The Story Of Nene, Nnaemeka And His Father

The story follows Nene, Nnaemeka, and his father. Nnaemeka, from the Ibibio tribe, currently lives in Lagos, the capital city of Nigeria, where he (I assume) met Nene, his soon to be wife, who is not a member of the Ibibio people. Nene asks Nnaemeka to tell his father of their engagement, which her fiancé dismisses. He believes that his father will get angry that he didn’t marry a woman of his choice and, more importantly, a woman not belonging to their community. Nene seems shocked at the thought that the father might reject her because of her not being an Ibibio. Her urban upbringing in Lagos made her think that arranged marriages were a thing of the past, or even a joke. But Nnaemeka explains that it’s because his father lives in the middle

They are all shocked at how Omeke’s son, Nnaemeka, behaved. Quoting verses from the bible of sons rising against their fathers, even suggesting consulting a tribal doctor.

Six months later, Nnaemeka and Nene were already married; they receive a letter from his father. In the letter he says that he didn’t want to see it; saying he cut off Nene from the picture because he didn’t want anything to do with her, and he wished neither would Nnaemeka. Nene cries at the thought that her father-in-law does not approve of their marriage. Her fiancé consoles her, telling her that his father will change his mind someday. But that day would never come.

Eight years pass after the letter, and Nnaemeka hadn’t heard from his father since then, except from letters telling him that he can’t come home to their village. But the prejudice against their marriage isn’t just coming from Nnaemeka’s father; other Ibibio people in Lagos heard what happened made their disapproval felt. The women weren’t hostile, but rather ignored Nene at village meetings, but as time passed Nene got closer and eventually, she became friends with