It was still, everywhere was quiet but I could hear the distant crow of the rooster, heralding dawn's arrival. The soft hush of the morning breeze were sweet melodies to my ears. I stood up quietly and went to sit beside Grandma as she made her supplications to "Orisa", resting my head against her shoulder.
Today was not just any day, it was my cousin Nena's traditional marriage.
Uncle Odili is my grandmother’s second son and Nena's father. He had chosen to host the traditional marriage of her daughter in my village for two reasons—the groom, Akunna, was from our own village, and secondly he wanted his daughter to experience the marriage traditions, of our people.
By the time I stepped outside the hut, the village was slowly awakening as the first light of golden hues filtered through the trees, the horizon hazy-white.
"Today, we would have a flawless sky I'm sure". I whispered happily as I ran towards Nena's hut.
I remembered vividly last year’s dawn. It was during the Summer holiday, Nena had sat beside me on the raffia mat under the 'Uben' tree.The sky had been exactly like this, hazy, soft, golden hues as the Sun lazily strolled in from the East.
“I have just one wish,” she had said, her voice barely above a whisper, her eyes fixed on the horizon, “that I would be married to the man of my dreams, a year from now".
I had silently prayed along with her, wishing that her dreams came true for her. She had just graduated from the school of nursing and her prerogative was to settle down and start her own family. Her request was not in any way out of place.
She had smiled, her eyes full of hope. “Something tells me my wish will come true because Grandma says dawn is the time when the earth listens, so when we speak our dreams to it, they may just come true."
And now, here we were, exactly one year later, watching her dream unfold before our eyes.
Then I quickly lifted my face to the sky. “I wish to excel in my secondary school entrance examination, to get admitted into the school of my dreams by this time next year. I had also whispered my heart's desire into the new dawn, hoping it comes true, just like Nena's.
Inside the hut, Nena, stirred on the mud bed as I entered. She yawned, stretching her slender arms before rising with a sleepy smile.
"I thought you should be fully awake by now". I said to her as I tried dragging her to her feet.
"Yesterday was hectic I tell you and I slept so late, but yes, I should be up already, attending to things". She smiled in her usual charming manner, as she wrapped her robe tightly around her body.
As we stepped outside together, I could feel the air thick with merriment.The compound, which had been quiet a few hours ago, was beginning to bustle.
Women tying wrappers around their waists emerged from different directions, carrying calabashes of water on their heads, starting the fire, grinding spices, and placing gigantic Iron pots on the fire. Soon the pounding of fufu could be heard everywhere in the compound.
Grandma, the matriarch with grey hair and kind, knowing eyes, sat on the wooden bench outside her mud hut, watching the women as their voices intermingled in a beehive of activities.
Nena walked towards her and prostrated before her in greetings.
She lay her wizening hand on Nena's head to bless;
“I wish you to always possess the wisdom of this land and take it with you wherever you go, never forget that no matter where life takes you, no matter the darkness, morning always comes, and with the break of dawn, the light surely appears.”
"Yes Grandma, I will always remember that"
Nena held onto those words as if her life depended on them; A new day would always mean fresh hope for the best.
My mouth watered as I saw the pots of jollof rice being cooked over the fire, giving off that unique and smoky aroma. Soups with assorted meats and fish also danced acrobatics in the clay pots. Kegs of freshly tapped frothy palm wine were brought in by the young men as we geared up for the day's celebration.
Nena sat inside Uncle Odili's hut, her beautiful face, a mixture of excitement and nervousness. Soon the women walked in, carrying "Uli" for her body decorations, coral beads and regal George wrappers with which to transform her into a beautiful bride.
This was indeed Nena's dawn, the little girl of yesterday who made a simple wish, now a bride of today, having those wishes fulfilled.
As I watched in amazement at her radiating beauty, She caught my gaze from the doorway and smiled, a shared secret between us, as she read my thoughts, about that dawn, when she whispered her wish to the early morning dew.
I know she didn't forget, neither did I!
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