BY ADEBAJO ADEKUNLE FISAYO, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN
CHAPTER ONE
We are introduced to the character Okonkwo who is said to be popular. At the young age of 18, he already got fame for his clan by beating the wrestler, Amalinze the cat, who was champion for 7 years consecutively.
We are also exposed to the life of Uneka, Okonkwo’s father, who is described as lazy and improvident, always in debt. He basically was a failure while he was alive; and a coward too, unlike his son who has 3 wives and 2 titles and is a great warrior. It is because of the respect people of Umuofia have for Okonkwo that they decide to place Ikemefuna, an ill-fated sacrifice, in his custody.
Close to the end of the chapter, there is a dialogue between Unoka and Okoye, one of his friends to whom he is indebted to the sum of 200 cowries. When Okoye asks for his money, Unoka laughs at him saying he would rather settle his large debts first, the least of which is a thousand cowries.
CHAPTER TWO
A town crier, in the dead of the night, with an ‘ogene’ [gong] informs inhabitants of the 7 villages of Umuofia to gather in the morning at the marketplace.
In the morning, thousands of people gather as instructed, and Oguefi Ezeugo addresses them, telling them how the sons of a neighbouring town, Mbaino, had murdered the wife of Ogbuefi Udo. They conclude that the normal procedure of dispute settlement will be followed. They would give them the condition of either providing a young man and a virgin or going to war. As expected, they accept the former offer.
Okonkwo is sent to Mbaino as an emissary, and he returns with the virgin and a 15-year old boy called Ikemefuna, whose father had participated in the murder of Umuofia’s daughter. The Ndichie, that is Council of Elders, decides that the virgin should go to the bereaved husband while Okonkwo should be the custodian of the boy on behalf of the entire village, till his fate is decided.
Okonkwo is again described by the author. What drives him, someone who inherited virtually nothing from his father, to being successful is the fear of failure, the fear of being like his father. He hates qualities such as laziness and gentility which where cherished by his father, Unoka.
He is afraid his oldest son, Nwoye, would take after his father, thus, he is always seen berating and beating him. Okonkwo is a sharp contrast to his dad, as he possesses a large compound filled with both food and livestock. He also has 3 wives, and 8 children.
After taking Ikemefuna home, he hands him over to his eldest wife, Nwoye’s mother
CHAPTER THREE
Once upon a time, Unoka paid a visit to Agbala, the oracle of the hills, in order to unravel the mystery behind his misery, and the reason for his constantly poor harvests. Chika, the priestess of Agbala, reportedly angrily cut him short while he was still presenting his case. She replied that his lot is as a result of his laziness. Unoka had a bad chi. He died of the swelling disease, and had to be left to die in the forest. He was not given any burial, neither the first nor the second.
There is also a recounting of when Okonkwo first started work as a farmer. He got his first seed-yams [800 in number] from Nwakibie, one of the most affluent men in town. He had to support his whole family at a very young age. However, things were not favourable that particular season. First, there was drought, and then it rained heavily with no hint of sunshine. The harvests were so bad that one farmer in fact committed suicide.
Okonkwo’s father [who was then sick] gave him words of encouragement, but they only made him uneasy.
CHAPTER FOUR
Okonkwo is said to be hardly emotional; he does not publicly show tenderness. He once ridiculed a man at a town meeting by implying that he is a woman, because he had no titles. He was cautioned though.
Ikemefuna longs for his home. He, meanwhile, tries to adapt in Okonkwo’s family. He and Nwoye, who is two years younger, become boon companions. Okonkwo, in fact, had a likeness for him but he does not show it in public. Ikemefuna is quite smart and crafty and adept. He starts to refer to Okonkwo as ‘father’.
During the week of peace, Ojiugo, Okonkwo’s youngest wife goes out to plait her hair and does not cook the afternoon meal for her husband. When she returns, he beats her mercilessly. Whereas, it is the custom of the land that during the week of peace, no one insults, let alone hit, another. Okonkwo’s action threatens the harvest of the whole village, and before nightfall, the priest of the earth goddess pays him a visit demanding for a fine of goods and money. Okonkwo pays the fine. He was repentant but too proud to show it. This earns him disparagement from his neighbours.
As the time to sow arrives, the seed yams are prepared. Okonkwo becomes harsh to and highly demanding of the boys, Nwoye and Ikemefuna. The rainy season soon hurried along and everyone enjoyed a period of rest before the time for harvest.
Ikemefuna and Nwoye become even closer. The latter enjoys listening to folktales from the older.
CHAPTER FIVE
The New Yam festival approaches, all old yams are disposed of, and new ones prepared for the great feast. Okonkwo invites people to his house to celebrate. He is actually not a fan of holidays as he prefers to be working on his farm. A few days to the festival, he becomes angry with one of his wives for cutting down some leaves from the banana tree. He beats her, and then decides to go hunting. Knowing that he is not a good hunter, the wife makes fun of him, and he made a failed attempt at shooting her. The festival is celebrated.
The second day of the new year has always been one allocated for a thug of muscles. Okonkwo’s second wife, Ekwefi, is said to love wresting a lot. In fact, she married Okonkwo because of the defeat Amalinze suffered at his hands. She ran away from her former husband to live with Okonkwo. She has just one daughter, Ezinma by name. she is very charming, pretty and clever. She assists her mum and other wives in the house. She is one of Okonkwo‘s favourite, though he hardly shows it.
CHAPTER SIX
Many villagers gather to witness the wrestling matches. Ekwefi sits next to Chielo, a widow with two children, ordinary but powerful personnel in the village, and current priestess of Agbala, the Oracle of the hills and caves. Chielo is very fond of Ezinma. From the discussion of both women, it is learnt that Ekwefi has actually been delivered of many children , but they all died except Ezinma.
The matches start and the two greatest wrestlers of Umuofia, Ikezue and Okafo, had a duel. Okafo who comes out victorious is carried home on the shoulders of his fans and amidst eulogies.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Ikemefuna, after three years, is now an adolescent. He and Nwoye are still intimate and inseparable. As a result of their relationship, Nwoye is growing to be more confident and hard-working. Okonkwo is glad with the development. Okonkwo eats with the boys rather than alone. Nwoye, in order to please his father, pretends to scorn his mother’s folktales, and listens to Okonkwo’s war tales.
The locusts come and everyone is happy because this happens only once in every seven years, and they are delicious too.
Ogbuefi Ezeudu, a respected village elder, comes visiting, and he tells Okonkwo that the time is ripe for the death of Ikemefuna. He, in addition, warns him not to partake in the exercise. The next day, other elders come to discuss the same subject. Okonkwo lies to Ikemefuna that he is to be sent home. Nwoye becomes sad and cries, but is beaten by his dad.
A group of men escorts Ikemefuna deep into the forest. They, after walking for hours, attack him with their hatchets. The boy runs to Okonkwo for rescue, calling him ‘father’, but due to the fear of being called weak, he strikes Ikemefuna down with his machete.
Nwoye knew what happened to his friend, and he becomes greatly depressed.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Okonkwo too is very sad due to the event. He feels guilty, and refuses to eat for two days. Nwoye becomes afraid of him that whenever he summons him into his hut, he will escape at the slightest opportunity, perhaps when he dozes off. On the third day, he requests for food from Ekwefi, Ezinma serves him; and being pleased with her, he wishes she were a boy. He feels ashamed for being affected by Ikemefuna’s death.
He visits Obeirika, his good friend. He blames him for not coming to kill Ikemefuna. Obeirika in return said he, Okonkwo, should not have gone as doing such thing as killing Ikemefuna is an act punishable by the gods.
Okonkwo stays a little longer to negotiate bride prices along with his friend and his daughter’s suitor. They discuss the varying customs of different lands, and the rumour of an incursion of white men who have no toes, which they quickly dismiss as mythical.
CHAPTER NINE
For the first time in three nights, Okonkwo sleeps well. He is disturbed in the morning by Ekwefi who bangs on his door. She reports that Ezinma is dying.
In all, Ekwefi has had ten children, nine out of which are dead. According to the medicine man, she is giving birth to an ‘ogbanje’, a wicked child that is reborn by the same woman severally. Ezinma has always been sickly, oscillating between liveliness and near-death. A year ago, Okagbue, the medicine man, found her iyi-uwa i.e. her link to the ogbanjes’ world, meaning, she ought not to die again. Despite this fact, Ekwefi is still afraid of losing her. Okonkwo however believes the sickness is iba, and he prepares medicine for her [Ezinma]. She is forced to breathe in the steam from a hot herbal concoction.
CHAPTER TEN
There is a clan gathering of men of Umuofia. Nine men masquerade as the nine founders of the nine villages. The ceremony is meant for the administration of justice and public settling of disputes.
There is the case of a woman who ran from her husband because he is abusive. He wants her to return to his home. As his verdict, Evil Forest, addressing Uzowulu’s body, decides that he should go to his in-laws with a pot of wine and beg his wife to return. It is not bravery when a man fights with a woman, he declares.