Observation

This question was popular among the candidates. However, most candidates went astray by mixing up the names of the biblical characters in the part A. Candidates ought to have started their point from the period of judges when Israel was unfaithful in keeping the covenant they had with God thus, God sold them into the hands of Cannan, under king Jabin. In the part B, candidates performed tremendously well. They were successful in mentioning ways the leadership qualities of women can contribute to national development. To this end, it was the part B that helped to boost the score of the candidates who answered this question. In the part A, some of the salient points which could have gotten the candidates their full marks are highlighted below:

1. The Israelites in the time of Joshua took a covenant/oath that they would not mix the worship of Yahweh with the worship of other gods.
2. But, Israel defected from worshipping God alone and instead, served Baal and Ashtoreth, the gods of the Canaanites.
3. Yahweh was displeased by this behaviour and thus, delivered Israel into the hands of their enemies who oppressed them severely and plundered them.
4. Whenever they went to war, they were defeated as God had planned.
5. As a result of their suffering and punishment, the people prayed to God for deliverance from their oppressors.
6. Yahweh was moved by the groaning of the oppressed Israelites and raised up Judges who delivered them from their enemies.
7. However, when the Judges died, Israel went back to sin against God.
8. Thus, the background to the call of Deborah followed a pattern of disobedience, punishment, prayer for forgiveness, and deliverance through one of the Judges.
9. It was after the death of one of such Judges- (Ehud) that Israel sinned against God who gave them up to the Canaanite King- Jabin to oppress them for twenty years.
10. When Israel cried for mercy, God raised Deborah, a prophetess and a judge, to come to their rescue.
11. Upon God’s instructions, Deborah summoned Barak to gather 10,000 men at mount Tabor against Jabin and his army commader, Sisera.  
12. Deborah added that God had promised to give victory to Barak.
13. Barak, however insisted that he would go to the battle if only Deborah went with him.
14. Deborah agreed but added that the victory would go to a woman.
15. When Sisera heard that Israel had gone up to mount Tabor, he called up his men to fight Barak and Deborah, but the Canaanites were defeated.
16. After losing his entire army, Sisera fled on foot to the tent of Jael, the Kenite to seek asylum.
17. He was given hospitality but when he was asleep, Jael drove a peg into his throat with a hammer and killed him.
18. She presented his body to Barak who was pursuing Jabin.
19. Jabin, the King of Canaan was also killed and the Israelites became free again and lived peacefully. 
20. This was in accordance with the principle of Deuteronomy that obedience to God leads to peace and prosperity, whereas disobedience leads to pain, suffering and defeat.