The story starts out in the year 1934 in Nigeria. In the chapter The Mother we are introduced to the main character Nnu Ego. She is running down the streets of Lagos with tears running down her face. Nnu Ego is twenty- five years old and her firstborn son has died.
1. Calabash: the fruit of a gourd; also: a utensil made from its hard shell
“… His other hand clutched shakily at his begging calabash.” (8)
She was hoping to jump from the bridge and kill herself. In chapter two, The Mother’s Mother, the book goes back in time. We are introduced to Ona mother and her father Nwokocha Agbadi. The relationship that her parents shared was a very strange arrangement. The two were not allowed to marry because Obi Umunna, Ona’s father would not allow his daughter to marry but she was allowed to fool around. Ona was very strong minded and different from many of the females in the Ibuza tribe and that what attracted Agbadi. She was in love with him but was ver resisted. She became his mistress and everyone knew. Agbdi was gored by an elephant and was on his deathbed this frightened Ona and she came to his aid.
“It would be like a sacrilege to disturb such complete and personal bliss.” (65)
Now the only way they could get money was for the girl’s bridal price. Taiwo the eldest of the twins was to marry a clerk from Lagos. However Khenide went against customs and had compromised herself by messing with a Yoruba man. She refused to marry anyone else. One night she did not come home and Nnu woke up Nnaife to tell him. Nnaife jump up and grabbed a knife he ran over to Yoruba man house and started to attack the inhabitants.
“Up went the truncheons and the Korofos were giving orders:” (144)
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