You can’t stop Ami from getting married…

Ami’s pov

With a cheerful smile, I left Monica under the mango tree and walked toward the door. She wanted me to see my uncle first before agreeing to tell me why I had to feel shy. It was all so new, and I was eager to find out. My hair was a bit messy, and I kept imagining how I must look in the mirror. My heart felt light and excited. Is this how a bride usually feels? I guessed so, and perhaps that’s why brides always seem happy during their wedding ceremonies.

But in my case, it wasn’t just the thought of spending the first night with my husband that made my heart race. For the first time, I would be on my own, running my own household. No more hearing my mother say, "Ami, go to the farm and fetch firewood now," or, "Ami, get up, you sleep too much," or even, "Ami, how many times did I call you? Is this how you want to live your life? Beauty doesn’t put food on the table. Don’t deceive yourself."

Thankfully, my husband came from a family that was at least above average. He even promised to get one of his younger nieces to run errands for me. I’d also heard they used a gas cooker instead of firewood. It all felt like a dream.

Just as I was about to step through the doorway, I heard my mother’s voice.

“Don’t say that! You can’t stop Ami from getting married…”

I stood still, my heart pounding. I couldn’t process the rest of her words, and my mind raced as she walked past me. Her voice grew louder as she continued, “If this is why you came back late from the city, you are not welcome here!”

Her words rang through the house, drawing everyone’s attention. I saw Monica drop the combs in her hands as she ran toward my mother, who stood outside, fuming.

“Esther, what’s wrong?” Monica asked, and soon, everyone rushed out of the house.

“Can you believe it?” my mother said, her anger boiling over. “Solomon just arrived, and before he even sat down, he said Ami’s marriage must be cancelled!”

“Cancelled?” gasped the crowd of relatives who had gathered.

“Did you hear him right?” someone asked.

“I heard what he said!” my mother confirmed, her voice trembling with frustration.

Before she could say more, Solomon stepped outside. “Esther, I’m disappointed in you. You didn’t even let me finish before storming off.”

“There’s no need to listen to you anymore,” my mother snapped. “Since your brother died, how many times have you come here from the city? I’ve been the only one…” Her voice cracked with emotion.

I couldn’t take it anymore. Tears welled up in my eyes, though I wasn’t sure if it was because of what Solomon had said or the pain in my mother’s voice. She had always expressed her hurt through tears.

“Please, don’t cry,” Monica said gently, rubbing her shoulder. My mother tried to speak again but paused, her anguish written all over her face.

“Efosa is a hardworking young man,” she said finally, her voice breaking. “He’s more than capable of taking care of my daughter.”

As she spoke, more and more people, including the children, came out to see what was happening. The scene was becoming chaotic.

“Let’s all go inside,” Solomon said firmly. “You’re just causing a scene. You haven’t even heard what I have to say.”

What does he want to say now? Solomon stormed back inside without saying another word. I could see my aunties gathering around my mother, trying to console her. One of them said, “Let’s go inside and hear exactly what Solomon has to say.”

In pairs, they made their way into the house. Two of my mother’s younger brothers followed them. I remained frozen in place, my feet seemingly glued to the ground. This was about my future, yet I hadn’t fully grasped what was happening before my eyes. Suddenly, one of my aunts called out, “Ami, aren’t you coming inside? This concerns you the most.”

Her words jolted me, and I became the last person to step into the crowded sitting room. The space was small, with only a few wooden chairs and a bench, leaving most people standing. Solomon's voice broke through the murmurs as he said, “I won’t say anything until Osayande and Amos are here.”

Those were senior members of my father’s family, and their presence carried significant weight. The moment he said their names, three children ran out of the house to fetch them. Everyone's mood soured as tension filled the air. Just that one statement from Solomon made me despise him. How could he think he had the right to stop my marriage? He was well aware of all the preparations. He had even approved the bride price list through phone calls. Was he planning to add something new at the last minute? Or was this just a selfish attempt to disrupt everything?

About twenty minutes later, Osayande and Amos arrived. The sitting room, already buzzing with noise, fell silent as the two elderly men entered. They were much older than Solomon, which explained why he insisted on their presence.

“What are the children doing here?” one of the men asked as he took a seat. Gradually, the younger people shuffled out of the room, leaving it less crowded, though some still peeked through the windows.

“Good evening, Osayande and Amos,” Solomon greeted them as he stood up. “I was the one who requested your presence.”

Before he could continue, my mother interrupted angrily, “There is nothing you can say that will stop this marriage!”

Her outburst seemed unintentional, but it served to let everyone know the reason for the gathering. Solomon didn’t back down. “Yes, this marriage will not hold,” he said firmly, his words sending a ripple of shock through the room.

My lips wouldn’t move, and tears streamed down my face with every blink. Just as Amos was about to speak, I felt a light touch on my back. Turning around, I saw my best friend, Isoken, standing there. Someone must have ran to her house and told her what I was passing through. She took my hand in hers. I had already chosen her to be my chief bridesmaid, but now her presence felt more comforting than ever.

Amos finally spoke, his calm voice filling the room. “Solomon, first of all, welcome. Only a few of us here have traveled the long distance from this village to Lagos. We appreciate the effort you made to come. Now, why have you called us here? Is it true that you want to stop Ami’s marriage to Efosa? The wedding is set for the day after tomorrow. If there was any issue, why did you wait until now to speak up?”

“Thank you, Amos. Your words are wise,” Solomon replied, glancing around the room. He sighed deeply before continuing. “Where do I even begin?”

Everyone leaned in, their attention fixed on him. My chest tightened as I braced myself for his next words.

“We all know how hard life is, how much we struggle just to put food on the table,” Solomon began. “Parents sacrifice so much for their children, especially when there’s no one to lend a helping hand. The government doesn’t care about us, and in this village, only those with someone in government or overseas seem to have any real hope. The reason I said this marriage should be postponed,” he continued, his voice growing louder, “is because I’ve made a connection. A good one. Ami can go overseas, work, and send money back to help her mother. My late brother’s wife needs support. My late brother left her with five children. Who will take care of them? We, his brothers, can barely take care of ourselves, let alone help anyone else. We are all struggling!”

His voice shook with emotion, and he stood up abruptly, glaring at the room.

“Do you know the exchange rate of the dollar to our currency? Let me explain, just one hundred dollars can buy enough food to feed everyone here for the next thirty days. I’m not exaggerating. Look at Osaro’s son, who left the same year my brother died. His parents now live in the finest house in this village. How can I see a good opportunity and turn my back on it? This chance must come to my late brother’s family.

I’m not asking for Ami to go overseas so she can send me money-no. I’m saying she’ll be able to help her own mother and siblings. If she’s there for a few years, what’s wrong with her coming back to take one of her brothers with her? Is that a bad thing?”

Solomon’s words silenced everyone, even my mother. The angry murmuring slowly died down. Just when I thought my mother might agree with him, she spoke up.

“You should have brought this arrangement earlier, not now, when the wedding is two days away. This family is known for keeping its promises.”

“Forget about keeping promises,” Solomon interrupted sharply. “We’re talking about ending poverty, and you’re here talking about promises. What’s the point of keeping promises when our sons and daughters can’t attend higher institutions? What good are promises when our children can't build houses and drive new cars? This is the only way I can help my late brother’s family.” He paused and looked at the two elderly men.

“Solomon,” Osayande said calmly, “we’ve all heard what you’ve said. It’s a good plan, but it’s too late. The marriage arrangements have already been made. The wedding is on Saturday, and Ami will be going to her husband’s house.”

“Osayande, I’m disappointed in you!” Solomon shouted, standing up again. “Do you really mean what you’re saying? What killed my brother? It was our inability to pay for his surgery! Over my dead body will I allow this wedding to go on. Ami is the only one who can change her family’s fate. If we’d been able to raise the money for the operation, my brother would still be alive today. What happens if something like that happens again? This is a sacrifice we all have to make. Ami must go overseas to help her mother and siblings.”

He pointed at my mother and continued, “Do you think marrying off Ami will solve your problems? What about the other four children? Are you going to rely on your in-laws to take care of them?”

My mother didn’t say another word. Tears streamed down her face, and the more I looked at her, the more I cried. Solomon had come all the way from Lagos to remind us of how my father had died because we couldn’t save him.

Amos finally spoke up, his voice heavy with thought. “Our biggest problem now is how to explain this to Efosa’s family. If there were no wedding planned, I’d agree this is a life-changing opportunity. But Ami chose him, and she brought him here. We accepted him and his family. We drank his palm wine, ate his food, and celebrated with them during the introduction. Look around this house, everything is ready for the wedding. How can we suddenly say no? In the eyes of the entire village, Ami is already married. What do we tell Efosa’s family? How can we reject their son at this point?”

For the first time, Solomon’s voice softened. “Thank you, Amos,” he said, nodding as though he was trying to gather his thoughts. “I, Solomon, will stand and speak on behalf of this family.”

“And do you think they will accept whatever you want to say?” Osayande asked quietly.