David Mills Institut Faraja Bathanie

Boniface Zodaougan
Tim Doust
I.F.B.

ENGLISH FOR AFRICA

Pupils’ book

5
Société d’édition Bobiso - Kinshasa

Pupil: ……………………………………………………………
Teacher: Mihigo Bienfait Trésor
Unit 1 Hyena and Hare (Part I)

Welc5ome to “Radio Club”

Lubala Kabassa is a radio reporter. He works for the radio. He will introduce each lesson to you.
Practice the conversation. If you can, learn it by heart. Today it’s a story and here is our
storyteller.
Storyteller : No, today I’m not going to tell a story. I’m too tired.
Lubala : Listen. If you tell a story, I’ll tell a story too.
Storyteller : Oh, no! I’m the storyteller. I’ll tell the story. It’s an old story, but it’s a good one.
It’s called Hyena and Hare.

One day in January, in the middle of the dry season, all the animals were very thirsty. They
went to the river, but there wasn’t any water in it. So Lion called a meeting of all the animals.
“It hasn’t rained for three months,” he said.
“No, and it won’t rain again until March,” said Monkey.
“If we don’t do something soon,” said Hare sadly, “we’ll all die.”
“Right,” said Lion. “There’s only one thing to do. We must dig a very deep well.”
“Have we got any hoe?” asked Monkey.
“No, we’ll have to buy some,” replied Lion, impatiently.
“But we haven’t got any money,” said Hyena.
“Then we’ll have to sell something,” said Lion. “Now, what can we sell?”
He thought for a minute. Then he said slowly: “We’ll have to sell our ears.” The animals didn’t
want to sell their ears, but they didn’t want to die either. So they agreed to sell them – all
except Hare. He was so proud of his long beautiful ears that he refused to cut them off.
The animals sold their ears, bought some hoes with the money and dug the well. But
Hare didn’t help them at all. When the well was finished, the animals took some water to Lion.
“Hare didn’t help us dig the well,” said Hyena.
“He didn’t sell his ears either,” said Monkey.
“Right,” said Lion. “He didn’t help us. Then we won’t help him. We won’t give him any water
from the well. He’ll soon die.”
A few weeks later the animals met again. Hare was still alive, and he looked very happy
too. “I think he gets water from the well at night,” said Monkey.
“He looks very sleepy.” “But how can we stop him? He’s clever, and he runs faster than all of
us,” said Lion. “I’ve got an idea,” said Hyena. “Leave it to me. I’ll catch him tonight.”
That night Hyena went to the well with a heavy bag and hid behind some bushes.
Unit 2 Hyena and Hare (Part II)

“Radio Club”
Today the story continues. Don’t forget, practice the conversation and learn it by hear if you
can.
Storyteller : Wake up! You don’t like this story, do you?
Lubala : I do like it. It’s very exciting.
Tell me. Will Hyena catch Hare?
Storyteller : Well, he might catch him.
Lubala : If he catches him, Lion will be happy.
Storyteller : Yes. And so will the other animals.
Now here’s Hyena and Hare part two.

It was very dark. Soon Hyena saw Hare coming along the path. While Hare was getting some
water from the well, Hyena came out of the bushes with his heavy bad and took out a statue. It
was as big as man. Then he took out a bucket and poured sticky tar all over the statue. Then he
ran back behind the bushes.
Hare came along the path, whistling a happily. Then he saw the statue. “Hello,” he said,
“who are you?” You weren’t here a few minutes ago. Well, why don’t you answer me? Are you
deaf? Are you stupid? Can’t you talk? Get out of my way. Come on, hurry up. If you don’t, I’ll
kick you. Right. “Hare kicked the statue, and his foot stuck to the tar. He couldn’t move it. So he
kicked it with his other foot, but that stuck as well. He pushed it with his hands, but they stuck
too. Finally he hit it with his head, and his ears stuck to the tar.
Hyena came out from the bushes. “Hello,” he said, “what are you doing there, Hare? Well,
why don’t you answer me? You do look funny! Your feet are stuck to the tar, and so are your
beautiful ears. Now listen very carefully. You didn’t cut off your ears, and you didn’t help us dig
the well. I’m very angry with you, and so is Lion. He’s going to punish you.”
Then Hyena cut Hare free from the sticky tar and began taking him to Lion. Hare was very
frightened, but then he had a good idea.
“Hyena,” he said quietly, “I drank a lot of water at the well. Let go of me. I must go to the
toilet.” “But you might run away.” “No, I won’t. I promise you.” “All right,” said Hyena, “but be
quick.”
As soon as Hyena let go of Hare, he ran away as fast as he could. Hyena ran after him, but he
couldn’t catch him. Then Hyena sat down on the path and began to cry. “Oh dear,” he said,
“what shall I tell Lion tomorrow evening? He won’t believe me, and neither will the others. Oh
dear, why did I listen to that wicked Hare?”
Unit 3 I want to be an air-hostess

“Radio Club”

Today, Badibanga, the director of the radio, is at the airport. Lubala has just arrived from Abidjan.
Badibanga: Hello, Lubala. How was your journey?
Lubala: Fine, thank you. They gave me a huge meal and lots of drinks.
Badibanga: Did they? And where’s your luggage?
Lubala: It was left in Abidjan. They’ll send it to me next week.
Today I must go and interview some air-hostesses.

Lubala: Here I am at the airport with some charming young air-hostesses. Let me see, you’ve just got off that plane over there, haven’t you?
1st Air-Hostess: Yes, that’s right. I’ve just arrived on the plane from Brussels.
Lubala: What’s it like being an air-hostess? Do you like travelling round the world?
1st A-H: I don’t know! I haven’t stopped working since nine o’clock this morning – serving dinners, giving out drinks, selling cigarettes, looking
after babies. I’m worn out!
Lubala: How do you become an air-hostess?
1st A-H: Well, first you must have the Diplôme d’État.
2nd A-H: Then you take an exam, and they interview you.
1st A-H: After that, if you’re chosen, you’re sent to Kinshasa for two weeks, and then you are trained in Paris for a year.
Lubala: How long have you been working here?
1st A-H: I’ve been here for years. I joined Air Zaïre in 1975.
Lubala: What sort of girls do they want as air-hostesses?
1st A-H: You mustn’t be shy.
2nd A-H: You must be good at English and very patient and friendly.
1st A-H: You must never lose your temper. Some passengers are very rude.
(Suddenly a passenger came across the airport, shouting)
Passenger : Where’s my case? I’ve just got off that plane and I can’t find my case.
1st A-H: Well, sir, it was probably left at the airport in Paris.
Passenger : What! Why did you leave it in Paris?
2nd A-H: Probably it wasn’t put on the right place, sir. I’ll send a telegram to Paris as soon as I get to the office.
Passenger : I don’t want a telegram. I want my case. I won’t leave this airport until you find it.
Lubala: Well, um, being an air-hostess isn’t always easy. Next week …
Unit 4 The English Club’s trip to Kenya

“Radio Club”
Today Lubala is talking to some tourists at the Zaïrian frontier.
Lubala: Hello. Did you enjoy your trip to Bunia?
First tourist: Yes, we did. But we couldn’t go to Uganda.
Lubala: Why not?
Second tourist: We had forgotten our passports. We’d left them in Goma.

Some High School pupils from Zaïre went to Kenya. They did remember their passports and here’s their story.

Last month we had a marvelous trip to Kenya. The Kenyan students welcomed us as soon as we got out of the plane. They picked up our
cases and took them upstairs. We slept in their beds, and some of them had to share beds or sleep on the floor.

The first night we talked and talked. We asked each other questions. We told each other jokes. They showed us their photo-albums. As the
school we were staying in was on a hill near Nairobi, it was quite cold at night. But we were quite tired, so we slept very well. In the
morning we went downstairs for breakfast. We didn’t enjoy it very much. They had put salt and sugar in the porridge together. We didn’t
like it at all. They hadn’t put enough sugar in the tea either. But the rest of the food was all right.

The school we were in was a mixed-boarding school. But the boys and girls weren’t allowed to go to each others’ dormitories. We liked
their big school hall with the band-new piano which the pupils could play themselves. They had bought it the week before we arrived. It’s a
pity we haven’t got one like that in our school. Kenyan hairstyles were very funny – a lot of hair on top and a parting in the middle. But they
all wear the latest clothes.

During our stay we visited the old slave port in Mombasa, which isn’t far from the sea. And one day we went to Mombasa harbor. The
President had visited the port the day before, and they’d put up flags all along the road. We thought they’d put them up for us!

On our way back to Zaïre we stopped in Goma and did some shopping. Then we went to a coffee plantation. That’s quite a long way from
Goma, but the road is very good and it only takes an hour to get there. We enjoyed our trip and were sorry to leave. If I had enough money,
I’d go there again next year by myself.
Unit 5 A page from a school magazin

FASHION OUR FOOTBALL MATCH AGAINST THE HIGH SCHOOL

In the old days everybody used to wear agbadas or cloths. The game should have started at 5 o’clock, but the
But nowadays some young people think they ought to copy Minister for Sport was late. When he arrived he shook
the latest European fashions, and so every month they need hands with both teams, and we kicked off finally at half
to buy expensive new clothes. past 5. The High School boys played very well, and after 15
In the old days women used to each others’ hair, but now minutes their captain scored the first goal. Our goalkeeper
lots of girls think they need to wear wigs if they want to be ought to have stopped it easily, but he slipped. Just before
smart. And what about boys? Some of them have very long half-time we missed an easy goal. In the second half our
nails and even wear necklaces just like girls! team spent too much time kicking the players of the other
The dresses we used to wear are much more attractive team. The High School scored a second goal from a corner,
than all these European clothes. I think we ought to wear and when the whistle went we had lost two-nil. We should
African clothes. We don’t need to copy European all the have won, but they played much better than they usually
time. do. We always used to beat the High School in the old
days, but this year our team needs to train much harder.

FIRST AID OLD ENGLISH RIDDLES

Each month we ask the Red Cross Society to answer a When is a door not a door?
question about First Aid. Here is this month’s question. What What jam can’t you eat?
should you do if someone faints? Why did the fly fly?
“Put him on his back. Put his head as low as possible and lift Why did the chicken cross the road?
up his legs. Loosen his clothes and cover him with a sheet or Which side of the hen has most feathers?
cloth. Later on give him a hot drink.”
Unit 6 The magic calabash (Part I)
“Radio Club”
Today, it’s storytime again.
Lubala: What’s the story about today?
Storyteller: It’s about a girl called Ayo who lost her calabash. She asked a witch if she could help her.
Lubala: What did the witch say?
Storyteller: She wanted Ayo to pound some stones. Now listen to the story – it’s from Sierra Leone
and it’s called The Magic Calabash.

An old widow lived in the forest with her two children, her own daughter, who was called Tunde,
and her step-daughter, whose name was Ayo. She loved Tunde very much, but she didn’t like Ayo.
So Ayo did the housework while Tunde went our dancing every night.

One day the window filled a calabash full of clothes and told Ayo to take them to the stream and
was them. While she was there a bright-red bird flew out of the trees. Ayo stared at it and didn’t
notice that the river had carried her calabash away. She ran along the river asking people if they had
seen her calabash. But nobody has seen it.
Late that night poor Ayo went to sleep under a tree. In a dream she saw the same bright-red bird,
who said: “At the end of this path lives a witch. If you do what she tells you, she’ll give you a
calabash.”
The following morning Ayo found the witch sitting outside her house. “Go away,” she said, “I don’t
want to see anybody. My legs hurt.”
Ayo asked her if she could help her. “Yes,” said the witch, “pound what you see in my mortar.” Ayo
started pounding, but it was full of stones!” “I’m wasting my time,” she though. But soon the stones
turned into soft white rice.
“Now,” said the witch, “I want you to get me some water in that sieve.”
“Water in a sieve!” thought Ayo. But although she thought it was impossible, she poured some
water into the sieve, and it didn’t run out.
“Good,” said the old woman. “Now I want you to change the bandages on my leg.”
Ayo looked at the dirty smelly bandages on the woman’s leg. She was nearly sick but when she
carefully unwrapped them, she found there was nothing wrong with the witch’s leg.
“You’re a kind girl,” said the witch. “Go down to the stream and take a calabash. But be careful!
Don’t take a big one.”
Ayo went to stream and found the calabashes. The large ones shouted: “Take me! Take me!” The
little ones ran away crying: “Don’t take me! Don’t take me!” She picked the smallest calabash she
could find and ran home with it.
Unit 7 The magic calabash (Part II)
“Radio Club”

Lubala: What will happen when Ayo gets home?

Storyteller: I can’t tell you what will happen.
Lubala: Well, what’s the end of the story?
Storyteller: I’m not sure what the end of the story is. You’ll have to read it yourself. Here it is. The
Magic Calabash Part two.

When Ayo got home, her mother was furious and beat her with a big stick. Then Ayo showed her
the calabash, and the widow cut it open. Gold and silver poured out. Tunde and the widow had
never been so happy. They bought a new house in town., had lots of servants, drove around in a big
car and drank whisky every day. But Ayo still lived in the kitchen and drank water. Soon there was
no money left. The servants left because nobody had paid them. The widow didn’t know what to do.
Suddenly she had a bright idea. “Tunde,” she said, “I want you to go to the forest and bring back a
calabash. But get a big one this time.” Tunde asked Ayo where she had found the witch. Ayo told her
and warned her not to get a big calabash.

When Tunde found the witch she said, “Hey you, mammy, mammy! I’ve come here to get one of
you magic calabashes. Where do you keep them? Hurry up! I haven’t got much time!”
The old woman told her to pound the stones in the mortar, but Tunde said, “What! Do you think
I’m a fool? I won’t waste my time pounding stones!”
“It’s up to you,” said the witch, who was fanning herself with a piece of grass. Tunde grumbled so
much that the stones didn’t turn into rice for a long time. When the witch told her to get water in a
sieve, she was very angry, but she remembered the calabash and got the water. Then the old
woman told her to change her bandages.
Tunde tied a handkerchief over her nose and unwrapped the bandages so carelessly that that the
witch yelled with pain. But there was nothing wrong with her leg. “I’ve had enough of your stupid
games, mammy,” she said. “Tell me where my calabash is.”
The old woman told her and warned her not to take a big one. But Tunde was greedy, so she
grabbed the largest one she could find. The she ran home to show it to her mother.
When she got home, Tunde cut open the calabash: Instead of gold out jumped snakes and toads,
cockroaches and scorpions. Tunde, Ayo and the widow ran out of the house and never came back.
Unit 8 The birth of a pop-group
“Radio Club”

Badibanga: Lubala, what are you doing this week?

Lubala: Today I’m visiting a farm at 12 o’clock – unless it rains, of course.
Badibanga: What are your plans for tomorrow?
Lubala: Tomorrow I’m visiting the airport.
Badibanga: What are doing on Thursday?
Lubala: On Thursday I’m interviewing a pop-group. The Gold Band.

exams! But our Head didn’t mind us

playing because we kept winning music How much money did you make? Why?
competitions. Oh … we used to make about 2,000 They say they only wanted to hear
Zaïres a concert. us and finally they gave us the
whole programme! This is the
What! You must be millionnaires by photo they took in the studio.
now!
No, you never make a lot of money
unless you become really famous.
That’s why we borrowed a van and
Who’s this in this photo?
went on a trip round West Africa.
Oh, that’s a very old one. That’s the
Here’s the photo we took just before
group we formed in the fourth form.
we left. We played in Dakar and then
We started by singing Negro Spirituals,
in Abidjan, where we nearly met the
and then one day we saw a film made
What’s this newspaper cutting then? President. He said he would come to
by the Beatles.
Oh, yes, well, we went to this pop our concert unless he was too busy.
Which one? A Hard Day’s Night? competition. We won first prize and had
our photos in the paper. Did he come?
Yes, that’s right. We thought it was
No, at the last minute he had to go to Do you still play together?
great. A friend lent us some guitars and
What was the prize? a wedding. But we did appear on No, not often. But we do play
a loud-speaker, and we began
practising really hard. Some lottery tickets and a record player. television for the first time. sometimes. For example, we’re
After that we got another singer and playing at the Palace tomorrow
What did you parents think about it? began playing like the Rolling Stones. Weren’t you nervous? night, and next week we’re doing a
Look, this was our first big concert. That’s Yes, a bit. But then people kept ringing concert at the Lycée. And next
Nobody was very happy at first. They
up the studio.
used to tell us things like: “Playing the me at the back on the drums. Later on we month we’re making our first
guitar won’t get you through your got a job playing in a night-club in town. record too!
Unit 9 At the scout scamp
“Radio Club”

Badibanga is angry. He rushes into Lubala’s office.

Badibanga: Lubala! Why is that lorry outside my office?

Lubala: It’s the scouts’ lorry.
Badibanga: Why do they need a lorry?
Lubala: So that they can go camping in Masi.
Badibanga: Well, why are they here?
Lubala: So that I can interview them.

After they had been to Masi, one the scouts wrote this report.

Our last scout camp was held near a small village in the bush. The headman had been warned about us so that the villagers wouldn’t be
frightened when we arrived. We left home in two lorries that had been lent to our school. One of them broke down on the way. So when
the others arrived, we had already unpacked our things and put up our tents. Some of us collected wood so that we could cook our supper.
When we had eaten, the scoutmaster told us what we could do at the camp.
“During the next few days,” he said, “you’ll learn how to look after a person who’s had an accident, what to do if a snake bites you, and
how to follow tracks in the bush.” He also told us that we would have a treasure hunt that night. He said that he had clues in different
places.
We left the camp at 8.30. We were in groups of five. There was no moon and it was very dark in spite of our oil lamps. Some of the
younger ones had never walked in the bush at night before and they were nervous. So was i!
Although we walked fast, each time we got to a clue another group had already been there. “It’s not good,” I said, “I’m sure the
treasure has been found by now! Let’s sit down and have a rest.” Suddenly we heard an awful noise – screaming, whistling, and banging
tins. We thought it was ghosts. We were so frightened that we didn’t stop running until we reached the camp. But no one was there. So we
sat round the campfire and told each other stories.
Half an hour later the scoutmaster came back to the camp. “Back already!” he said. “You ran fast, didn’t you? You won’t sit down on a
treasure hunt again, will you?” We were furious. He was the one who had frightened us. We were so angry that we refused to get up for
P.T. in the morning.
Unit 10 Life with the English
“Radio Club”
Nkanda is asking Lubala about England.
Nkanda: Lubala, what’s it like in England?
Lubala: It’s cold. You’d better buy a thick coat.
Nkanda: What are the people like?
Lubala: They hardly ever speak to strangers.
Nkanda: Hm. I think I’d rather stay in Africa!
Shabani has also been to England, so Nkanda talks to him too.

Shabani: Hello, Nkanda. You look worried. What’s the trouble?

Nkanda: They’re sending me to England for a year to learn English. I don’t know what to take
with me
Shabani: Well, I suggest you get at thick suit made here. It’ll be less expensive. You’d better buy a
raincoat before leaving too. It rains all the time in England.
Nkanda: Is England weather really so bad?
Shabani: Just wait and see. Last winter had to buy thick socks and woolen gloves. My fingers
were so cold I could hardly write. And when I went to bed, it was so cold I needed a hot-
water bottle!
Nkanda: Is it easy to get to know the England?
Shabani: No. They hardly ever speak to strangers. I used to meet the same man at the bus-stop
every morning. He hardly ever spoke to me apart from saying “Nice day, isn’t it?” or
“Cold today, isn’t it?
Nkanda: Tell me some of the things I shouldn’t do in England.
Shabani: Well if you see some people waiting to get on a bus, you must always go to the end of
the queue. You’d better not drink your tea with your teaspoon either. And don’t worry
about children staring at you. They’ll get used to your face in the end.
Nkanda: Did you go to Paris while you were there? Most people do.
Shabani: No, instead of going to France I had a winter holiday in the Lake District. I remember
once some children, without saying anything threw some snow in my face. Ugh … it was
so cold and wet! I was rather annoyed. Then they burst out laughing, and I saw it was a
joke. So I threw some at them.
Nkanda: Hm, England sounds too cold for me. I’d rather stay here. I think.
Shabani: Nonsense. You’ll enjoy yourself. You’ll learn a lot of England too!
Unit 11 Schooldays in Freetown (Part I)
“Radio Club”
Lubala Kabassa is interviewing Robert Cole, a well-known Sierra Leonean writer, about his school.
Lubala: Where did you go to school?
Robert Cole: I went to school in Freetown.
Lubala: And were you a prefect?
Robert Cole: Yes, I would often help the teacher keep order.
Lubala: And did you ever get into trouble yourself?
Robert Cole: Only once. Let me tell you the story …

Each time the teacher had to leave the class he used to make one of the prefects stand up and keep order. The prefect’s job was to stop
people talking. If anybody talked, first he would let him to be quiet. If the boy kept on talking, the prefect would make him stand up until
the teacher came back. If the boy still didn’t stop, he would write his name on the blackboard. Then the boy was caned when the teacher
came back.

Can you imagine me, the smallest boy in the class, making the big boys keep quiet? It was like David and Goliath! Of course the older boys
hated taking orders from a midget. I rather enjoyed telling people to shut up, stand up or be caned. I never thought that I might get into
trouble after class. I was very stupid.

If I got someone punished, I would usually try to leave school at the same time as the teacher. However, one day I was looking for my books
and when I was ready to leave, he’d already gone. That day a big boy had been caned, and he wasn’t very pleased. I joined some friends,
put my school-bag over my shoulder, and we walked off quickly. Then I heard the big boy calling me “Hi! Wait for me!” My friends told me
to run. I ran like the wind, and he started running after me.

Now this boy was very big and strong. His name was Mohammed Bundukar. People said he was married, and I’m sure it was true. When the
teacher caned us, he would make us get up on Mohammed’s back. That day he was furious, and I knew he wouldn’t let me get away.

In Krio we say “Fut we’tin a it a no gi yu?” This means “Foot, I’ve given you everything I’ve eaten. Do your job now so that I can avoid
getting caught.” My feet didn’t let me down. We raced down the street and into the market. I nearly knocked over a fruit-stall on the
corner. Because I was dressed in school clothes and Mohammed was dressed in a long robe, he couldn’t run quite as fast as me.
Unit 12 Schooldays in Freetown (Part II)
“Radio Club”

Robert Cole and Lubala are talking about nicknames

Lubala: Did you have a nickname at school?

Robert Cole: Yes, I was called “Folgot”.
Lubala: What’s that? Is it a Krio name?
Robert Cole: Yes. We always spoke in Krio in the playgroung.
Lubala: Does anybody still call you “Folgot”?
Robert Cole: No. Nobody says that any more. I’m too old.

Then I noticed that people in the street, seeing what was happening, were shouting at Mohammed. “Leave the little boy alone, you big
bully!” “Why don’t you find someone your own size?” “ Yah, bully!” I shouted. Traders who were selling in the market stopped to watch us.
I was enjoying all the excitement. I knew Mohammed couldn’t catch me unless I fell over. I was going to run away when I had a bright idea.

I decided to run down the street just a few yards in front of Mohammed. More and more people shouted at him to stop chasing me. I
noticed him slowing down. I could see that he was hesitating. At that moment I could have run away, but I couldn’t help stopping to see
what would happen. It was the last straw. He tried to grab me, slipped and fell into some mud at the side of the road. I shouted at him.
“You’re so slow you couldn’t catch a tortoise!” He picked up a stone and threw it at me. It missed I ran round the corner into Foulah Street.
I knew he wouldn’t chase me any more. But he never spoke to me again.

One day I was talking to my friend in the playground when a boy looked at me and said “Folgot”. At first I didn’t understand. Then I realized
he was saying something rude about my neck. He was saying that it looked like the neck of a hen. I was furious, and we fought in the dust
until a teacher came us. As the boy was walking away, he held up his arm and made his wrist like a hen’s neck and his fingers like its comb.
The other boys burst out laughing and the name stuck.

At the beginning of the next term, however. I had a piece of luck. I saw a boy whose neck made me think of only one thing. “Tolo-tolo!” I
shouted at the top of my voice. “Tolo-tolo” sounds like a turkey. It also means “turkey” in Krio. If you looked at the boy, you could see that
his neck looked like a turkey’s. No one said “Folgot” to me any more.
Adapted from Kossoh Town Boy,
R. WELLESLEY COLE, C.U.P.
Unit 13 My pilgrimage to Mecca
“Radio Club”
Lubala is interviewing an “El Hadj” who has just returned from Mecca.
Lubala: El Hadj, Do you have to be an Arab to go to Mecca?
El Hadj: No. Anyone who’s a Muslim can go to Mecca.
Lubala: Can’t you go if you’re not a Muslim?
El Hadj: No. You’re given papers to show you’re a Muslim.
And the police check them in case you’re not.

And here’s the rest of El Hadj’s report

“… and you all wear the same simple clothes: two white clothes, one round your waist and the other over your shoulder. They
mustn’t have pockets in them, so you put your money in a belt and your papers in a little purse. No hats are allowed either,
except for women.
You get out of the plane at Djeddah airport and start your bus journey to Mecca. Every few miles the bus is stopped so that the
police can check your papers, in case there is someone in the bus who isn’t a pilgrim. No non-Muslim of course would dare to go
there.
When you arrive at Mecca you’re sent straight to the Ka’aba – even if you arrive at night. You are all given a guide in case you
don’t know where to go or what to say. After prayers in the main mosque you come out into the courtyard of the Ka’aba.
You’ve never seen such a huge crowd. The whole place is full of hundreds and hundreds of pilgrims all dressed alike. The man
next to you could be anybody – a king or a poor farmer – from everywhere – Chinese, Arabs, Africans, Indians, and some people
from Europe and America. Anyone can go on pilgrimage to Mecca. Old and young, men and women.
And then you go round the great black-covered Ka’aba seven times. Then you go and kiss the sacred stone. The crowd is so thick
that old people daren’t try to kiss it. They just kiss their hand and touch the stone with it. So many millions of pilgrims have kissed
the stone that a hole has been worn in it.

Then you are shown the sacred well, and you have to run seven times between Safa and Mariwa. After that you should have your
head shaved. Later on you must go to Mount Arafat to say the evening prayers. Then you can call yourself en El-Hadj. But there’s
so much to see that some people stay for months after that.”
Unit 14 Ask Grace
“Radio Club”

Lubala meets “Grace”, a Nigerian journalist, who answers letters in a magazine.

Lubala: Why do people write to you?

Grace : They write to me whenever they have a problem.
Lubala: Well, I’ve got a problem. You see, there’s this girl …
Grace : I’m sorry. I wish I could help. But I only answer letters.

1. Money for love! 3. What shall I do?

My girlfriend loves me very much but whenever she writes to I am 20 and I have seen a handsome young boy of my age.
me, she asks for money. Should I end our love-affair? Whenever I see him, my heart stops beating. I wish he would look at
“Worried”, Accra, Ghana me or speak to me. But he never does. How can I get to know him?
GRACE – You’d better leave her quickly before your money rnus Miss “In love”, Lagos
out! GRACE – Find out what he does in his spare time. You could also
buy him a coke or beer sometimes. I’m sure you’ll catch him quite
2. Mr Shy easily.
I am 19 years old, and I have been in love with many girls. But
after a few days they usually run away from me. Whenever I meet a 4. My brainy boy
girl my heart beats faster and faster, and I can’ think what to say to I’m sure my boy-friend loves me very much. But as he’s still at
her. school, he doesn’t want to get married until he has finished his A
Even if she talks a lot to herself, I’m completely silent until she gives levels. But I’m afraid he might run away and leave me after he’s left
up and goes away. I wish I could get rid of this problem and make school. He’s very clever. I wish we could get married now while he’s
girls fall in love with me. studying so that he can’t run away.
“Shy”, Port Harcourt, Nigeria Miss Katie, Ibadan, Nigeria
GRACE – Please don’t worry. Nearly everyone is shy sometimes.
Just try to be friends with girls. Try doing this and things will be GRACE – I understand how you feel, but I don’t advise you to
easier. get married while he’s still at school. Just be friends.
Unit 15 Osagyefo
“Radio Club”
Luyindamo used to be in Parliament. Lubala asks him about his life. NKRUMAH IN THE STATES
Lubala : Luyindamo, when did you join the party? Kwame spent ten years studying
Luyindamo: When I was in prison. in the USA. He was always hard-
Lubala : When were you in prison? up and hard to work at night to
Luyindamo: When I was a student. I was about to take my exams when I pay his fees.
was arrested. Once he got a job in a ship-yard
Lubala : How long were you in prison? where he worked from midnight
Luyindamo: For about a year, until I was elected to Parliament. Just like Dr to 8 am. Several times it was so
Nkrumah! cold that his hands nearly stuck
to the steel. Although he put on
I REMEMBER KWAME … all the clothes he’d got, he was
Nkroful, where Nkrumah was still very cold. At 8 a.m., he FREEDOM
born in 1909, is a small village would return home, have “In 1951, after more and year in
of mud walls and bamboo breakfast, sleep for just an hour prison. I was elected to Parliament,”
compounds on a hill near the or two and then begin working wrote Nkrumah. “The next morning I
sea. There I met Koffi who for his exams. was let out of prison. A huge crowd
remembered Kwame as a was waiting for me. I was lifted up on
young boy. PRISON their shoulders and carried to open
He was a strange boy, said Later on Nkrumah returned to car. I was free. This was my day of
Koffi. He would often wander the Gold Coast, where in 1949 victory. The next day I was called to
off by himself into the forest he was arrested by the British Christiansborg, Castle, where the
DAILY TIMES looking at the birds and Governor and sent to prison. He Governor told me that he wanted me
Accra, Thursday May 18th 1972. animals. had very little food and it was to form a Government.”
He hated coming to school and very badly cooked. Rice was only
SERVICE IN MEMORY OF NKRUMAH his mother had to drag him given to prisoners who are ill.
A service will be held at State house at there at first every morning. Each morning he was let out for
10 o’clock tomorrow morning in But later on he wanted to go so four hours to mend nets or
memory of our ex-President Kwame much that he even sold hens in make bamboo chairs. As soon as
Nkrumah. the market to pay his fees. He it was dark, he started writing on
Saturday will be a public holiday and was always very far from girls little pieces of paper by light of a
flags will be at half-mast. and didn’t dare to them. street-lamp. These were then
Dr. Nkrumah died in Bucharest on April smuggled out of prison to help
27th. the Party.