Chapter seven

A t Ereama a man never gave out his daughter in marriage without conferring with some members of his family and some community elders. So Anda informed the Amayanabo, the chairman of the community and his executives as well as many other well-meaning elders. It was a grand occasion; it was an occasion that even brought people from other villages. Ereama was full of visitors agog with diverse preparations for one of the greatest wedding ceremonies of the decade.

At Ereyei's house, there was coming in and going out of visitors. Food was in abundance; relatives, friends and well-wishers ate, drank and expressed great joy at the news that Ereama was bracing up for second wife. And as for Ebiotu, she had mixed feelings. She was happy and she was cold. She was happy that the bride Luisa would bring a child to the cold home; she was cold that a woman was coming in to divert the love Ereyei had for her. For Ebiotu, it was a taboo for another woman to share husband with her; it was unheard of. But she had agreed and her uncanny feeling was just the result of her frail human nature; it was natural. When she went into the community to see the preparations for the ceremony, her feelings were more touched. She saw the pomp and circumstance. The joy in the people; the joy in the Anda family and Luisa herself. She made bold step to visit Luisa and joined in preparing the bridal train. She was smiling, talking with the most appropriate body language, but her inside was in storm; there was no tranquility; there was no peace. When the rumbling noise in her inside was getting more and more momentum, she ostensibly left for a project at home. At home, she got a mild sedative and entered into a relatively deep sleep. Ereyei having known that she might be emotionally disturbed, left her alone to sleep. Of course, when she woke up from the sleep her countenance had a more radiant look, and her rumblings of discontent disappeared. She became calm; tender sweet smiles took over her being and she joined all others who were in the house to rejoice.

And finally the great day came. Nothing was unusual. Ereyei did not secretly and unadvisedly date a woman for marriage. She had been told; the preparations had been on. Therefore nothing was new. But she would not go to the venue. She would stay at home to watch over all the food cooked for the occasion.

Ereyei was happy.

The compound of Anda was over crowded; it was completely jammed. It was a more of a royal wedding with full pomp. And because of people from far distances, things rose up with mercurial tempo. As early as 11am, the bride price of N20,000 twenty thousand naira and all other demands had been settled. At about 1pm, the bride and her train had appeared. The bride groom - Ereyei in his dashing good looks gently got up from his seat and moved lovingly toward the bride and gradually and cheerfully he brought a bundle of money, and scattered it upon the bride and the bridal train. There was ovation; there was great uproar of joy all over. Momentarily she moved calculatedly with appropriate body rhythm, toward the bridegroom and smartly sat by him. Great applause erupted again. Again bride and bridegroom rose up joined hands and moved gently, gently to the father, Anda's front and knelt down. Anda held up a glass of hot drink in his right hand, and stood up and prayed for the couple; he almost burst into esoteric language having made libation. Bride and bride-groom also drank of the drink and went back to their seats. Then people danced with the bride and bride groom and gifts also flowed from all corners. At about 3pm, the bride and bridegroom went to the bride groom's home with a long train of relatives, particularly women carrying the various gifts, well-wishers and others.

Ereyei's house was now the spot for the day. Food, drinks of assorted types were served. People ate well and praised Ereyei for his elaborate preparations. Soon everybody disappeared like ghosts and three people- a man and two women were now left in the home. Ereyei had taken Luisa to her room and it was time for her to rest after a hectic day. But how would Ereyei manage the two women like his fathers? How would he allocate resources? Would they keep separate kitchens or one, indivisible kitchen so that the home would be one social unit? Ereyei the polygamist would have to get solutions to these questions.