Observation

This popularity of this question was on the average. The B part was less challenging to the candidates as compared to the A part. The weakness of the candidates is traced to how they missed the points by concentrating their efforts on how Solomon married foreign wives thus, turning his heart away from God. To this end, they wrote that God divided the kingdom so as to punish Solomon.  On the whole, the performance of this question was below average. Only a few candidates were able to trace the causes of the fall of the kingdom which are being highlighted below;

1. After the death of Solomon, his son Rehoboam was made the King of Judah.
2. He went to Schechem to be installed as king.
3. However, when Jeroboam heard about this, he returned from exile in Egypt to lead a delegation from the North to Rehoboam.
4. They said; “your father made our yoke heavy, lighten the hard service of your father and we will serve you”.
5. Rehoboam asked them to go and come back in three days’ time.
6. He wisely took the first step to consult with his royal advisers who had served his father Solomon.
7. He was advised to listen to the plea of the Northerners and they would be his servants forever.
8. But he accepted the advice of his contemporaries and ignored that of the elders.
9. He promised to add to their yoke and chastise them with scorpion.i.e. increase their burden.
10. Armed with the advice of the contemporaries, he announced the outright rejection of the request of the people.
11. He promised them a harder regime than his father’s.
12. Rehoboam’s response was to bring to pass the prophecy of Ahijah, concerning the division of the kingdom.
13. When the people realized that the king did not listen to their request, they withdrew their union with the southern tribes.
14. Hence the statement: “what portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel”!
15. Rehoboam was therefore advised to go back to Judah and take care of his people.

Israel departed to their tent and Jeroboam was installed as King of the North.

Point expected of candidates in the B part includes;

1. We should learn to respect popular opinion.
2. We should be diplomatic, tactical and sensible in handling crisis.
3. The best method through which conflict can be resolved is dialogue.
4. High- handedness is capable of aggravating or fuelling crises.
5. We should be aware of negative peer-group influence.
6. We should learn to imbibe the rudiments of democracy.
7. Parents should live good lifestyles for their children to emulate.
8. The words of elders are often words of wisdom and should be listened to.
9. We should be sensitive to our ethical / religious sentiments.
10. We should avoid making unwise decisions.