Across the Niger with Ukachukwu Okorie
Once upon a time, there was a beautiful maiden in the land of Ikpoba named Oduwa, she was as tall as a gazelle and as dark in colour as chocolate cream. The young girl was the toast of the village due to the wish of every man to take her hand in marriage.
Osahon and Adesuwa had their daughter Oduwa in a farm settlement off the famous Ughoton River where they farm cassava and cocoyam. According to Adesuwa, a spirit appeared to her at the early stages of her pregnancy and predicted how beautiful the baby would look when delivered. As the Ikpoba custom interprets, such an appearance signifies that a beautiful girl, who will lift the village up in pride,is about to be born.
Oduwa grew up beside her elder sister Itohan, who was equally sweet in the eyes of men and women. Like her junior sister, Itohan stood out from her class of women with good and attractive features. As a pretty girl, men showered her with gifts of all kinds, especially neck and arm beads. This traditional bangle shows the pride of the Ikpoba men, especially in the process of wooing a woman.
The number and size of beads that a man brings forth is important in the field of influence wielding. As such, Itohan had plenty of them as a wooing gift and this affected her attitude to friends and admirers. She equally started being smart with men. Itohan thus listened to the whispers of flirtatious men and partook in the spoils of the process.
Among a roll-call of men, there was this young and rough looking young man called Efe, well-known in the village for his craftsmanship in blacksmithing. Like others, he craved to take Itohan to the stream and special hideouts in order to show love and care to her but there was no opportunity for him to be listened to. Efe was an average, good looking man but his penchant for truthfulness came to a crossroads with Itohan who loved to dribble around men. Because there were many men looking for her, she would not concentrate on any good one no matter his qualities. Her sister and the rest of the family even noticed her flagrant exhibition of pride and total lack of emotion for suitors, especially those who were serious.
Oduwa monitored the situation and built up a protest in her heart because issues went against the traditional processes. In Ikpoba, it is a custom that the senior shall get married before the younger one but things could take another turn depending on the interests of elders. And here, Oduwa was developing an interest in Efe despite the young man wanting her senior sister. Oduwa’s interest started due to the young man’s comportment in the face of Itohan’s pride and flirtations with other men, and then the latter’s good testimonial of Efe.
Although Efe seemed the lucky man in the life of Itohan, the latter was not proud enough of him to convince those who watched in public places. Itohan secretly courted another man who always met her on the part to the stream.. Suspecting the act of unfaithfulness to which his fiancé was involved, Efe bided his time for evidence. His gentlemanly attitude calmed his nervousness and annoyance in the face of what he regarded as insults.
One night, Adesuwa and Osahon called their daughters to seek their view on the issue of marriage because the custom has special privileges for parents whose daughters are traditionally tied to a man in matrimony. Itohan at that particular night denied any emotional attachment to Efe, instead she gave his character a good recommendation. It was this thumbs-up that helped build Oduwa’s confidence that Efe was nice and he could take care of a wife as a loving husband.
Without much ado, Efe and Oduwa started a cauldron of love, beginning from visits to the bank of the river at odd times to the exchange of beads, shells and similar tattoos on special parts of the body. They did these things under Itohan’s nose and it made Oduwa’s confidence grow in strength. With her sister’s statements on the question and answers night with their parents and a mandate the latter gave them on the issue of marriage, things started unfolding rapidly, causing Efe and Oduwa to plan a big surprise for everybody.
As custom demands, the elders from the blacksmith family of Ologbose led Efe to the Osahons of Ikpoba village for the process of wine carrying and other rites. On being aware of this development, it seemed impossible to Itohan but her sister stood her ground on the reason of affection, true love and what had transpired in the past.
Adesuwa and the Osahons received them with grace and candour because the Ologbose family showered them with more beads than the rites required. Alas! Oduwa married Efe, but Itohan became heartbroken.
This story serves as a good lesson for haphazard commitments in relationships.
Ukachukwu Okorie is originally from Nigeria. He has recently completed an MA in Globalisation at Dublin City University, and writes a weekly column for Metro Éireann
olumoukachukwu@yahoo.com
