Question

nnaemeka, for his own part, was very deeply affected by his father’s grief. but he kept hoping that it would pass away. if it had occurred to him that never in the history of his people had a man married a woman who spoke a different tongue, he might have been less optimistic. “it has never been heard,” was the verdict of an old man speaking a few weeks later. in that short sentence he spoke for all of his people. this man had come with others to commiserate with okeke when news went round about his son’s behaviour.
—“marriage is a private affair,”
chinua achebe
which details from the passage best demonstrate the reliance on tribal traditions in nigerian society? check all that apply.
“nnaemeka... was very deeply affected by his father’s grief.”
“but he kept hoping that it would pass away.”
“never in the history of his people had a man married a woman who spoke a different tongue.”
“‘it has never been heard,’ was the verdict of an old man speaking a few weeks later.”
“this man had come with others to commiserate with okeke.”

Explanation:

• For the option "Nnaemeka... was very deeply affected by his father’s grief": This shows Nnaemeka's reaction to his father's grief, not tribal traditions. Eliminate.
• For the option "But he kept hoping that it would pass away": This is Nnaemeka's hope about his father's grief, not related to tribal traditions. Eliminate.
• For the option "Never in the history of his people had a man married a woman who spoke a different tongue": This shows a tribal tradition about marriage (not marrying someone with a different tongue) as it's a historical norm of his people. Keep.
• For the option "‘It has never been heard,’ was the verdict of an old man speaking a few weeks later": The old man's verdict reflects the tribal tradition (since it's a norm that's never been broken, as per tribal history). Keep.
• For the option "This man had come with others to commiserate with Okeke": The act of commiserating as a group over a son's behavior that goes against tribal tradition (marrying outside the tongue) shows reliance on tribal traditions (group response to uphold tradition). Keep.

Answer:

C. "Never in the history of his people had a man married a woman who spoke a different tongue."
D. "‘It has never been heard,’ was the verdict of an old man speaking a few weeks later."
E. "This man had come with others to commiserate with Okeke."