17 Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!

It had been a fortnight since Ramses last visit to the Ojongs, to learn about his culture. He had taken a break to ensure that uncle Travis recovered. Occasionally he had dropped in to check on his health. The last time he was accompanied by Minka. Shock ran through Ogar's body as he saw a lighter skinned, fluffier looking Minka in front of him.

"Ogar it's been a while" she smiled as she spoke. He just gazed at her. He wanted to say he had missed her company.

He wanted to tell her how heart broken he felt to realize that she kept secret of her brother's existence from him. Instead he stared at her like he was looking into a mirror. Ramses studied Ogar. He weighed him from head to toe and smiled.

Ogar noticed his reaction and to avoid embarrassment he asked

"How may I help you?" He bit his lip shortly after. Ramses and Minka exchanged glances and laughed.

"How is uncle Travis today?" Ramses asked.

"Oh he is much better" Ogar replied.

"Is it okay if we greet him? We are on the way to the market and Minka insisted that she would like to see him"

"Oh, it is a pity. He is asleep. I will let him know you stopped by"

"Okay. I hope he is much better anyway?" Minka inquired.

"Of course he is. It is one of those long maps he has before we go to the ranch"

"You are going to the ranch?' Ramses asked in suprise.

"Yes. We are"

"When will that be? I will like to be there as well if it is okay"

"I will inform uncle Travis. I am sure he will gladly accept that you accompany us"

"Okay. Thank you"

"You are welcome"

"Come on Minka" Ogar heard Ramses say as he shut the door. "Let us be on our way"

On the farm....

Ramses appeared in front of the home of the Ojongs at quarter to eight. He was clad in his boot and work clothes. Ogar smiled sheepishly when he saw him.

"How do I look?" He asked

"Like a lecturer" Ogar replied.

Ramses chased him briefly in front of the porch.

"Alright boys, it's time to go" uncle Travis called out. They both hopped into the back of the Toyota Tundra truck.

"Wow, it's roughly forty minutes from your home" Ramses noted.

Uncle Travis nodded.

"Not too far"

"Not too far?"

"Yes"

"You mean for a car?"

"Positive"

"It will be tasking to go on foot"

"That was what our forefathers did way back"

"Yeah. They trekked"

"Those who had no horses and donkeys trekked"

"I can imagine how long it would have taken them" Ogar

"And we are here" uncle Travis called out as some one opened the gate of the plantation

"Uncle Nko Bo!" A female voice called out. It belonged to an average height stout lass who had her hair woven.

"Ajom Be Kia"

"Dum Chang" she replied.

"Welcome Ogar"

"Sister good evening" Ogar replied smiling.

"You should've greeted first" uncle Travis scolded. Ajom is not your mate. She has reached the moninkim stage. Although we do not practice female circumcision anymore you can tell when you see a matured female. Respect her."

"Uncle?" Ramses began"Its like I still have a lot to learn"

"Of course you do"

"Wow! Morning king" Ramses attempted to repeat after uncle Travis. It only attracted laughter from Ogar and uncle Travis himself.

"It is moninkim" Ogar corrected h.

"Moninkim?" Ramses attempted to pronounce it again.

"Yes" Ogar nodded.

"What is it all about? Let me guess... A rite, or ritual?"

"This is a rite, more like a title given to a girl shortly after circumcision. After the circumcision, she is taken into the fattening room before she moves from there into her husband's house"

"Wow. What is the fattening room all about?"

"Well, in accordance to the process of fattening, the woman is taken to a room where she is attached to some elderly women who treat her to a session of manicure, pedicure and body massage before giving her a warm bath daily. She is given lessons on how to be a good wife, skin care, how to carry herself with grace among others"

"Hmmmmn... This is interesting.."

Uncle Travis turned off the engine of the pick up van. He opened his side of the vehicle and stepped out. Ogar followed suite.

"In the evenings she is dressed up for choreographic rehearsals. Drummers played their drum as, singers entertained her with their songs. It used to be so much fun"

"How long does it used to last?"

"A few weeks, before her suitor approaches her parents to wipe off the particles of sand which was believed to have remained on her back, after lying down for circumcision"

"Oh!" Ramses raised his brow in realization. "Grooms must have had a lot of money back then.My guess, that is the beginning of the marriage ceremony?"

"Yes. It is"

"I was wondering what the purpose of bride price is"

" Well it strengthens the relationship between the families of the bride and the groom"

"I see" Ogar nodded.

"Isn't it rather over rated these days?"

"How do you mean?"

"Some bride prices are so high that the groom cannot afford it. One of my friends went to ask the hand of his longtime girlfriend but was discouraged at the long list of things and broke it off"

"Wow. What happened eventually?"

"He broke up with her. It's been four years now. He is preparing to settle down with someone else while she is still single"

"Was there no room for negotiation?'

"Her family were insistent on some to things on particular. The list was way past his budget. He had a house to complete and a few more projects on ground so he had forgo the relationship"

"That's really sad"

"Sonia, one of my students from Nigeria said her brother-in-law often cheats on her sister. When her sister confronted him he defended himself saying that he was a man and could not get pregnant besides, he paid the bride price.."

"So he has the right to cheat?".uncle Travis completed.

Ramses nodded.

"It is so unfortunate. Some of the young folk have began to abuse the tradition. A woman is not a property but a blessing" he said as he placed his rafia hat on.

"Wow! It's such a large farm! More like a plantation"

"Yes. Like the ones our forefathers worked on in Cuba. Even after the slave trade was abolished, Cuba was still actively involved in shipping our people to their sugar plantation farms" Ogar supplied. Ramses could sense anger in his voice.

"I will rather not talk about that right now"Ramses declined.

"So here we have the cocoa plantation"

"Wow,"

"We are one of the biggest producers of cocoa in this country. Most parts of our state, Cross River is within the rainforest belt"

"There are so many of these crops. There are other crops at the far end there" Ramses observed while uncle Travis engaged in discussion with some of the workers on the farm.

"Ouch! "Ramses screamed.

"What is the matter?" Ogar turned to him.

"Ouch! The mosquitoes here are so many. Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!"

"Sorry about that. We will soon head out to the section where the animals are" Ogar assured Ramses hoping that will console him.