OVERCOMPENSATING

From the observation of the researcher, there is no sexual relationship that exists between the two women in the marriage. They behave like mother and daughter and sometimes they do quarrel like co-wives. Sometimes the major woman will scold the younger woman if she tries to be wayward by not sleeping only with the major woman’s husband or the man chosen for her. Herskovits (1937:336) avers that “among the Igbo land and Kalabari communities of Southern Nigeria, barren women have also been noted to enter into woman-to-woman marriage. The female husband gives

116 her wife to her own husband or his kin in order to procreate; an outsider would never be brought in as a lover”. Amadiume (1987:7) claims that

Interpretations of female husband marriage as lesbianism would be totally inapplicable, shocking and offensive to Nnobi women, since the strong bonds and support between them do not imply lesbian sexual practise. She disagrees strongly with those Western lesbians who have cited this African practise to justify their choices of sexual alternatives which have roots and meanings in the West.

Corroborating Amadiume, Uchendu (2007) maintains that woman- woman marriage in Igbo land does not connote the existence of sexual relationship among women who engage in it.

The above assertion of researchers on gynaegamy in Igbo is in line with what Awgu people practise in this marriage. Alibisi Oko (Personal Communication 8^th October, 2017) maintained that there is no sexual relationship between a major and the minor woman in Awgu. Awgu women contract marriage with other women for their husbands, whether dead or alive, for family continuity and not for their sexual satisfaction. He said that it has not been seen or heard of that Awgu women, who are major women, engage in sexual acts with their ‘wives. He related that, judging by the strict rules that guide gynaegamy, one would know that it is only childless couple in a monogamous marriage, which the wife has reached menopause that is allowed to engage in this observance. On his part, Onwukwe Anu (Personal Communication 5^th January, 2018) says that sexual relationship between persons of same sex or between man and animal is an abomination in Awgu as it is unheard of in the olden days. It is only recently, he adds, that such occurrences started to be heard from outside the community. He says that major woman’s husband is responsible for his new wife’s sexual need, whose main purpose is for procreation in Awgu. If the husband is dead one of his age mates from another kindred will be responsible for her sexual needs for procreation. According to

117 him, this is done in order to make sure that the family lineage did not go into extinction. The man must be a person without any social stigma like stealing and chronic disease. This agrees with Uchendu (2007), who says that in parts of Abia State, such as Umuahia, minor women are allowed to choose men of their choice for sexual gratification but in Nsukka and its environs, it is the major woman who selects the man to do the honours. The man must not be of questionable character. The above assertion was agreed to by Okoudumma Eze, Agwade Udeji, Onyema Uduji, Nwamgbo Chukwuogele, and Egwuoke Onu.

Uzumma Ojinta (Personal Communication 3^rd December, 2017) stated that in Awgu, a woman who still is in her pre-menopause stage is not allowed to engage in gynaegamy, reason is that she might still bear a son with her husband or with someone outside, if her husband is dead. Awgu women contract marriage with other women not for sexual pleasure, as they are free to have sex with other men outside if their husbands are dead. It is the need for social recognition and to wipe away shame of childlessness that makes Awgu women indulge in it. The above statement was corroborated by Nkechi Ejinwuka, Nwamgbo Chukwuogele, Uzo Enu, Ulaogu Onwu and Mgbechi Nwaude.

Nwokolo Nwavo (Personal Communication 8^th October 2017) spat out disgustingly and declared vehemently that he had never heard that a major woman had had sexual relationship with her ‘wife’ in Awgu. He said that the sexual need of the bride is provided by the husband of the older woman if he is alive or any of his age mate that was chosen by his kinsmen if the man is late. If the major woman’s husband is alive and is adjudged to be impotent, the wife will make it seem as if there is quarrel and she will park some of her clothes and go to her parents’ house, there she will be sleeping with the agreed age mate of her husband until she becomes pregnant. Her parent will inform her husband who will come with four gallons of palm wine and four big yams and beg his wife to

118 come home. He said that this is done because the dignity of the man of the house has to be protected as another man cannot come to his compound to be sleeping with his wife while he is alive. So this arrangement is made to preserve his dignity as a man. Inoegbu Ozo, Ulaogu Onwu, Mgborie Uka, Ogbumma Nwali and Nwaokporo Egwu affirmed to the above explanation by Nwaokolo Nwavo.

Nkechi Ejinwuka (Personal Communication 26^th November, 2017) said that since she started living with the major woman, she has never been approached for sexual play with the major woman.

She said that the husband of the major woman was responsible for the six children she had before he died. On his own side, Boniface Ndu (Personal Communication 3^rd January 2018) maintained that he had never witnessed his parents engaged in sexual relationship. He said that if such a thing has been happening, he would have noticed it as a little boy sleeping in the same hut with the women. He said that he thought that the older woman was his paternal grandmother due to the closeness between the two women. He explained that he came to understand the type of marriage his mother was into when the older woman died and they were required to perform the rituals before her burial - Ime Emume in Awgu. The above assertion of Mrs. Nkechi was affirmed Eke Nwaeku, Nwamgbo Chukwuogele, Sunday Agba, Appolonia Nwafor and Udeogu Okwuduluchukwu.

From what has been said, it is clear that no sexual relationship or sexual desire exists between these women. Both see each other as mother and daughter and behave as such. The major woman provides for the family’s need just like a husband would do if he is alive. The sexual need of the new wife is provided by the major woman’s husband if he is alive or one of his age mates if the husband is dead. Contracting marriage with another woman is only necessitated because of childlessness of the first wife or because of the need to have a male child who will inherit the homestead and make libations for the ancestors. It is the need for social recognition and to wipe away shame of childlessness that makes Awgu women indulge in it and not for sexual pleasure.

119 The research question which states: How does the major woman behave towards the minor woman in Awgu has been answered from the above data sourced from respondents and literature review. This was done by stating the relationship that exists between the minor woman and the major woman in terms of living together, farming, etc.