This is how to stay Married, A review of the domestication of Munachi.

  the domestication of Munachi

    by Ifesinachi O. Okpagu
     Parresia  Books,2015. 

Ifesinachi O. Okpagu published her first novella when she was fourteen, she is now a Lagos based marketing communications executive. She has published some short stories in sentinel Nigeria, femrite anthology and saraba magazine.

 The book has themes of marriage,domestic abuse, spinsterhood and is a psychological slice of life. The author has a great sense of humour and this book should be read by every  woman. 

 Marriage is an important aspect of African culture, growing up as a girl the best day of your life was your wedding day. Single women are serenaded with talks of marriage, everyone gives advice on getting married even the woman who closes herself in the bathroom and cry every morning.  She has only one comfort- she is a respectable married woman.

‘‘A woman without a husband is a failure,’’ said Elizabeth. Elizabeth was content to be a stranger to her husband, and a respectable wife to the society. When she caught her husband cheating on her with the house-help, she did what any respectable married African woman will do. she swept everything under the carpet because she had married out of desperation. This is how to stay married and have a respectable corner in the society.

Weeks turn into years and it was Adanna's turn, the future husband brought beautiful gifts home and Elizabeth persuaded her daughter to get married.  When she came back home with bruises on her face, she pretended not to see because a daughter does not return from her husband home. This is how to stay married and remain a respectable woman in the eyes of society.

When Munachi ran away from home on the day of her traditional marriage without the ceremony. the story took us on a journey to the domestication of Munachi with the re-discovery of self worth  and realization that the only way to stay married is to start with a happy marriage.