SUMMARY OF THE CONCUBINE By Elechi Amadi by Samson Mwita

THE CONCUBINE

By Elechi Amadi

Setting ; Pre-colonial Nigeria

GENERAL SUMMARY OF THE NOVEL

 by Samson Mwita

 

CHAPTER ONE

Emenike is on his way to tap his wine through the forest. He meets Madume and very soon discovers Madume’s mission. (intention). He had threatened to beat Emenike because of a quarrel they had over a piece of land and he had come to fulfil his promise. Madume is considered as dishonest land grabber, by Emenike, and Madume threatens to beat him. They challenge each other and finally get into a serious fight. Although Emenike seems to manage the fight at first and overpower Madume, later Madume beats Emenike seriously to the point that he thought he had killed him thus he ran away. Madume finally gains strength and walks home. His wife (Ihuoma) wonders whether he fought against the leopard. Madume is happy to hear that at least Emenike managed to make it to home because of the fear of the cost of the rites of purification.

CHAPTER TWO

Madume is now in his early thirties and had not achieved anything in life. His huts were small, he had very small yam farm, and even never cared for having more houses only because he feared thatching them in rainy season. Wolu, his wife bore him four children (girls) but he was not happy as the daughters could neither bear his name nor inherit his properties when he died.  He thinks of marrying another wife when his daughters got married. He hates Emenike just because he is cited by old men as an ideal young man and because he married Ihuoma the most desirable girl in Omigwe village.

Emenike’s condition begins to get serious day after the fight between him and Madume but he is not ready to admit it. Anyika the medicine man who is believed to be a mediator between the villagers and the spirit world comes to see him. As usual he uses tricks to get two manillas he mutters some words addressing their gods to accept his request. He tells them what things to collect for the sacrifice the next day and leaves

Wakiri comes to visit Emenike and encourages him to take is ease. Nwokekoro the priest of Amadioha (the god of thunder) also has come to visit him. He is believed to be the chief rain maker and is feared by other rain makers and they dare not work in opposition to him. He reassures the couple that at least there is a hope if they make sacrifice he might be healed.

CHAPTER THREE

Emenike gradually recovers and his family is now happy over his recovery. They are in the reception hall of the compound roasting and eating maize. Nnenda- a neighbour’s wife comes to ask Ihuoma to plait her hair, and Ihuoma asks for the same. Ihuoma asks for the mirror to see how beautiful she is. We are told that she is beautiful but that did not make her arrogant. She was sympathetic, gentle and reserved. She did not like quarrels with other women to the point that she found herself settling quarrels and offering advice to older women. She hears a sound of oduma dance from Omigwe village and starts dancing. Her two Nwonna and Azubuike children joined in. Emenike finds them dancing and rewards his wife by giving her a manilla.

CHAPTER FOUR

We are told that Omokachi is a small village comprising eleven family groups. In the East there is a village called Aliji and in the West there is Omigwe which was founded by Igwe. Igwe was banished from Omokachi because he failed to collect the things the medicine man ordered to be collected for the sacrifice. Later he became successful. It takes only brave men to leave Omokachi to Aliji because of the dangers on the forestry way. Emenike was always sent for those errands. Chiolu was another nearby village to Omokachi; people from the both villages met most often to worship and give sacrifices jointly, to their powerful god who lived in Mini Wekwu stream.

People worship, Ojukwu – the god that controls smallpox – a dreadful disease they dared not call it by name and addressed it as “the good thing”.  It was believed that the gods visited people at night in forms of human beings and asked for something like vegetables, trifle, etc. and if denied one caught the disease.  It is customarily to offer sacrifices to Amadioha after an illness. So Emenike was also prepared to go and offer sacrifice to Amadioha. On the way they talk about the fight between Emenike and Madume until they reach the sacred woods of Amadioha. Nwokekoro comes out of the shrine and Emenike notes that old men averted their faces when e glanced toward their direction but he made a mistake and gazed at the priest. That action frustrates him a lot till he feels like dozing. Nwokekoro makes a big fire and boils the cocks. Before eating the meat he cuts off one wing of a chicken and throws it to the high side of the temple. A big snake comes and eats the meat then the men eat the rest.

CHAPTER FIVE

Emenike is dead and Ihuoma is in great sorrow. She wishes for her husband to emerge from somewhere but the grave was still holding him securely. Sometimes she would call him loudly expecting him to turn up. Wolu – Madume’s wife – comes to sympathise with her. Wolu finds it difficult to console her because although Emenike died of lock-chest, people attributed his death to the recent fight with Madume her husband.

As Wolu tried to comfort her, she finds herself reminding Ihuoma of her dead husband and. Ihuoma begins to weep all over again. Wolu leaves her and goes home at the same time Ihuoma’s mother Okachi comes in and wonders what Wolu was doing there. She curses Wolu because she believes she had come to mock her daughter and not to sympathise with her. She says that Emenike will revenge against his murderers from the spirit world. She wishes she had stopped the marriage between Emenike and her daughter since her daughter has become a widow prematurely.

Ekwueme also comes to visit the bereaved family and sympathise with them. He encourages Ihuoma to stop crying since it was useless by then. He diverts the conversation and they start talking about wrestling instead. They point out that the wrestlers use charms to win their contests.

CHAPTER SIX

Ekwueme goes back home but with the picture of Ihuoma in his mind. On one hand he shows admiration toward her on the other hand he feels sympathetic to her.  He meets Wakiri and the two, plan to compose a song in honour of Emenike. Ekwueme goes home takes a shower and starts enjoying his yam foo-foo when Wakiri comes. After supper the two friends set about their composition. After finishing their tune Wakiri takes it to Adiele to practice beating it. 

One month after Emenike’s death, people of the village gather for a dance at the village arena. Mmam a hot-tempered drummer prepares the drums and finally Adiele the chief beater, arrives. Wakiri and Ekwueme also come while singing. The dance starts seriously and young men and women join in. when the darkness fell women and young children went to bed the rest danced all the night. Emenike’s song is sung with a mixture of happiness and unavoidable melancholy. The first stanza was;

Do you know that Emenike is dead?

Eh – Eh – Eh,

We fear the big wide world

Eh – Eh – Eh,

Do not plan for the morrow,

Eh – Eh – Eh …

Ihuoma, had not gone to dance instead she lay tossing on her bed. Nevertheless, she could still hear the sound of the song in honour of her husband. She cried aloud and her son Nwonna woke up and cried with her. She had shaved her hair according to the tradition. She dreams of her husband waking into the reception hall and asked her for food. She hurries to the kitchen to prepare the food only to come back and find there is no one in the reception hall. She cries in the dream and when she wakes up she finds her eyes wet with tears.

CHAPTER SEVEN

One year after Emenike’s death life had come back to normal. Ihuoma kept on collecting the woods in preparation for the second burial rite which was to take place after the new yam festival. Nnadi, Ihuoma’s brother-in-law on his side kept on storing dried meat. Ihuoma is worried that the mourners may demand her beloved she-goat to be slaughtered.  Nnadi clears her worries by telling her that he will be in-charge of everything. They prepare the booth for the mourners. According to the tradition the old women had to arrive first, followed by Emenike’s age-group and lastly old men. Ekwueme and Wakiri also come to help with the preparations.

 Old women arrive with small bags which will later be used to carry dried goat meat for their children and grandchildren. They were welcomed with dried meat, palm oil sauce and pepper After eating the midday meal Emenike’s age-group also arrive in war dress and sharp knives while singing.

Omogu Odulawe

Aye!

Omogu Odulawe

Aye!

They come with matchets dancing, jumping, cutting and slashing and a lot of plantain trees are cut down. The whole atmosphere changes dramatically. Some of the men wept and others gnashed their teeth, other howled wildly. All this was a dance of passion, anger and protest against the god of death that took their departed comrade. Since Emenike had been a wrestler, they stage a mock wrestling match in his honour. 

In the morning the older men arrive and are amazed at the destruction made by the young men. They are served and as they eat Ihuoma moves around making sure that they don’t lack anything. They feel pity for her to carry that responsibility at her age. After eight days of the ceremony Ihuoma is expected to cast out her sackcloth and dress properly.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Ihuoma has resumed her responsibilities of taking care of the children and looking after the farm her husband left her. She coped with life again and her health improved bringing back her beauty. Young men and older gazed at her irresistibly. On some Eke (rest) days she goes to Omigwe to visit her mother. Her father Ogbuji (a very handsome man) received them warmly. Ihuoma goes straight to the kitchen to greet her mother and helps her with the cooking. Then Okachi tells Ihuoma that she needs a man to look after her. She is not interest in that subject and she goes to greet the neighbours. When she comes back they sit together and teat while Ogbuji makes sure that Nwonna observes the eating etiquette. They eat while cracking jokes.

After the meal Ogbuji goes to tap palm wine and Okachi resumes her topic. Ihuoma insists that she doesn’t need any man at the present, since her brother in law (Nnadi) is taking care of her. Okachi suggests Ekwueme because he is a well-behaved young man, but she refuses. When her mother keeps on pressing she loses her temper and bitterly says to her mother “Ekwueme, Ekwueme, what type of Ekwueme is this? Please let me alone, mother, and she burst into tears.

Her mother consoles her to no avail. She decides to take her children and go back home since she didn’t want anyone to remind her of her loneliness not even her own mother.

CHAPTER NINE

The rainy season is about to come, Ihuoma is worried about her thatches conditions. Nnadi -Emenike’s brother discusses with his wife to help Ihuoma fix her thatches the next day. The following day Nnadi, Ekwueme and Wakiri come to help with the thatching. Ekwueme’s eye was watching Ihuoma keenly.

We are also informed of Ekwueme’s mother Adaku who bore Ekwueme- the first born and Nkechi - the second born followed after 10 years. Then after her there were no children for 15 years or so. But later she became pregnant and everyone including Adaku herself, thought she was diseased. It was Ndalu the expert on childbirth who pronounced her pregnant and finally she gave birth to a strong baby son. The men keep on working then they pause to have a meal. Then they finished the thatching and Ihuoma was thankful.

After leaving Ekwueme comes back pretending to have forgotten his matchet but after picking it he starts to seduce Ihuoma who seems uninterested. Ekwueme decides to leave and when he reaches home he is given the soup that was too salty and decides to go to sleep on empty stomach. He dreamed about Emenike who finds him in his house and asks him to go with him to the farm. They cross the stream and the villagers appear at the scene. One villager takes him and tries to grab him. He creams and wakes up. He tells the dream to his mother they take him to Anyika who gives him protective charms.  After that he goes to the forest to see his traps.

CHAPTER TEN

Madume is so confused in his mind following Emenike’s death. At some point he thinks he is responsible for it but at times he thought that the gods supported it. He started plucking fruits and tapping palm wine from Emenike’s land hoping that no one was to ask him. He also believed he now had a second chance of getting Ihuoma. He asks his wife Wolu to start being nice to Ihuoma so that he may finally marry her. His wife refuses to carry the errand. The children come and Madume refers to them as Wolu’s children and not his. Wolu cries bitterly because she believes he says so because they are girls not boys and secondly she believes that is he wants to marry Ihuoma to bear him a baby boy.

Madume later left and met Ihuoma and pretended to help her but she refused. He goes home with her but unfortunately he huts his toe against the corner of a hoe. He goes to sit in the reception hall but she ignores him. Passing by the road, Wolu sees him at Ihuoma’s compound. He later left her and went back to his house where he quarrels with his wife.

Anyika the dibia (witch-doctor) tells him that he was lucky to have come alive out of Emenike’s compound because some unknown spirits, some from the sea, plus Emenike’s father teamed to kill him. To protect him from the spirits hunt he tells his to make several sacrifices which would involve; 7 grains of alligator pepper, 7 manillas, an old basket, three cowries, a bunch of unripe palm fruit, two cobs of maize, a small bunch of plantains, some dried fish, two cocks, one of which must be white, 7 eggs, some camwood, chalk, a tortoise (or the shell) and a chameleon. Although it is a costly sacrifice Madume had no option but to go and prepare the items. Since nothing is more precious than life.

Anyika tells him how the procedure will take place that he will carry the sacrifice to the road junction at night and say these words

‘Amadioha, Ojukwu, Mini Wekwu,

Ancestors, Gods of the night!

No one digs up immature yams;

My hair is not grey, my work undone;

Accept my sacrifice and spare me. (p 59)

He goes home feeling reassured he tells his wife and she offers to help in collecting some items.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Nnenda, Ihuoma’s neighbour goes to visit Adaku to see her wonder baby. She reports that she had not called for a long time because both her children and husband (Owhoji) have been sick – a reasonable excuse. After a brief chat, Nnenda rises to go and Ekwueme comes home. He escorts Nnenda to the main road and asks her to carry his message to Ihuoma. He asks her to tell Ihuoma that he wants them to be friends, real friends.

The next morning Nnenda went to Ihuoma’s and the two walk together to the farms. Nnenda gives the message to Ihuoma but she seems uninterested. They part and each ones goes to her farm. In the evening she wanted to go back to Ihuoma to ask for the answer but her husband did not go to bed.

The next day Ekwueme was waiting for the answer from Nnenda under the tree. His father comes to interrupt him he decides to go back to his room and watches his father from inside. His father gets a visitor and they start chatting for a long time. He wishes that Nnenda would be late. Finally Ekwueme comes out and the visitor leaves. His father senses something but Ekwueme lies that he is waiting for Wodu Wakiri. He sees Nnenda coming from the well and rushes to enquire what Ihuoma said but he is disappointed to hear that she said nothing.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Madume is through with the sacrifice and he feels that no spirit would harm him only because he had made the required sacrifice. He goes to sleep thinking of Ihuoma. De decides that he must give her up to spare his life but he affirms that he won’t give up the land in dispute but will claim its ownership once and for all.

In the morning after nursing his wound, he takes his matchet and goes to the land in dispute. He finds Ihuoma harvesting a plantain. He tells her to stop claiming the land to be his. Ihuoma wonders because as she thought the land problem had been settled by the elders. But since only a very foolish woman would try to struggle with a man, she obeys. As she leaves Madume grips her arm so that they may compromise the matter. She struggles to free herself until she starts weeping loudly going back home.

On hearing this, Nnadi races towards the spot followed by other men Ekwueme among them. Nnadi quarrels with Madume but the neighbours go to separate them. Madume cuts one plantain, a cobra spits in his eyes. He calls for help and they send Adanna to fetch Anyika the dibia. Anyika refuses to go because that was the act of a god and he too had to ensure his safety as well. Later he says to Wolu that a sacrifice involving two rams must be made unless otherwise he could do nothing to help. She tells her husband the bitter news he asks her to squeeze some milk from her breast into his eyes. After three days the eyes were more swollen than ever.

After collecting all the items for the sacrifice, it was performed but nothing changed and finally Madume was totally blind. Wolu had to shoulder greater responsibilities by herself. Madume was still hot-tempered and treats his family roughly. She goes to ask Chima the village chief to come and talk to him.  Chima comes with two other elders to settle the matter but Madume responds to them rudely and they decide to leave. They chat and say that he has no right to bark at people since the fault is his. The plantain was not his.

Wolu decides to escape from home with the children suspecting that Madume wants to kill her. Madume notices it and asks her to stay but she insists to tell her parents first and come back the following day. Adiele the oduma beater meet with Ekwueme and they discuss about the dance. They had composed a song about Madume and the spitting cobra but since he was now blind they dropped the song.

The sound of cries is heard and later they identify that it comes from Madume’ compound.  They notice that Madume has committed suicide and no ordinary man was supposed to bring him down except the dibia. When Anyika came he cut down the body and they took it to Minita forest the place where rejected bodies were to be thrown.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

On Eke day, Ihuoma sitting at her reception hall crackling palm nuts sees Wolu passing by, moody clad in black wrapper. She thinks of Madume’s death and sees that it was so bad for Omokachi village to lose two young men in two years. Nnenda comes to visit her and they have a long chat while Ihuoma is hammering the pal nuts. She says that by now she has no one to admire her but Nnenda uses that opportunity to tell her what Ekwueme told her. Suddenly Ekwueme and Wakiri arrive at the reception hall. They pretend that Nnadi has sent them to help him tie Ihuoma’s dry yams. Nnenda and Wakiri leave and Ekwueme is left with Ihuoma. Ihuoma discovers that their departure is a calculated move and feels embarrassed.

Ekwueme finds it difficult to express his emotions towards Ihuoma. He end up telling her that they have composed a new song and sings it,

‘Aleruchi Oji,

She is a champion wrestler

A mighty leg twist

Sent her husband down

‘Aleruchi Oji,

She is a champion wrestler

Ekwueme says that they would have released the song already but Madume’s death had prevented them for two markets. But he promises to release it at the next dance since Madume’s death was abominable thus there will be no mourning and no second burial. He leaves and reaches home with Ihuoma in her mind.

The next day he prepared himself well and her mother suspected something. He goes to see Ihuoma and they chat a bit. Ihuoma says that women are unlucky because they are denied many things such as climbing trees, eating the meat of a kite, the gizzard (firigisi) of a bird etc. Ekwueme looks at his shadow to tell the time then he decided to go home to mend his mother’s kitchen promising to come the next day.

He fixes his mother’s kitchen and goes to rest. Mmam comes beating the drum with a new skin. They talk of the next dance and practice the new song they have composed. Neighbours gather to listen and dance.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Wakiri, Nnadi, Mgbachi, Ihuoma and Ekwueme have come to help Ihuoma to tie her yams. By midday they pause for a meal. After the job, they all move homewards in a narrow path. Ekwueme makes sure that he is next to Ihuoma but she discovers it and moves backwards. Ekwueme is happy nevertheless since at least they had spent a day together. When other take their directions Ekwueme takes a detour and comes back to Ihuoma’s house. After the meal he expresses his love to her and that he wants to pay the bride price for her but Ihuoma seems uninterested to carry on that talk. Ekwueme decides to leave. She calls him back and apologizes if at all she offended him.

However she asks him if he is really fair to himself because she says he has a fiancée called Ahurole and asks him to go on and marry her since she is also beautiful. He insists that he is not ready to marry her. Ekwueme laments that may be she refuses because she is too good for him thus not of her type. Ihuoma feels some pains because of those words but she advises him that she is too old for him. He needs a maiden who would obey him and give him the first fruits of her womb. She also says that her children will soon be a burden to him. She advises him that so long as he was engaged to Ahurole since childhood, and she is well-behaved and beautiful, it is better to marry her instead. Despite all the struggles to convince him to give up the idea Ekwueme stands by his words. They part and Ekwe reaches home and his mother notices as he opens his door.  Adaku - his mother is worried about his recent closeness to Ihuoma. She introduces the subject to her husband and they discuss that they should begin the formal negotiations with Ahurole’s parents before it is too late.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Ahurole and her best friend Titi are on the way to the well to fetch water. They chat on the way and Titi tells her that she should continue sleeping with her young sister to get used to sharing a bed with someone. She says so because she has heard that Ekwe will soon bring wine to her father to begin the marriage procedures. As they return home Titi tells Ahurole to inform her when Ekwe comes. Then they part. Ahurole finds her father – Wagbara and her brothers busy sweeping the compound. She is told to keep indoors on Eke because Ekwueme would be coming.

She goes to help her mother Wonuma prepare breakfast. Her mother informs her of the impending visitation and tells her to appear at her best. Since it was the duty of Wagbara’s second wife to feed her, Wonuma and her children ate their own food.  Ahule quarrels with her sister Ahurole during the meal. He wishes her to be beaten by her future husband. We are told that Ahurole was engaged to Ekwueme when she was eight years old and Ekwe was only about five years old. Her parents were proud of such engagement so they exercised extra care over her.

They are all confident that Ekwe will perform all the duties of a husband well. Aleruchi his second wife comes to welcome him for the meal.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Ekwueme is not happy because of the idea of getting married to Ahurole. He refuses to go with his father for the initial negotiations and says he had planned to go to his animal traps the next morning. His father is surprised and sends Adaku to go and talk to him to find the root of the matter. He tells his mother to tell his father that he does not want to marry Ahurole. She wonders whether Ahurole has done anything wrong to him but he says there is nothing wrong. Her mother starts crying since it was terrible to break a childhood engagement so it would bring them a great shame. His mother fears that maybe her son is bewitched or he is interested in another girl. Ihuoma she guessed.

She uses a mother’s threatening to compel him to tell the truth. She says “Ekwe by the breasts that fed you, and by the laps that carried you, I command you to answer this question truthfully. Have any other girl in mind?” (p. 104). Ekwe says he loves Ihuoma and her mother is surprised because she already has three children. She narrates the story to her husband and says that her son is under the influence of a love potion and they have to find an antidote from Anyika to clear up the stupid ideas from his head.

Wigwe could not blame his son for falling in love with Ihuoma because she was really beautiful. Also he thought that Ihuoma was too disciplined to accept Ekwe’s offer for marriage. He calls Ekwueme and talks to him gently. He tells him that Ihuoma is a married woman with three children already and is looking after her husband’s compound. He asks Ekwe if /Ihuoma has consented that marriage, he lies yes. The father does not believe he asks Ihuoma to be called and say yes in front of them all.

He decides to go and plead with Ihuoma but does not find her at home. He goes to her farm she is not there as well. Later he meets Nnenda who tells him that she has gone to Omigwe. He runs to Omigwe but finds out that they have gone to the farm far away. He gives up.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Ihuoma returns to Omokachi from Omigwe where she had gone to help her parents with farm work. Nnenda informs her that Ekwueme had been looking for her while she was away Ihuoma starts wondering what Ekwueme’s search for her was all about since she had already declared their marriage impossible. Before she sleeps Wigwe –Ekwueme’s father comes to visit her. He is accompanied by Ekwueme. He tells her that he has come to enquire about her relationship with his son. Nnadi comes to see who the people who entered her sister-in-law’s compound were trying to protect her. Learning that they were just normal visitors he goes back.

Wigwe uses a trick and says he has come to ask Ihuoma to marry his son. Ihuoma discovers that it is a trick because even a fool would not let his son to take a widow as a first wife. Ekwueme himself was taken by surprise by that irony. Ihuoma turns down the offer and says that she has to look after her husband’s compound and take care of his children. On hearing this Wigwe bid her good morrow and they left. Ekwueme felt humiliated by his father.

The next day Ekwe rises up before everybody and goes to see his traps not to return home till evening. The parents are worried. Finally he comes with a huge deer slung across his back. They work hard preparing the meat. Ihuoma kept on crying after the departure of Wigwe and his son. The next day she stayed indoors the whole day. She had a terrible headache and kept wondering how in the world a man like Wigwe could make such a stupid marriage proposal.

As she is sleeping dreaming of the matter her son Nwonna wakes her up and gives her the meat from Ekwe. She wonders how he got it but he says that he was given as a gift after being sent to take the meat to Wakiri and Mmam. Her mother warns her not to receive gifts from people after running errands for them. She thinks of throwing the meat into the bush but on second thought she stores it in the basket in the kitchen. Nwonna is so disappointed at his mother’s reaction towards him. Ihuoma comforts him calling him fond names like Hush Nyeoma, Okpara, Agu, Little master, Rat-killer. Nwonna is amused by the last name and laughs through his tears.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Wigwe felt relief because Ekwueme had no reasons for insisting to marry Ihuoma as she had rejected him in front of him. The next Eke, Wigwe, Mmam, Wakiri and Ekwueme are on the way to Omigwe.  Ekwe is not happy on the way and Wakiri notices it. Finally they arrive at Omigwe and were warmly welcomed by Wagbara’s family. Wagbara is not happy with the presence of Wakiri since he likes jokes even in important matters. They are served with pounded yam. Ahurole appears and Ekwueme admires her because she is really pretty. Other men do the same.

Ekwueme is now in a dilemma as he could not tell who is more beautiful between Ahurole and Ihuoma. After the meal the negotiations began. Wagbara leaves that responsibility to his young brother Nwenike. The duty of a guide in marriage is to introduce the prospective bridegroom to important relations of the bride. He also fights tooth and nail to slash down the bride price. Although related to the bride he is expected to side with the bridegroom in all things.

Regular visits to Ahurole’s parents are done as usual. On one visit Ekwueme wants to see Ahurole and talk to her but she avoids him as expected of the bride. Titi her friend convinces her to go back and talk to him but she refuses. With help from her mother they force her back into the room. Ekwe could not understand the attitude of his bride.

The day of formal presentation of wine arrived. Wigwe accompanied by several village elders go to Omigwe. Traditionally Ahurole was to return the calabashes after this great occasion and stay in her husband’s house for four days before returning to her parents. In the evening they arrived at Omokachi. They danced all the night and indeed it was a great day. Ahurole spends four days in Emenike’s compound. All her movements were watched. She was petted; praised, overfed and kind words greeted her all around. She was happy.

Many young girls of her age come to chat with her telling her the advantages of their beloved village. Ihuoma was there as well trying to argue in favour of Ahurole because she too was from Omigwe. Her presence there made Adaku clear all the ill feelings towards her. The girls left and only Ahurole and Ihuoma were left. Ihuoma advises her to be a good wife and uphold the good name of their village.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Ihuoma is finally happy that the love that was developing between her and Ekwueme and bringing about the chaos contrary to the traditions of Omokachi was over. She now had to concentrate on her farm and gave extra care and attention to her children. She also danced on moonlit nights as happily as anybody else and greeted and talked freely to Ekwueme when they met. Finally they go for a night dance in which two new songs are released. One about how Wodu Wakiri fell off a palm wine tree under the sting of bees and another about a man in Chiolu who tried to make love to a woman in the farm.

CHAPTER TWENTY

The marriage negotiations had to take one year but Wigwe rushed things and it took only six months to complete all the things needed. So Ahurole was home in months. Ekwueme had reconciled himself to the marriage. He resumes to his normal life and tries to forget about Ihuoma. He was wondering whether he is behaving like a married man since he saw no difference in his life until his wife was installed in her own hearth then did he feel truly married.

Ekwueme keeps on eating the overnight foo-foo from his mother’s house. It was okay with Ahurole because Ekwe had been the only child of Adaku for a long time not expecting another child. So his mother guarded him jealously and protected him from any harm. Wigwe accused his wife for trying to make a woman out of a man. She too accused him for setting too high standards for a very young child.

A further flashback of Ekwueme’s background is given explaining how he began his hunting and trapping career. Since her mother was giving him praises he preferred his mother’s company to his father’s. As he was growing up he was not bold with girls as his age-mates. He only loved his mother and Ihuoma. He hoped his wife will make him a good wife as well. He sat in his new kitchen with his wife chatting while roasting the hogs meat. The meat fat dropping onto the fire produces smoke that disturbs them. Finally, Ahurole asks Ekwe what he would like to eat for supper and he tells her use her discretion. She starts crying. 

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

Ekwueme is tired of Ahurole’s behaviour of crying every now and then and saw that she was fit for al old man who would pet her not a young man. They take her to Anyika to control her agwu (personal god) but it doesn’t help. Adaku advises her son not to quarrel with his wife and advices her daughter-in-law to persevere the early marriage days. Wigwe on his side saw no need to talk to his son because he knew that it was just normal and it will come a day when they will adjust. As days went on he saw no changes his determination turned to indifference. He had to find a chance to talk to him.

He advises him not to quarrel with his wife quite often as they are still young couples. He hopes that all will come to an end as it was to them when they were in their first years of marriage. Ekwe protests and says there are other young married women of her age but they don’t cry as much as she does.  

Ekwe goes to bed but does not sleep as his father’s words rewound in his mind. He saw himself unlucky because other men were beating their wives and exchanging bitter words but he hadn’t. Meat was in constant supply and she lacked no wrapper. He blamed the childhood engagements. He tried to focus his attention to all the young married girls but none of them appealed to him. He felt lonely because though surrounded by parents, relatives and friends no one could help him. He decided to form in his mind the image of a woman he wanted “A woman with overwhelming tenderness and understanding in her eyes, a smile in her lips, the gap in the teeth, the well-formed limbs, and the rounded buttocks” he clutched the air and gasped Ihuoma and slept.

The next day he goes to the bush and returns in the evening and asks for a warm bath. His wife says it is not ready he goes to his mother’s kitchen. That thing angers her and she decides not to prepare it at all. They quarrel again over the matter and he eats a little food and goes to bed claiming he is not hungry. Ahurole finds him in the bedroom eating groundnuts and dry corn. She confirms that he does not like her cooking.  She starts crying and Ekwe slaps her on the face pushes her back violently and she falls on her back. There is a serious fight between the two and the parents come to intervene. 

The next day he comes from the bush and finds that Ahurole has run away to her parents. He goes to take her back but according to the custom he is not allowed until the third day. The parents meet to settle the dispute and find out that the two have no particular reason for quarrelling. He came back with his wife confident that he could now cope with the situation.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

It is in the evening of a market day but some people have not been able to sell their yams. The Rikwos, the principle customers moved around waiting for the time when yam sellers would beg them to buy at a give-away price. Lastly, the disappointed groups of people go home chatting about the ever-falling prices for their farm produce. Ekwueme is among them. He is thoughtful on the way until Ihuoma joins him and the two start a chatting on the way about the sales of yams and cocoyam while laughing. Ekwueme feels relief for a moment.

Their talk change to Ahurole and Ekwe asks Ihuoma to come and advise her. After a thoughtful moment Ihuoma encourages him that she will learn in time. Ekwe says she is a terrible woman and has made his life miserable, Ihuoma tries to avoid the talk about this girl and the two walk in silence.

Ihuoma is working in her home farm. Ekwueme passes by pretending to be on his way to inspect his traps and greets her just as did other passers-by. He leaves the path and goes where Ihuoma was. He keeps on chatting with Ihuoma until she asks him to leave. The next day Ihuoma continues to harvest her cocoyam. Again Ekwueme goes to see her. Ihuoma is worried to see that Ekwueme has not forgotten about her. Ihuoma asks him to leave because by staying there he is creating a bad impression to the passers-by that will soon invite the worst scandal imaginable.

When he leaves she thinks of reporting the matter to his father to save herself from future complications. She sends Nnenda to go and tell Ekwe to stay away from her since she doesn’t want any problem with her fellow village girl – Ahurole.

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

Ahurole’s got given to her as a present by her mother is missing. She reported it to Ekwe but he treated the matter lightly. Fearing a quarrel he set out to look for it.  He looks for it into several compounds and reaches Ihuoma’s. He didn’t find the goat and as he turned to leave he met his wife there. The wife started questioning him what he was doing in Ihuoma’s house. She says that she has been hearing the rumours but now she has confirmed it.

He goes home and his wife comes back muttering and nagging. He decides to go to Wakiri’s house and the two start playing their instruments and while singing until Ekwueme sheds tears. The next day Ahurole goes to see her parents and pours her troubles to her mother and accuses Ihuoma to be part of it. Her mother advices her to use charms (love potion) to win her husband’s heart.

When she returns to Omokachi she goes to see Anyika when her husband goes to see his traps. She is frightened because Anyika’s house has strange items. Anyika asks for two manillas first and Ahurole produces them then he starts working. He discovers from his cowries that she has come to ask him to administer a love potion. He refuses that he doesn’t do such things. He says in the long run it makes men who were active and intelligent to become passive, stupid, and dependent. Ahurole leaves Anyika’s house disappointed but impressed. Her mother comes and is told of the response. She decides to go to another medicine man at Chiolu.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

After doing his incantations the medicine man at Chiolu assures Wonuma that the man is fixed. He gives her another stuff to be mixed to his food. As she starts back home she is afraid to cross Mini Weku stream since no one carrying any form of poison could cross it unharmed. Later a conviction grows in her that hers was not a poison but a medicine to build a home. She crossed and went to give the medicine to her daughter. Ahurole pretended to complained of a serious stomach trouble so that she may use that opportunity to prepare two different pots of soup and put the drug into her husband’s soup. The trick worked as expected.

After two days Ekwueme’s condition was worsened Anyika tried to treat him and for a time it worked. Later he attributed his sickness to the protective charms round Mmam’s farm that he trespassed. He did all that was required to heal him to no avail. His health was getting worse and worse.  As Ekwe complained to his mother Ahurole listened without comment. She knew what it was all about. Ekwueme was putting on weight and Adaku thought it was a good cooking of Ahurole but as the days passed he was behaving awkwardly. One day his mother talked to him.

He seemed to respond awkwardly saying that he is just fine. Adaku caked Ahurole and blamed her for being the cause of her son’s illness. They discuss it with Wigwe and decide to see Anyika for it. The next day Wigwe interviewed Ekwe but he kept laughing at him and Wigwe was worried. He went to see Anyika but he missed him and came back to keep watch on his son. He tells his wife that for sure their son is terrible bewitched. As Adaku goes to see him he leaves the room and starts running.

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

Wigwe and his wife try to chase and hold Ekwueme but they fail. He goes to ask for assistance from Mmam, Wakiri and Nnadi. Ahurole was still working in the farm till late in the evening. She starts walking home but meets no one on the way to give her a company. As she passed through the forest past the shrines of Ali (the earth-god) and Amadioha, a man emerged lumbering along and she discovered he was her husband. Ahurole was worried as her husband saw her and increased speed. He later changes the direction and moves towards his wife with a stick. Ahurole slips into the bush.

She stays in the bush hiding and watching her husband from a distance. She decides to run away but Ekwueme notices her and starts chasing her. Fortunately she meets Mmam and other men who help to overpower him. They dragged him home as gently as possible. As they approach the village Wigwe tells them to stop and wait for the darkness so that people may not see his son in that condition. Finally they take him home and go to fetch Anyika. Meanwhile, Ekwueme escapes again.

Ikolo (the talking drum) is beaten and all the young men of the village begin the searching mission. Anyika returns home thinking of Ahurole as a possible cause because she went to him for a love potion. He finds Wigwe and Adaku waiting for him manillas in hand. Anyika tells them the whole story and how Ahurole is involved. Some elderly men and women gathered to give sympathy to Wigwe and they were telling tales of lost men and their survival in the forest to encourage Wigwe that his son will be found.

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

In the morning, the young men had not managed to find Ekwueme. After a bath and breakfast the drum is beaten again. Nwokekoro advises one group to go to his traps led by Nnadi and others go anywhere else. Nnadi suggests that they should take the dogs to help in the searching mission then they all disappear into the bushes. They went through al his traps but no trace of him was found but only some animals caught in the traps. As they returned home and deposited the animal from Ekwueme’s traps at Wigwe’s compound.

They decided to look at a trap trail behind Wigwe’s compound before coming to rest. The dog advanced forward and started barking seriously. They got there but saw nothing. Wakiri discovered that the dog was barking up a tree. He looked up and saw Ekwueme resting on a confortable branch of a tree. He informed others of his discovery. After a discussion they decided not to raise any alarm but they went to inform the village, leaving three people behind.

They informed Nwokekoro first before Wigwe and the drum was beaten. People from the bush and all other villagers gathered at the arena. Nwokekoro announced that Ekwueme has been found but they won’t be able to see him until two days. He thanked the young men for their devotion and they left. When they reached at the tree Adaku started begging Ekwe to come down but he didn’t move. They ask Mmam to go up the tree and persuade him to come down. As he saw Mmam he drew the unseen club and Mmam had to climb down immediately. People pleaded, threatened and abused him but nothing was achieved.

Nwokekoro decided to threaten with his powers. Ekwueme mumbled something they did not understand. They sent Mmam to climb up and listen to him. He heard him saying that he wants Ihuoma. Quickly Ihuoma was sent for. When she came and Ekwe saw her he started climbing down.

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

Ekwueme ate the food set before him very well but he refused to bath. His mother was worried but Wigwe decided to go and call Anyika. When he came Ekwueme refused to talk to him calling him a wicked man and crazy. He calls his father by his name “Wigwe” something he had never done and tells him that he wants to marry Ihuoma right away. He is given the medicine but he refuses to take it. He insists that all he wants is to marry Ihuoma unless otherwise he will not listen to anybody.

They later discuss that they should fetch Ihuoma and arrange a make-believe marriage so that he can accept the medicine. The medicine man tells them to persuade Ihuoma and if they succeed they should inform him the next day morning. That evening Wigwe and Adaku went to persuade Ihuoma to come to Wigwe’s compound and arrange a make-believe marriage so that Ekwe may take the medicine. Ihuoma is very supportive she agrees but says she will have to inform Nnadi her brother-in-law to know her movements.

Nnadi agreed to the proposal and Ihuoma showed up to Wigwe’s compound. As soon as Ekwe saw her his eyes lit up. He invited Ihuoma to sit next to him and accused the crazy fellows who had been bothering him. He asks Ihuoma if she will be ready to marry him, and she agrees on a condition that he will have to take whatever medicine Anyika gives him. Surprisingly he agrees and Anyika seizes that opportunity. He gives the medicine to the sick man he drinks and returns the cup to him. Ihuoma asks Ekwe to bathe and he agrees.

They also ask her to convince him to sleep. He refuses and says that he wants to chat with her. He asks her to marry him and she assures him that they will get married as soon as he finishes all the medicine Anyika is going to give him – which he agrees. Later she asks him to sleep because she wanted to go and feed her children, promising to come the next day. The parents thank her very much and they discuss how to reward her. They think of giving her part of the meat Nnadi brought from Ekwe’s traps.

The next morning Anyika comes to administer his antidote. Ekwe drank the medicine without any problem. Ekwe seemed to be perfectly normal again and he was talking sensible things when Ihuoma arrived. He apologizes for all the troubles he has caused to her. As the two chatted alone Ihuoma discovered that Ekwe was now sensible, considerate and gentle. He insists to see her in the morning of the following day assuring her that he loves her even more than before. They part promising to see each other the next day.

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

Ekwueme improved rapidly and began doing odd jobs at home. He didn’t want to go outside his father’s compound because of shame of his recent behaviour. Everybody agreed it was a love potion that caused it. Ihuoma’s regular visits to him made their bond to grow stronger. Even Adaku began to love her and apologised for the wrong opinions she once held of her. Ekwueme also paid regular visits to Ihuoma and brought her meat from his traps.

The gossips circulated around but Ihuoma didn’t care. This encouraged Ekwueme until he came near to worshipping her. One day he asked her again to marry him and asked Ihuoma for her consent before he told it to Nnadi. The next day he told Nnadi and he had no objections. Wagbara was told to refund Ahurole’s bride price and he did it promptly. He told Wigwe that while the whole business is a shame to him but they should remain friends.

Okachi-Ihuoma’s mother was very happy about it. Anyika was the one person who did not approve of the marriage. He tells Wigwe to try a divination fist before the marriage takes place and he promised to pay for them the divination fee because they had paid so much already. They had to check on the malevolent spirits and render them powerless in advance. After performing his rituals Anyika said the marriage will not work out well because the strong spirits are against the marriage. Wigwe wanted to know why, and here the story goes

“Ihuoma belongs to the sea. When she was in spirit world she was a wife of a Sea-King, the ruling spirit of the sea. Against the advice of her husband she sought the company of human beings and was incarnated. The sea-king was very angry but because he loved her best of all his wives he did not destroy her immediately she was born. However because of his great love for her he is terribly jealous and tries to destroy any man who makes love to her.” (p.195)

He told them that Emenike’s lock-chest that killed him was the design of the Sea-King. Madume’s blindness was the result of the Sea-King who assumed the form of a serpent and dealt with him. He told them to consider Ihuoma’s life and ask themselves if they have ever seen anyone quite so right in everything, almost perfect. So she was a Sea-goddess. The only way men could live with her is; “well she could be someone’s concubine. Her Sea-king husband can be persuaded to put up with that after highly involved rites. But as a wife he is completely ruled out” (p.196)

Anyika suggests that women of her likeness re very few in the world they are usually very beautiful but their husbands’ spirits watch them from the spirit world. Marriage could only be possible if an expert on sorcery is consulted but with the Sea-King it is impossible because he is too powerful. As they returned home they narrated the bitter truth to Ekwueme but he ignored it and said he is ready to be her husband even for a day before his death as his spirit will go singing happily to the spirit world. He told Ihuoma that they would start the negotiations in four days’ time.

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

Wigwe and his wife are wondering what to do. While they appreciate the contribution of Ihuoma to the recovery of their son, but Anyika’s discovery took their joy away. They think may be Anyika didn’t see well into the future because they paid him with the money he gave them. Adaku proposes to find another medicine man at Aliji village. Early the next morning Ekwueme and his father left for Aliji and met Agwoturumbe the dibia. He too gave a divination that was not much different from Anyika’s but the most important difference was that he said he could bind the sea-King and prevent him from doing any harm.

He asked him to collect the following for the sacrifice: a piece of white cloth, a white hen, a bright red cock, seven ripe plantains, and a brightly coloured male lizard. He told them that it would take place in a canoe on a river or creek by midnight. They left triumphantly.

The marriage proceedings were put off for a while waiting for the sacrifice to be done. Meanwhile, only wine was drunk and gifts exchanged. They also decided to have a dance and Ekwe sang with a new meaning in his voice. After the dance, Ekwe escorted Ihuoma to her house and told her why they had gone to Aliji. He told her the whole story omitting the part of the deaths of Madume and her husband. Ihuoma listened and said it is funny because she didn’t feel like the daughter of the sea. Ekwueme wanted to make love with her but she advised him to wait until they get married. The Ekwe left. In the morning before going to inspect his traps he goes to visit Ihuoma who informs him that she was thinking of him all night long. He tells her that he went to see her because her name means “beautiful face” or “good luck”. She also tells him that his name means “say and do”.

When Ekwe came back he had caught two animals and proved that Ihuoma’s face was really lucky. He suggested to give part of the meat to his in-laws, part to Nnadi and gave part to Ihuoma. Ihuoma promised to help to collect some items for the sacrifice and Nwonna would help to catch it.

CHAPTER THIRTY

                Agwoturumbe the dibia arrived with a great flourish. Many people wondered why Anyika was not present and others said may be his charges were too high or he couldn’t cope with the situation. Wigwe had already prepared the room and according to the instruction of the dibia, no woman was to enter that room seven days before his occupation. Many clients came to Wigwe’s compound for divination. That evening he collected a tidy heap of manillas. Because of running out of stock in the morning he had to go and collect more herbs and roots. On his way he met Anyika. They exchanged greetings as normal friends and Anyika directed him where to get ‘Rats ears”.

Agwoturumbe returned and attended his customers well. He told Wigwe to arrange for the boat and gave him a summary of the whole procedure to be carried out at midnight on the middle of the river. Ekwueme was worried that if the sacrifice was to take place on the river that would be the best opportunity for the Sea-King to destroy him. He wanted an alternative sacrifice but Agwoturumbe insisted there was no other option to bind the Sea-King. He assures Ekwe that with his presence nothing will go wrong because he has dealt with more dangerous cases than that one successfully. With that assurance he went to the riverside to arrange for the boat.

He went and made the bargaining with the boatmen most of whom refused until he got one who agreed and charged him 15 manilas. Ekwe gives him instructions to hold the boat firmly when the Sea-King appeared but the boatman laughed and told Ekwe that he has been going on such missions but he had never seen the Sea-King himself. He thought that the medicine men were just deceiving them.   He comes back and gives the summary to Ihuoma. He remembers that he hadn’t prepared the lizard yet. They sent Nwonna along with his playmates to go and hunt for the lizard while they have a romantic chat in the house.

Later he goes out to see Turumbe getting on with the preparations. The arrow flying parallel with the wall just missed a big red lizard and hit the upper part of Ekwueme’s belly and he fell back across the doorway with a cry. Ihuoma, Nwonna with his playmates, Agwoturumbe and Wigwe rushed to the scene. They carried Ekwueme to his room.

Ihuoma was crying violently rolling from one corner of the compound to the other. She slapped her thighs, beat her chest, raised her hands and hopped wildly until they restrained her. Adaku was under similar restraint in her room. The spirit of Death was known to take away people’s souls shortly after midnight. That was when Ekwueme died.

* * * * * * *