BUCHI EMECHETA: The Joys of Motherhood
How does Nnu Ego’s experiences in Amatokwu’s house advance the plot of the novel?
Explanation
Nnu Ego's experiences in Amatokwu's house advances the plot of the Novel
Nnu Ego is Ona's daughter from a relationship with Nwokocha Agbadi. Amatokwu is Nnu Ego's first husband chosen for ner by her father. Nnu Ego's father — Agbadi excelled by sending his daughter to the husband's house with so many personal possessions which later became a reference point for both the people of Ibuza and Umu-]so. In return, her husband's people come to show appreciation to her father with six "full" kegs of palm wine having found her a virgin.
Initially, Nnu Ego's experiences in Amatokwu's house were pleasant ones but the couple's happiness was short-lived because as time passed, Nnu Ego could not become pregnant. Amatokwu showed understanding initially but, later ran out of patience leaving Nnu Ego alone to bear the burden as she visits one "dibia" or the other in secret. All the dibias" she visits says that the slave woman (her "chi") had been dedicated to a river goddess before Agbadi took her away into slavery and had therefore refused to give her a child.
Women are treated like chattel, mere property to be disposed off as men like. Agbadi's behaviour to Ona in all matters including sex, characterizes the behaviour of men and women generally. Also, early in the novel we see Agbadi's insensitive behaviour leading to the death of his senior wife. When Nnu Ego fails to conceive, Amatokwu is unsympathetic. He tells her "I have no time to waste my precious male seed on a woman who is infertile". He soon gets himself a second wife and thrusts Nnu Ego aside. Nnaife's behaviour of Nnu Ego is not different. In spite of the fact that she bears him several children of both sexes, he takes on another wife to Nnu Ego's chagrin.
Even the women themselves seem to accept, even to acquiesce to the discrimination against them. Nnu Ego cannot understand how Nnaife could descend so low as to launder the underwear of his white boss' wife in Lagos. After all the woman may be white, but she is a woman and it should have been the reverse.
There is one woman in the novel who even though she acknowledges the relationship which society stipulates women must have with their men, strives to assert her independence. Adaku packs out of Nnaife's house and becomes a successful businesswoman. She educates her daughter in spirit of what society feels.