Anticipation

Mabel Dove-Danquah Ghana

NANA ADAKU II, Omanhene of Akwasin, was celebrating the twentieth anniversary of his
accession to the stool of Akwasin. The capital, Nkwabi, was thronged with people from the
outlying towns and villages.

It was at the height of the cocoa season, money was circulating freely, and farmers were
spending to their hearts' content. Friends who had not seen one another for a long time were
renewing their friendship. They called

with gifts of gin, champagne, or whiskey, recalled old days with gusto and, before departing,
having imbibed, were happy. Few could be seen in European attire: nearly all were in Gold
Coast costume. The men had tokota sandals on their feet, and rich multicolored velvet and
gorgeous, hand-woven, kente cloths nicely wrapped round their bodies. The women, with
golden earrings dangling with golden chains and brace- lets, looked dignified in their colorful
native attire.

The state drums were beating paeans of joy.

It was four o'clock in the afternoon and people were walking to the state park where the Odwira
was to be staged. Enclosures of palm leaves decorated the grounds.

The Omanhene arrived in a palanquin under a brightly patterned state umbrella, a golden crown
on his head, his kente studded with tiny golden beads, rows upon rows of golden necklaces
piled high on his chest. He wore bracelets of gold from the wrists right up to the elbows. He held
in his right hand a decorated elephant tail which he waved to his enthusiastic, cheering people.
In front of him sat his "soul," a young boy of twelve, holding the sword of office.

After the Omanhene came the Adontehene, the next in importance. He was resplendent in rich
green and red vel- vet cloth; his headband was studded with golden bars. Other chiefs came
one after the other under their brightly colored state umbrellas. The procession was long. The
crowd raised cheers as each palanquin was lowered, and the drums went on beating
resounding joys of jubilation. The Omanhene look his seat on the dais with his elders. The
District Commissioner, Captain Hobbs, was near him; Sasa, the jester, looked ludicrous in his
motley pair of trousers and his cap of monkey skin. He made faces at the Omanhene who could
not laugh; it was against custom for the great Chief to be moved to laughter in public.

The state park presented a scene of barbaric splendor. Chiefs and their retinue sat on native
stools under state umbrellas of diverse colors. The golden linguists' staves of office gleamed in
the sunlight. The women, like tropical butterflies, looked charming in their multicolored brocaded
silk, kente, and velvet, and the Oduku headdress, black and shiny, studded with long golden
pins and slides. Young men paraded the grounds, their flowing cloths trailing behind them, their
silken plaited headbands glittering in the sun.

The drums beat on .....

The women are going to perform the celebrated Adowa dance. The decorated calabashes make
rhythm. The women run a few steps, move slowly sideways and sway their shoulders. One
dancer looks particularly enchanting in her green, blue, and red square kente, moving with the
simple, charming grace of a wild woodland creature. The Chief is stirred and throws a handful of
loose cash into the crowd of dancers. She smiles as the coins fall on her and tinkle to the
ground. There is a rush. She makes no sign but keeps on dancing.

The Omanhene turns to his trusted linguist:

"Who is that beautiful dancer?"

"I am sorry, I do not know her."

"I must have her as a wife."

Nana Adaku II was fifty-five and he already had forty wives, but a new beauty gave him the
same thrill as it did the man who is blessed or cursed - with only one better half. Desire again
burned fiercely in his veins; he was bored with his forty wives. He usually got so mixed up
among them that lately he kept calling them by the wrong names. His new wife cried bitterly
when he called her Oda, the name of an old, ugly wife.

"This dancer is totally different," thought the Chief, "she will be a joy to the palace." He turned
round to the linguist:

"I will pay one hundred pounds for her."

"She might already be married, Nana."

"I shall pay the husband any money he demands." The linguist knew his Omanhene: When he
desired a woman, he usually had his way.

"Get fifty pounds from the chief treasurer, find the relatives, give them the money and when she
is in my palace tonight, I shall give her the balance of the fifty pounds. Give the linguist staff to
Kojo and begin your investigations now."

Nana Adaku II was a fast worker. He was like men all over the world when they are stirred by
feminine charm: a shapely leg, the flash of an eye, the quiver of a nostril, the timbre of a voice,
and the male species become frenzy personified. Many men go through this sort of mania until
they reach their dotage. The cynics among them treat women with a little flattery, blend
tolerance, and take fine care not to be- come seriously entangled for life. Women, on the other
hand, use quite a lot of common sense; they are not particularly thrilled by the physical charms
of a man; if his pockets are heavy and his income sure, he is good matrimonial risk. But there is
evolving a new type of hardheaded modern woman who insists on the perfect lover as well as
an income and other necessaries, or stay forever from the unblessed of marriage.

By 6 p.m. Nana Adaku II was getting bored with the whole assembly and so was very glad to get
into his palanquin. The state umbrella danced, the chief sat again in their palanquins, the crowd
cheered wildly, the drums beat. Soon the shadows of evening fell and the enclosures of palm
leaves in the state park stood empty and deserted.

The Omanhene had taken his bath after dusk and changed into a gold and green brocaded
cloth. Two male servants stood on either side and fanned him with large ostrich feathers as he
reclined on a velvet-cushioned settee in his private sitting room. An envelope containing fifty
golden sovereigns was near him. He knew his linguist as a man of tact and diplomacy and he
was sure that night would bring a wife to help him celebrate the anniversary of his ac- cession to
the Akwasin Stool.

He must have dozed. When he woke up the young woman was kneeling by his feet. He raised
her onto the settee.

"Were you pleased to come?"

"I was pleased to do Nana's bidding."

"Good girl. What is your name?"

"Effua, my lord and master."

"It is a beautiful name, and you are a beautiful woman, too. Here are fifty gold sovereigns, the
balance of the mar- riage dowry. We will marry privately tonight and do the necessary custom
afterward." Nana Adaku II is not the first man to use this technique. Civilized, semi-civilized, and
primitive men all over the world have said the very same thing in nearly the same words.

"I shall give the money to my mother," said the sensible girl. "She is in the corridor. May I?" The
Chief nodded assent.

Effua returned.

"Nana, my mother and other relatives want to thank you for the hundred pounds."

"There is no need, my beauty," and he played with the ivory beads lying so snugly on her
bosom.
"They think you must have noticed some extraordinary charm in me for you to have spent so
much money," she smiled shyly at the Omanhene.

"But, my dear, you are charming. Haven't they eyes?"

"But, Nana, I cannot understand it myself."

"You cannot, you modest woman. Look at yourself in that long mirror over there." The girl smiled
mischievously, went to the mirror, looked at herself. She came back and sat on the settee and
leaned her head on his bosom.

"You are a lovely girl, Effua." He caressed her shiny black hair, so artistically plaited.

"But, my master, I have always been like this, haven't I?" "I suppose so, beautiful, but I only saw
you today."

"You only saw me today?"

"Today."

"Have you forgotten?"

“Forgotten what, my love?"

"You paid fifty pounds... and married me two years ago."

Who is Mabel- Dove Danquah?

 Mabel Dove-Danquah (1905-1984) was a Gold Coast-born journalist, political activist,

and creative writer. She was one of the earliest women in West Africa to work in these
fields. Mabel was born in Accra, Ghana, to Eva Buckman, a businesswoman in Osu, and
Francis Dove, a lawyer from Sierra Leone who was the first President of the Gold Coast
Bar.
 Mabel Dove-Danquah played a significant role in advocating for women's rights and
gender equality. She was a trailblazer in challenging societal norms and promoting
women's empowerment through her writings and activism

What is Polygamy?

Polygamy is a marital practice in which a person has more than one spouse at the same time.
It can take different forms, such as polygyny, which is when a man has multiple wives.
Polyandry, which is when a woman has multiple husbands. Polygamy is practiced in various
communities across Africa. Here are a few examples of communities in Africa where polygamy
is practiced:

1. Maasai Community (Kenya and Tanzania): Polygamy is a common practice among

the Maasai people, where men are allowed to have multiple wives. It is seen as a way to
build strong family connections and increase social status.
2. Zulu Community (South Africa): Polygamy is traditionally practiced among the Zulu
people, where it is known as "ukuhlola." It is often seen as a way to maintain family
lineage and ensure the continuation of the clan.
3. Hausa/Fulani Community (Nigeria, Niger, and other West African countries):
Polygamy is widely practiced among the Hausa and Fulani ethnic groups. It is influenced
by Islamic traditions and allows men to have multiple wives, with the consent of the first
wife.
4. Himba Community (Namibia): Polygamy is a common practice among the Himba
people, where men can have multiple wives. It is seen as a way to ensure the economic
stability of the family and provide support for the household.
5. Akan Community (Ghana and Ivory Coast): Polygamy is practiced among the Akan
people, where it is known as "nkron." It is influenced by cultural and traditional beliefs,
and men are allowed to have multiple wives, although it is less common in urban areas.

Please note that these are just a few examples, and there are other communities in Africa where
polygamy is practiced to varying degrees. It's important to remember that cultural practices can
evolve and change over time, and not all individuals within these communities may choose to
practice polygamy.