25 AND NIGERIAN, episode 1

''So its the first day of the year and its just two days to go'', my younger sister was thinking out loud. Her traditional marriage was coming up on the 3rd of January of this year,she has been super excited,telling me that would be the happiest day of her life. At 23,i just imagined why she was in so much hurry, its her life i suppose and i respect her decisions even though i was sure she didn't love Emma, her husband to be but i wish her the best.

  my mum strolled into the room to cut our stories short, ''Nne, Nwanyiego you need to go to the market immediately and buy some soup things,our in laws are coming for the last traditional rights this evening so that next tomorrow will be for only the Igba nkwu, i am going to church''. When ever my mum wanted you to do something for her,she will give you all the fine names like Ezenwanyi and Nwanyiego. I didn't want to go because i had my own plans, i and my twin had decided to visit Uyo and go tO the Eket beach since he hadn't properly 'washed' his new car, we had planned and i was almost done with my make up. ''Mummy please send Akudo, i and Nnamdi have plans already and we are already running late.

my mother didn't allow me to finish before she started to scream that, ''its only 7am and you have what plans eh? When you get to your husband's house you can start making plans like that'', that she couldn't send Akudo,my sister who is the bride to be because she needed all the rest and how i should not be selfish or act envious because my sister is getting married before me. I didn't utter another word and simply took the list of items and money from her,i went into my brother's room to tell him i won't be joining him to Uyo, my day was already ruined this early and i was sure i won't enjoy the outing again.

The market is a stone throw to my house,i know i can't go this early because the women usually start bringing out their wares as from 10am and for today that is the first day of the year,they might start a little late than they used to. My mother would have just sent my younger cousin's who were sitting and idling away in their rooms, she had a small girl that she lives with too,why must it be me and today of all days. There were alternatives of other people who could help buy this little things,even the women helping to cook,i'm sure would have volunteered to help out with the little things needed but my mum won't let them.
She has decided to make my stay this festive season hell because i have been rejecting everyone she tried to match make me with, but how could you match make your daughter to some guy because he stays abroad and have been going round giving out money and bags of rice,my mother didn't bother to know what this man does for a living, with all her education and exposure she is only hellbent on marrying us off to the richest suitor not minding how we feel. She would always say ''don't you want to marry a rich man?''        
Its not that i am not interested in rich people,i want someone i would be happy with but my mum keeps saying 'you will learn to love him',that's her catch phrase in recent times.

My maternal aunt's shout brought me back to my environment and away from my thoughts. She hadn't seen my twin for the past five years since he left home for Malaysia, she hugged him,laughing in her usual manner while talking loudly to my mum ''Agnes le le nu o,Nnamdi of yesterday, haa biko we will marry a wife for you before you travel back, we want grand children everywhere''.
 My aunty Chinasa, with her very loud voice and laughter that could tear down the great walls of China, she is everything that my mother is not. She is a blunt person and the only person who has been defending me from my mum's plenty wahala about marriage. She had told my mum last year to let me be when Emma had first asked for Akudo's hand in marriage and my mother was ready to come to Portharcourt and drag me back home so i would marry Omereoha, her choice of a husband for me.
 My aunt used herself as an example,even though she is my mother's elder sister with about five years, my mum had married much earlier before she did and she still had children , she would often tell me that the only difference between not getting married when your mates did is the age difference between your children and theirs that is if you want children, she would also say entering early doesn't guarantee a happy home.
I was happy she was around at least there is someone who reasons the way i do and i would talk with till i leave the village,i already plan to leave the next day after my sister's wedding though i still have some days before my casual leave expires,i didn't have strength for my mother's unnecessary quarrels......

Ifunanya Ononiwu(c) 2016

TO BE CONTINUED!