Tales of a year: Wedding guns?

Mary was excited, the future held a lot of possibilities. She had just completed her WAEC and very soon would be going to the university. No one in her family had a university degree; her father who was a clerk in the local government office had only attended the college of education. She was a brilliant student and was therefore confident of the outcome of the examinations. She could already see herself dressed like the university girls she saw in the home videos, she would finally be able to use the lipstick her school forbade girls from using. After four years of studying Banking and Finance, she would “serve” and then work for two, no, one year in a bank in Lagos like Mr Ode’s nephew did then she would marry Emma. Ah! Emma. Now that was another reason to be excited.

She had met him at her friend Patience’s house during her grandmother’s burial ceremony. What a party that was! There was enough beer and goat meat for the entire village and all the big men from far away Lagos had even been in attendance. Emma and his friends had been drinking and laughing boisterously while she and her friends giggled in admiration, when suddenly he looked straight at her. For a moment, time froze as she looked into in his brown eyes. He was so handsome! She looked away, blushing and lowering her eyelids. No one had ever had that effect on her.

One month later, they were dating and she was the envy of her friends. Emma ran two businesses; he owned a kiosk where he sold mobile phone components, spare parts and recharge cards, and he had a bike which he used for commercial purposes. He was the ideal man for a lot of the girls in the village. He bought her new clothes and cheap jewelry especially when he went to Otukpo on business. Her mother approved of him, how could any mother not when she received countless gifts from her potential son-in-law. Her friends in the Peace Society recently complimented her new wrapper at Mama Maureen’s daughter’s wedding.

Mary really liked him, but sometimes she had her doubts about him. Sometimes she desired more; she looked forward to leaving her village and living a better life but she wasn’t so sure that Emma shared this dream. Right now though, she was excited because Emma proposed to her two weeks ago. She had told him of her dreams to further her studies and live a better life and to her greatest surprise, he had not only promised to wait for her, he also promised to sponsor her education. What more could a girl ask for? It was even possible that he would change his mind about living in the village, she was sure she could convince him otherwise.

It was the market day and she approached the market feeling lighthearted, basket in hand. Suddenly, several hands grabbed her and carried her to a waiting vehicle. She struggled fiercely, screaming at the men to let her go while the market women cheered. This could not be happening! She had explained! She suddenly became weak with fear. Her captors laughed, teasing her and telling her not to worry. It was almost dark when they got to their destination and as soon as she set her feet on the ground, shots were fired from locally made guns. Out of nowhere, young men came at her, rubbing ashes on her chest.

She was taken into a bedroom and left alone. “I’ll reason with him. He loves me, he would understand’, she thought. Finally the door opened and Emma stepped in, clad only in a wrapper.

“Mary” he called huskily, a lustful smile stretching his perfect pink lips.

“Emma, what is this? This is not what we agreed upon” she said furiously, unable to contain her anger.

“Did you really think I would let you run off to the university? Don’t worry, I’ll lake care of you like I promised” he said, his voice heavy with anticipated passion as he walked towards her.

She struggled initially, screaming with rage, fear, then pain but finally gave in when she realised he had conquered her. She lay silently, enduring his unbridled desire throughout the night and cried. She mourned her aborted dreams, full of despair at the bleak future that awaited her. This was the custom. He had taken her maidenhead, he had infact married her and her father would never allow her to divorce him. She was sure now that she would never see the four walls of the university she had dreamed of, there would be babies soon and the house to tend.

In the morning she arose and swept the family compound as was the custom, while her husband and his family prepared her dowry which by now her family were eagerly expecting.