Observation

This question was popular among the candidates. The weakness recorded in the part A of this question was that candidates wasted time narrating the early childhood of Joseph and how he was loved by Jacob and how his brothers hated him which led to him being sold into slavery. Candidates should have started their narratives from;

1. Joseph was imprisoned by Potiphar after he was falsely accused of rape by Potiphar’s wife.
2. Pharaoh had a dream that he stood by the river Nile and saw seven fat cows and seven lean cows all coming from the river.
3. The fat cows were swallowed by the thin, lean cows.
4. In a second dream, pharaoh saw seven plump and good ears of corn growing on one stalk.
5. He also saw seven thin ears of corn come up on another stalk.
6. And the seven thin ears of corn ate up the seven good ones.
7. When pharaoh woke up, he summoned his magicians and wise men to interpret the dreams but they could not.
8. At this juncture, pharaoh’s chief butler remembered how Joseph had interpreted his dreams in prison two years ago.
9. And upon the recommendation of the butler, pharaoh sent for Joseph from prison to interpret his dreams.
10. Pharaoh narrated the dreams to him and Joseph said it was only god who gives favourable interpretation of dreams.
11. Joseph then told pharaoh that the two dreams were the same and that the seven fat cows and seven good ears of corn stood for seven years of abundant harvest in Egypt.
12. Joseph further said that the seven lean cows and seven thin ears of corn represent seven years of famine in Egypt.
13. Thus, there would be seven years of plenty of food in egypt followed by seven years of severe famine.
14. Joseph therefore advised pharaoh to appoint a wise man to oversee that one fifth of all harvests for the seven years of plenty is stored in reserve for the famine.

       LESSONS LEADERS CAN LEARN FROM JOSEPH

1. He was a visionary.
2. He was humble.
3. He was patient.
4. He had administrative qualities.
5. He was faithful and god fearing.
6. He had a positive attitude towards misfortune.
7. He had respectfor authority.
8. Willingness to help others/service to others and community.
9. Using his talent for the benefit of others.