27. Lẹyẹnibi

A very long time ago in Kuweti, a town in a faraway land, there lived a farmer, called Fẹyinti, and his wife, Kubura, who helped him with his farming. Fẹyinti became a very successful farmer. He and his wife had everything they could wish for: they had the financial means to buy anything they wanted, including food and drinks galore, to do whatever they wanted, and to go anywhere they wanted. Their farm was so stretched out with no end in view, and they had a lot of farm workers, and servants at their disposal. They were blessed with children – boys and girls.

Fẹyinti was of good character, well-liked, and popular. He was also much talked about because he did not conform to one of the customs of the land.

“I wonder when Fẹyinti will realize that he has to take on a second wife.” people were saying.

“It’s a pity, isn’t it – a man like him with all his wealth and fame to be in this position – to have only one wife!”

“It’s true. No matter how rich and famous he is there’s something lacking!”

“Perhaps he doesn’t know what people call them behind their backs – his wife and children and him.”

“He’ll know one of these days!”

Fẹyinti’s family and friends pitied him and tried again and again to advise him to change his mind on this issue, to no avail, although there were some people who had their reservations on the matter.

According to the custom of the land at the time, no matter how much fame and success a man enjoyed, if he had only one wife, he was not highly regarded; he was not ‘eniyan pataki’. People thought that having more than one wife enhanced a man’s social standing – made him ‘eniyan pataki’. They also thought that rich people should be able to afford more than one wife – to show off their wealth.

Fẹyinti was aware of the custom but did not subscribe to it. He was quite happy with just one wife; he would not go out of his way to have another wife just to be seen as “eniyan pataki” or to show off his wealth.

“People can think whatever they like.” he said to his wife who, surprisingly, was among the people who were strongly in support of Fẹyinti taking on a second wife.

“I know that it’s not an uncommon practice for the men of the land to have two wives – iyaale and iyawo, for various reasons known to us.”

“Well then?”

“I don’t have any reason to do so. I know it is quite common among those renowned traders, for example, who ply their goods at very big markets away from home to have two wives, but I’m not one of them! I know their practice of taking a wife along with them when necessary instead of hiring someone for the task. I know they see it, not only as economical, but also as safẹguarding against mistrust. They can trust a wife with the goods, and the money, and not have to pay her! They leave the other wife to stay at home and look after the children. However, to actually take on another wife deliberately just to show everyone that one is worthy of being called “eniyan pataki” is foolhardy, because let’s face it, we all know that having more than one wife has its problems. It’s asking for trouble.”

“What problems that can’t be resolved? Aren’t there problems with having just one wife, and being laughed at?”

Fẹyinti tried to reason with his wife:

“It’s all very well. Some people don’t seem to understand what problems there could be in marrying more than one wife. Look around you! Look at these men who are married to two women (iyaale and iyawo), and they live under the same roof. There’s jealousy, arguments, quarrels, confrontation. We know that generally the women hate each other, and often extend this hatred to the children. Unfortunately, this is to be expected in a situation like this, but is it rosy? Is it healthy? I daresay this is working out well for some men, but we hear about what goes on in some households – how those unscrupulous iyaale make life hell for their iyawo.

“It doesn’t have to be like that in our case.”

“How can we be sure? Nobody knows tomorrow. I’ll not deliberately go out of my way to take on another wife, no matter what people think or say, especially you, unless I need to do so for whatever reason.”

“Isn’t being seen as eniyan pataki a good enough reason?”

“You’ve been my wife for a long time now, and we have children together. Are things not working out between us? Why do we want to complicate matters by bringing another woman to our marital home – just to conform to a custom?

“If I were to marry another woman just to satisfy our custom and after a while, I develop feelings for her, aren’t you going to be jealous and resent her and even me? I’m a man after all, you know? Supposing you think she’s more beautiful than you, or you start thinking that I love her more than you? Supposing the two of you quarrel one day and one of you loses her temper, and does something terrible to the other? Do you seriously believe that it will end well?”

“I’m not the kind of person you’re talking about. I’ll never behave like that. Stop worrying. Nothing bad is going to happen if you bring another woman here. Think of the advantages in it.”

“What exactly are the advantages?”

Kubura did not answer immediately.

“People will think more highly of us” she ventured

“Anything else? If it’s at the beginning of our life together I would say ‘an extra pair of hands’ when you were helping at the farm, but that’s not the case here.”

Kubura could not think of anything else, and Fẹyinti shook his head.

There were continuous arguments between the couple over this issue and the children supported their mother; they hated being different from their friends whose fathers had more than one wife. As they were growing up people were laughing at them calling them all sorts of names.

“Do you know what we’re being called behind our backs – people like us?” Kubura asked her husband. “They call the children ‘ọmọ alailorogun’ (children whose mother is the only wife of her husband) ‘iwọ alaini ọbakan’ (you children without half-siblings). They call me ‘alaini orogun’ (woman whose husband has no other wives). They also call you ‘Iwọ olobinrin kan ti ko gbọdọ pagbo ijo’, as if you’re tied to one woman’s apron string.

“Let people call us whatever they want! If I take on another wife, and something goes wrong, the same people will be the first to condemn me…”

The children tried to make light of the situation.

“Don’t worry father, we’ll find someone for you – someone you won’t be able to resist, someone worthy of you. Leave it to us! We’ll look far and near – even if we have to go outside our town. The woman must be special like you. She’ll be beautiful and of good character. She’ll be rich in her own right, so that she won’t be marrying you for your money!”

“I don’t want a second wife. I’m very happy with your mother. I don’t want any problems” Fẹyinti kept on telling his family. He turned a deaf ear to what people were saying and continued with his life. He stood firmly by his belief.

Then his family decided to find someone for Fẹyinti without his knowledge.

“No point in talking to him about it anymore. We can find someone, say to the woman that father is in agreement, set up an introduction party, and take it from there. Father is too much a gentleman and will not embarrass the woman when he comes face to face with her, once he knows that she has been tricked…”

That was how Fẹyinti’s family and friends started to look for a second wife for him, without his knowledge, and many families were willing to let their daughters be considered not only because of the fame and fortune of Fẹyinti, but also the reputation he enjoyed. He came highly recommended. Fẹyinti was special, and people thought that he deserved a special woman to be his second wife even if it meant looking for someone outside his town. They did not tell the suitors that Fẹyinti was not aware of what was going on.

After searching far and near for a ‘suitable wife’ for Fẹyinti, this was how a woman called Lẹyẹnibi who seemed to tick all the boxes was found by the people concerned. She came highly recommended.

“Lẹyẹnibi is the ideal woman for Fẹyinti!” they kept on saying. “We’ve been told that she has special qualities which far outweigh her bad ones. She’s beautiful, quiet, gentle, unassuming, and charming. What’s more, her family is well-off and highly placed.”
Lẹyẹnibi’s parents had been looking out for a husband for her, even though Lẹyẹnibi was not keen on marrying anyone. She did not trust the motives of the men for wanting to marry her. She suspected that they were interested in her because of her family’s wealth and because they thought that she was beautiful.

The reason why Lẹyẹnibi was not keen on marrying anyone was probably not unrelated to something that happened to her during a period of her life – when she was much younger. When people came across Lẹyẹnibi – men and women alike – they were immediately struck by her beauty. She was tall, well-built. She stood out for her good looks. She also stood out for her breasts. They were enormous – out of proportion with the rest of her body – as if her body was weighed down by her breasts, as if her body was carrying a heavy load.

This was a sensitive issue for Lẹyẹnibi. She was mindful of people’s reaction as she was growing up when they first met her – the stares, the snide, nasty remarks, the teasing… ‘Eru’ (‘Heavy load’), ‘Lẹyẹnibi kiki ọyan’ ‘Lẹyẹnibi all breasts’) etc. It affected her terribly. Even though as she grew up, she realized that her breasts did not stop men chasing her, she was still very sensitive about the whole thing.

It was after some episodes and this issue took a terrible turn that Lẹyẹnibi’s parents took a decision on it. There was a series of outbursts from Lẹyẹnibi which threw her into fits, and it took a long time to calm her down, and days for her get over it. She had thrown herself on the floor, crying, asking why and why her breasts were like they were – different from others’ breasts, wishing she had not been born. A doctor had to be called to sedate her. From then on, her family had seen it as a taboo for anyone to mock her – to laugh at her breasts.

Lẹyẹnib ’s parents were respected, well-liked and popular and as Lẹyẹnibi grew into a lovely, affectionate, caring individual it was not difficult for people to respect her parents’ wish. It was indeed seen as an unforgivable sin, a taboo even, to laugh at Lẹyẹnibi’s breasts, and people around her would fight tooth and nail anyone who dared to upset her by referring to her breasts. Lẹyẹnibi was special and loved by many including her parents, other relatives and friends who were protective of her, even if some people made jokes about her breasts, especially because they were jealous of her. In fact, anyone who dared tease her faced the wrath of her family and friends, and of the whole town if it was someone from elsewhere.

Lẹyẹnibi became less sensitive about people’s reaction to her breasts with the support and protectiveness of her people and mixed more easily.

When she was asked to marry Fẹyinti she was not sure, but everyone especially those who knew the two of them, encouraged her.

“She needs to marry someone special – someone who’ll care about her, look after her and protect her like we do”.

“Go for it, Lẹyẹnibi! You’ll love him. He is a special man, worthy of you because you’re special as well. He’s probably the one you’ve been waiting for. What do you have to lose?”

Encouraged by what she learnt about Fẹyinti, Lẹyẹnibi finally accepted to meet him. She thought that it would make a change from the men who chased after her for her beauty. She had not yet met any man that she could seriously think of as her husband.

The people of Kuweti soon got to know that a woman called Lẹyẹnibi was going to be introduced to Fẹyinti even though Fẹyinti himself was not aware of this, and the matter was discussed by people who supported the custom, and those who did not.

“I hear that she’s beautiful and comes from Kanadu.”

“It’s all very well but supposing Fẹyinti falls in love with her – prefers her to the other woman, Kubura?”

“What about the children?”

“I hope it works out well for all of them”.

“Supposing things change between the two women.”

“I hope she and Kubura don’t fall out in a bad way – you know when it comes to jealousy. You know what some people are like. They try to hit you where it hurts most.”

“Let’s hope that Kubura doesn’t try it on. You can never tell how Lẹyẹnibi will react, and it may cause a lot of trouble for them all.”

The family and friends planned a party for Fẹyinti – for his birthday, they said. However, it was a party to introduce him to Lẹyẹnibi and her family, without him being aware of it. At the party, Lẹyẹnibi ’s first born just said:

“Father, this is Lẹyẹnibi. She’s going to be your second wife.” Sorry, but we had to lie to her that you are party to this, so you can’t refuse…” he whispered into his father’s ear.

Fẹyinti was astounded but could not find it in him to make a scene after this, especially knowing that Lẹyẹnibi herself was unaware of his family’s deception. Besides there was something about Lẹyẹnibi that touched him, and he felt protective towards her instantly. He could not explain it. He was struck by her beauty and noticed her breasts straight away – how huge they were – and perhaps knew instinctively how sensitive she must be about others’ reaction to them – how nasty and malicious some people were.

“I’ll protect Lẹyẹnibi as long as I live. I will never allow anyone to hurt her!” he was thinking.

He decided to go along with the plan to marry her because of the way he felt about her, not because of any custom. Anyone could think whatever they wanted.

Fẹyinti was drawn toward Lẹyẹnibi and did not care whether her breasts were huge. There was something endearing about her. Lẹyẹnibi was equally drawn towards Fẹyinti, but did not let on because of the other woman, even though she was aware that Kubura was in agreement with her being a second wife to Fẹyinti.

“I don’t want any problem with her. She may be all out now for me to be a second wife to her husband, welcoming me whole-heartedly, but how do I know what she might turn out to be later? In fact, I wonder why she’s doing it. Is it because people are calling her and her children all those names? She wants to be socially accepted.”

Fẹyinti stretched out his hand to Lẹyẹnibi :

“I’d be very happy to have you as my second wife” he said shaking her hand, and Lẹyẹnibi replied:

“I’d be delighted to marry you”.

Everything went well after that.

The two families started to make plans for Lẹyẹnibi’s and Fẹyinti’s marriage, after learning more about each other, their ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’. Fẹyinti learnt about Lẹyẹnibi’s childhood’s experiences.

“Lẹyẹnibi has had a difficult time. People’s reaction to the size of her breasts affected her as a child and caused her to withdraw into herself – not to go out much. Any reference to her breasts upsets her terribly and sent her into a fit; it took long for her to get out of it. Unfortunately, it is still a sore point for her.

“Let’s make it clear to you and Kubura. The day you mock our daughter’s breasts our daughter will leave you.”

“Lẹyẹnibi gets very hot easily – more than others” the father added. “It’s been like that since childhood. A special fan has been made for her, and she must never be seen without it.”

“I’ll cherish and protect her. There’s no way anyone will hurt her as long as I’m alive….” Fẹyinti said.

“We’ll do whatever you say” Kubura added quickly. She was ready to do anything to get what she wanted – to get Lẹyẹnibi to marry Fẹyinti.

The marriage ceremony was a very grand affair. Many people were invited, and there was food and drink galore. There was music and dancing. Some of the people who came to the introduction party also came to the wedding, and the occasions went well. The two families were happy. At the end of the party, Lẹyẹnibi’s father said to Fẹyinti and Kubura:

“It’s an honour for us to give our daughter to you – for the two families to become one. Please remember, we don’t know how Lẹyẹnibi will react even after all this time, if her breasts are referred to in any way, especially at this new period of her life, and we will not take kindly to it. We’re very protective of her and can’t guarantee a happy ending for anyone who dares to hurt her in any way. If we see her in any danger, we’re ready to run to her rescue – the whole of our town even. The day you make remarks about her breasts our daughter will leave you.

“Lẹyẹnibi gets very hot easily – more than others. It’s been like that since childhood. She must carry her fan with her everywhere she goes please” Lẹyẹnibi ’s father added as a reminder.

This was how Fẹyinti started to live with his two wives, and everything seemed to be going well. There were no quarrels. Kubura did not behave in any way to suggest that she was averse to Lẹyẹnibi being her iyawo. On the contrary, she embraced it wholeheartedly, and even boasted about her ‘iyawo kekere’ (little wife), about her having such a person of Lẹyẹnibi’s background as her iyawo. She waited hand and foot on Lẹyẹnibi, dressed the same way as her (aṣọ ẹbi) for occasions. She was all kindness. Everyone including her children loved and adored Lẹyẹnibi and Fẹyinti was happy about this.

Fẹyinti loved and adored Lẹyẹnibi, and within six months she had become the apple of his eye. This was glaring to Kubura who could not bear it. She got jealous – just seeing the way Fẹyinti looked at Lẹyẹnibi. She started to misbehave in the typical iyaale’s fashion – in the way Fẹyinti had anticipated when he was telling her about the problems faced by some men with two wives. She started to lord it over Lẹyẹnibi. There were misunderstandings, quarrels, arguments. Kubura started to look for ways of turning Fẹyinti against Lẹyẹnibi, portraying her in a bad light vis-à-vis their husband, so that the latter would send her away. She resented Lẹyẹnibi .

“So, you think you can just take my place here? After all am I not the one who helped Fẹyinti at the farm before he became rich?” she said to herself.

Kubura tried all sorts to get Lẹyẹnibi out of the way, and Lẹyẹnibi was aware of this. She realized that Kubura had turned against her and why. She knew that Kubura was jealous and could be dangerous, and tried to be on her guard, but she did not want to leave Fẹyinti because she had grown to love him and the children. However, she sent word to her people about what was happening – that she was having problems with Kubura – and asked them to be on the lookout for her. Her people were naturally concerned.

The people in Fẹyinti’s town were also concerned about Lẹyẹnibi:

“Kubura is doing everything in her power to chase Lẹyẹnibi away – to make her husband send her packing, to no avail so far.”

“He’ll never do that; he’s too much in love with Lẹyẹnibi. ”

“I wonder to what extent Kubura would go to make her leave?”

“She’ll probably ridicule her about her breasts, knowing very well how Lẹyẹnibi will react.”

“That’s a no-go area, but that’ll surely make Lẹyẹnibi go away – go back to her town. Nothing will stop her from leaving, especially if Fẹyinti is not there on the spot to beg her to stay…”

“But do really think she’ll stay even if their husband begs her – that she’ll continue to live with Kubura after that? I doubt it.”

One day Lẹyẹnibi could not stand Kubura’s bullying and stood up to her. Fẹyinti was not at home.

“You don’t need to be jealous of me. After all were you not party to Fẹyinti marrying me? What did you expect? You can’t blame me if he has feelings for me as well. He’s a man after all, and we’re both married to him.”

“You think Fẹyinti has feelings for you and I’m jealous! How can I be jealous? How can he have feelings for you? How can any man? With all those breasts that are in the way when Fẹyinti is with you, how is that possible? Look at yourself in the mirror and what do you see – your body weighed down by your breasts. What a huge burden for your body to carry such weight around! You’re all breasts – Lẹyẹnibi kiki ọyan!”

Why don’t you give me some? Even the children have noticed your breasts! Fẹyinti only married you for your money, and because he felt sorry for you. After all I’ve been with him from the beginning. I was even the one who pushed him into taking another wife. Don’t kid yourself otherwise.” Kubura reeled off and laughed.

Lẹyẹnibi rushed to her room and started packing her things. She only knew that she had to get out of there and fast and made for her town. Kubura had been treating her badly – offending her greatly. To make matters worse she had referred to her breasts and triggered off all kinds of feelings in Lẹyẹnibi. Whether she loved their husband or not she had to get away from this woman, this town with haste. In her hurry, she forgot her fan.

Lẹyẹnibi’s town, Kanadu, was not far from Kuweti, and the quickest way to get there on foot was through nearby hills. There were seven flights of hills which led to the town that one had to climb.

Lẹyẹnibi rushed off, and her iyaale tried to stop her waving the fan Lẹyẹnibi had left behind frantically. Lẹyẹnibi was faster than Kubura, and the latter could not catch up. As Lẹyẹnibi climbed the first set of hills the iyaale ran after her with her fan, singing:

Kubura wanted Lẹyẹnibi to wait for her fan and Lẹyẹnibi did not. The latter looked down at Kubura and increased her pace. When they got to the second set of hills Kubura sang the same song again:

Lẹyẹnibi duro o gbabẹbẹ Lẹyẹnibi wait for your fan
N o lee duro n gbabẹbẹ I can’t wait for the fan
Eleyin afẹ o, duro gbabẹbẹ
N o lee duro n gbabẹbẹ
O-wẹ-wẹ-kilẹ-o-pose, duro o gbabẹbẹ
N o lee duro n gbabẹbẹ
Lẹyẹnibi duro o gbabẹbẹ Lẹyẹnibi wait for your fan
N o lee duro n gbabẹbẹ I can’t wait for the fan
Eleyin afẹ o, duro o gbabẹbẹ
N o lee duro n gbabẹbẹ
O-wẹ-wẹ-kilẹ-o-pose, duro o gbabẹbẹ
N o lee duro n gbabẹbẹ
Gbabẹbẹ, Gbabẹbẹ, Gbabẹbẹ
N o lee duro n gbabẹbẹ
Eleyin afẹ gbabẹbẹ
N o lee duro n gbabẹbẹ
O-wẹ-wẹ-kilẹ-o-pose gbabẹbẹ
N o lee duro n gbabẹbẹ

Lẹyẹnibi looked down again, shook her head, and hastened on.

The same thing happened again and again until they got to the seventh set of hills which led to Lẹyẹnibi’s town. Lẹyẹnibi still did not turn back, and the iyaale did not stop following her. The iyaale followed her until they got to the middle of the town where a totally different fate awaited the former.

Lẹyẹnibi was recognized immediately by the people around, and at a glance it looked as if she was being pursued by someone whom they took for her iyaale, running for dear life – from someone who was after her, waving something that could be a knife.

They naturally thought that Kubura was going to kill Lẹyẹnibi and did not hesitate to act. They were well aware of the problems Lẹyẹnibi had been having with this woman, so concluded that they had to arrest the situation.

“So, you’re Lẹyẹnibi’s iyaale?” they were thinking.

They rounded up on Kubura, angry, calling her all kinds of names – throwing things at her. She was so badly beaten up that she died from her wounds. The people knew that Kubura must have insulted Lẹyẹnibi for Lẹyẹnibi to have left her husband’s town, and this added to their anger.

This was how Kubura came to her end.