayo, the capital of the Ndebele

What was the name of Melusi's wife?

 Ziliza

How did she meet her death?

 She was strangled by the ‘Gukurahundi’ and splayed on the kitchen floor

How did the new ruler change after the Ndebele insurgency?

Before, he viewed both the Shona and the Ndebele who fought loyally for independence as allies. 

Now, he only trusts his Shona tribesmen and regards the Ndebele as rivals - tribalism. He wants to be a lifelong president.

Where do the two men meet during their second conference?

They meet at  Muponda Restaurant at the northern edge of Harare

Why is Zimbabwe’s new ruler referred to as the bomber?

He was bombing the country’s economy back to the Stone Age

What was the name of the opposition group formed by Comrade Ngobile Melusi?

The New Independent Party - NIP

By what percentage did the bomber win the election?

99 percent

How did the bomber win election when Zimbabwe had been doing badly?

He rigged the results

The opposition was divided. They booed Comrade Melusi when he rallied them to combine efforts to beat the bomber

Each opposition leader wanted to be president

Which of the opposition parties was willing to work with NIP?

RUFF - the Reformed Union of Freedom Fighters

Why did the RUFF leader quit?

Young guns under him discovered that he did not have a university degree so they deemed him useless for lacking ‘a proper education’.

What is Comrade Melusi's next step of action after losing the elections?

Disaffected, he went back into busines

Why did his business do badly?

Inflation was eroding incomes faster than they could grow

What was ‘Murambatsivina?’

It is Shona meaning 'expelling the trash'. Bulldozers came and tore down the slums evicting residents without warning or alternative accommodation. This was done by the government to punish the urban poor for supporting opposition parties.

According to ‘the bomber’, what was  'Murambatsivina's' real aim?

To prevent disease and curb crime. Disease and crime increased instead.

What had Tad Longway come to discuss with Comrade Melusi?

Mobilizing their discontent with Africa in its present state into will to change it.

Chapter 7: Hierarchy (Breaking the ice) (P100-104)

List the poles of influence that guide political hierarchy.

• Pure power
• Population  (Nigeria)
• Technology  (South Africa)
• Alliance with one or more of the other poles  (Kenya)
• Sheer obstinacy (Zimbabwe)
• Refusal to abide by rules (Libya)

How old is the Nigerian president?

 70 years old

What losses does Professor Kimani experience that could have been prevented by the Kenyan government?

His daughter Tuni's death on the public road

His wife running off with a randy member of parliament (P102)

Why does Comrade Melusi hate the president of Zimbabwe intensely?

 Zimbabwe’s Fifth Brigade murders hundreds of people including his wife as ordered by the president.

Bulldozers had driven thousands of Zimbabweans out of their homes

After many years of misrule, Zimbabwe was now back in the Stone Age

The followers of the leader of Libya blow up a Pan American World Airlines plane over Scotland, killing 300 people. What are the agreed-on rules required of the leader?

That he surrenders the bomb planters for trial

 That he pays compensation to the families of the victims

Why does Engineer Tahir move from the leader's greatest admirer to his foe?

The leader had sold out to the West and become its servant.

The leader had abolished Libya’s nuclear weapons program - that's throwing away the country's only insurance against future Western attacks. 

 

Chapter 8: The story of Chiamaka Chineke (P105-114)

Describe Pastor Chiamaka as a driver.

He always drove dangerously, with an elbow sticking out of the window and already blaring out the latest hit song

 He cuts into other lanes

 He drives against motorists and against the flow of traffic

What is the name of Pastor Chiamaka's younger brother?

Obinna, an evening student at the University of Lagos

Where does Pastor Chiamaka work?

 Earth Movers Limited

Which events lead to pastor Chiamaka's turn around and decision to be a preacher?

He escapes a serious accident without serious injuries

He is convinced his mistake had vanished with the fire engine

Other motorists do not stop thus disqualifying themselves from testifying against him

How does Pastor Chiamaka acquire his skill of preaching?

He started by nodding to express agreement to points made in church

Shaking hands with preachers who had made the points

Advanced to actual techniques:

• Flourishes of speech and rhythms of gesture
• Courage to face down a congregation
• Authority to lecture a congregation
• Audacity to reprimand a congregation
• Plunging into the real thing: preaching

What was Pastor Chiamaka's standard opener and his congregations prescribed response?

Pastor: Let us listen to our Maker

Congregation: Let us hear His word

During his sermon “God is watching you!” how much money does he say the imaginary black plastic bag contains?

 10 million American dollars

What three options does he give the congregation?

Keep the money and call it good luck

Carry it home for the time being and figure out the smartest thing to do with it later

 Hand it over to the police

What is AISHI in full?

The Australian Institute of Studies on Human Inclination

According to AISHI, what is the answer to Pastor Chiamaka’s  question concerning the money?

Group One: 20% of all people will pocket the money

Group 2: 50% of the people will carry the money home and think of what to do with it

Group 3: 30% will hand the money over to the police immediately

For how long does Pastor Chiamaka stay in prison?

He shares a rat-infested cell with smelly inmates for two weeks

 On which day is he released?

 A Monday

Why is this luck limited?

 The police banned him from preaching.

After how long does he join AGDA?

 Two years 

The story of Seif Tahir (P117-125)

Where did Seif Tahir go to school in Tripoli?

 Abdelaziz Academy

What did Tahir study at the University of Paris?

Weapons development: he wants to build real weapons for Libya

What celebrations are taking place when Tahir returns from overseas?

The leader of Libya was celebrating his 20^th year in power

What makes Tahir believe that the leader has the right vision for Libya?

He closed down all foreign military bases in Libya

He had nationalized all foreign businesses

Libya had oil discovery/petroleum reserves

The leader had launched a program to make nuclear bombs

He named the program the “Fist of Allah”

What was Engineer Tahir's childhood dreams?

To acquire skills and use them to build real weapons for Libya

Why did the leader of Libya dismantle the fist of Allah

The Al-Quaeda had stricken on American soil and he knew America would soon retaliate.

What made Seif Tahir hate the leader of Libya?

He was offended because the leader of Libya had dismantled ‘Fist of Allah’. Seif deemed the dismantling of ‘Fist of Allah' as ‘shirq' or sacrilege, an offence that was eternally unforgivable

How does Seif react when Rahma sweetly declines his tomato soup offer?

He reacts violently. He storms back to his office in a fit of rage, feeling humiliated by a woman who was his junior by many miles. He vows to retaliate.

How does he retaliate?

He slaps her as she is removing her head veil the next morning, readying for her laboratory work that the veil would have impeded.

What happens during the heritage week in Libya?

The leader of Libya had set it aside to give his people time to celebrate their renowned history.

What is Tahir’s excuse for slapping Miss Mahmoud?

To administer discipline on a female subordinate for shedding her head veil in public, in violation of the Libyan culture.

In truth, why did he slap her?

To take revenge for she had rejected his advances.

What does Miss Mahmoud do when she is attacked?

She strikes back using a letter opener which splits the heels left eye open.

How long does Engineer Tahir spend in hospital after the accident?

 A month

What is the Hammurabic verdict?

 An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. (P122)

Did the vengeance by Engineer Tahir give him peace?

No. In fact, he was even more restless than he had been before.

When his friends tried to talk him out of his gloom, what action does Engineer Tahir take?

He leaves Tripoli and moves to live along in Benghazi. (P123)

What were the two reasons for Engineer Tahir's gloom?

The foreign lifeless object he got after losing an eye during (the accident).

The deep and weakening effect after deciding to have an artificial replacement for the eye he had lost (the effect) - imminent sorrow hung about him.

Where do Tahir and Tad Longway meet?

In Benghazi. They talk about the history of Libya.

 

Chapter 10: The secret agenda (hidden motive) (P126-132) 

Describe appearance of the ‘Silent Listener’.

The silent listener is a sleek device, new and shiny, with hints of gold and silver.

How many parts does the silent listener have?

 Three

• A receiver - auxiliary units on the left. It collects sound transmissions
•  A dish
• A processor - sifts through all transmissions caught by the receiver, saves those it decides, discards the rest.

What has Nick (the VOA youth) found out after analyzing the transmissions that the "silent listener" has gathered?

That something fishy is going on at the summit- a secret agenda.

Explain the secret agenda.

People whose identity Nick hasn’t figured out yet are working in a network of five nodes. The nodes represents a person working alongside others in a group.

The node at the center, the Hub-node, is connected to four other nodes. Identify the four outer nodes.

Professor Kimani, comrade Melusi, Pastor Chiamaka and Engineer Tahir

Where are these nodes physically?

 They are at The Seamount Hotel. 

The five guests lodged at the Seamount as observers in fact have a hidden motive.

Where is the Hub-node?

 The Seamount Hotel, second floor, center wing.

What assignment does Fiona have after learning about the secret agenda?

 Looking for the guide, the hub node

 Telling him about ‘The Trick’ (p132)

What does Fiona learn when she visits Dr. Afolabi in his room?

That Dr. Afolabi is the guide

He is working with Mr. Longway and four others. The group wants the summit to adopt Path Alpha instead of Way Omega.

Path Alpha is not on the summit agenda. Longway and company want Afolabi to put it there

Chapter 11: Chiamaka's failed scheme (P141-143)

What is Chiamaka's failed scheme at the Seamount?

He plans to meet the president face to face and ask him about Way Omega. 

It fails since the planned small dinner at the Pinnacle is cancelled, without explanation.

What are the four reasons that bring the four observers to the summit?

They say that Africa has problems whose solutions its present heads of state are simply not up to.

They believe Path Alpha will solve these problems, not Way Omega

 They have suffered ugly state abuse they do not want to ever suffer again.

They want to address each of the above but making their heads of state adopt Path Alpha, not Way Omega.

 What is ‘The trick’ in Fathers of Nations?

The Gambian president declines to honour to chair the summit

 The new chair has a ploy up his sleeve - the trick:

• fail to lead the summit to a consensus 
• later another head of state proposes that a committee convenes
• Committee devices a method to eliminate need for consensus
• Create a win-win result for him

Chapter 12: Summit opening (Tiku Zinto) (150-152)

What does the Gambian president say during the opening of the summit?

He proposes that the summit adopt Way Omega since their task is to adopt a common growth strategy for their people.

Who is the new chair of the summit?

Miniko Menkiti - the president of an important African country

Who is Tiku Zinto?

Minister of development planning in an island country. He served as convener of the committee that previewed Way Omega ahead of the summit.

Which two mistakes does Zinto make while making his presentation?

Claiming the African Union was the catalyst behind the change.

Using a tone of voice that sounded like a lecture while addressing heads of state who didn’t like to be lectured by a subordinate.

How does he conclude his speech?

By begging the heads of state to adopt Way Omega, claiming Africa will start developing tomorrow.

Path Alpha is introduced at the summit (P152-156)

What does Thaddeus Longway say about Path Alpha?

He says that it contains concrete action while Way Omega only has good ideas. Way Omega offers you a bird in the bush while Path Alpha pushes that bird into your hands.

How do the others sell Path Alpha?

Pastor Chiamaka prays to God to bless the summit and make it choose Path Alpha.

Professor Kimani tearfully says that teachers deserve respect and only Path Alpha would see that they get it.

 Engineer Tahir: Path Alpha will give Africa its own modern weapons.

Doctor Afolabi: Way Omega is big on ideas and Path Alpha is small.  Way Omega is weak on the implementation of those ideas and Path Alpha is strong.

 The debate (P156-167)

 Who speaks first during the debate?

 Didier Bangoura

What confession does he make?

That he has neither read Way Omega nor Path Alpha and declares that he will never read them

Who speaks second during the debate?

 President Simba Ibarosa

Who speaks third during the debate?

 King Jemba Jemba IV

Who is the 4th speaker during the debate?

 President Dibo Dibonso

Who rises on a point of order and reminds the chair about the trick?

President Wasi Wasi Wesiga

Mention the members of the method committee.

President Didier Bangoura (chair)

President Simba Ibarosa

President Yamlaza Gamlozi

What is the name of the method for choosing between Way Omega and Path Alpha?

 The Choice Matrix

 

Chapter 14: The summit reconvened (P173-180)

The heads of state are both hopeful and fearful during the summit reconvening. Explain.

They hoped the method committee had found a method they could use to choose between Way Omega and Path Alpha

They fear the chair of the committee had not read the documents.

How long did the method committee take to come up with a Choice Matrix?

 Half an hour.

What is the name of the young man operating the projector?

Mam Biram.

What does Zinto say about the choice matrix?

 He says it is total nonsense.

How long is the adjournment or break after President Bangoura introduces the choice matrix?

15 minutes.

What are the results of the coin tosses

 Tail: Path Alpha

 Head: approve 

How do Professor Kimani, Pastor Chiamaka and Engineer Tahir feel about Path Alpha's victory?

They find their victory therapeutic - a chance that concrete action would be taken to right the wrongs they had each suffered.

What does president Dibonso do when the chair announces that Path Alpha had carried the day?

He dismisses the Choice Matrix as utter rubbish and draws a gun aiming it at the chair.

 

Please keep the conversation going in the comments section.