It was a nice and promising day for all of us in Ikenga village especially the members of my household as my cousin was to be wedded to the man of her dream.
Her father who was a popular chief in the community made it a point of duty to see to it that her only daughter's marriage ceremony became the talk of town. Everybody in the community looked forward to grace this event knowing fully well that the chief would not disappoint.
There were two cows and four goats ready to be slaughtered for the event and two cooling vans containing all types of foreign and local drinks. Two catering companies were employed to see to the food and the event decorators outdid themselves just to impress chief and get his referrel.
This was during rainy season and because of that chief paid three rain makers who were speaking to the gods to withheld rain from falling. Chief instructed everyone to provide the rain makers with everything they ask of. They first demanded for five bottles of dry gin and two crates of alcoholic drinks which was provided for them. I have heard about the rain makers but have not seen them before and so i seized the opportunity to know how they control the rain. There was a clay pot cooking on fire and they kept on putting strange leaves and pouring small shots of dry gin at interval while they utter their incantations.
The marriage soon started and everywhere was bubbling with so much energy and fun. My cousin sister was dressed so beautifully in expensive attire and her husband's people gushed at her beauty as they chants...
Our wife is very beautiful
Nwunye Odogwu( wife of a great man)
I ate and drank anything i came across. It was indeed a festival of foods and drinks. The weather suddenly changed and there was thick cloud in the sky. It seemed that it wanted to rain. Chief kept assuring people that it will never rain and that there is no need to worry. He saw the frightened look on her daughter's face and he assured her not to worry that the rain makers have everything under control. Just as he said the thick cloud vanished and the sky became bright again with the sun smiling so gloriously. My cousin sister started smiling again and we all shared in her joy.
I decided to go the bush to relieve myself because i had eaten and drank a lot and using the restroom in the house is not an option for me since everywhere was filled with people. Going back to the house i looked at the rain makers and saw them drinking and laughing in excitement. There were about six wines, two crates of beer and a tray containing four full chickens and rice bowls. They were drinking and making jolly. I was happy for them too, let everybody have their feel of enjoyment.
The wedding continued in it's glory until it was time for my cousin to dance for her inlaws. We all accompanied her outside where her inlaws were sitting under the canopies. She had barely started dancing when without any warning it started to rain. Within two minutes it turned to a heavy downpour that no one has ever seen. My cousin ran back to the house for cover and started weeping while we tried to console her. Chief was enraged and bittered. He ran to the backyard with his kinsmen and there they saw the rain makers asleep and they were even snoring. He went inside and got a machete and rushed to them asking...
Why are the gods sleeping on duty?
Seeing Chief and the machete in his hands they ran away for their dear lifes. Chief was so vexed but he controlled his emotions and went back to sit with his kinsmen at the high table. Luckily the rain stopped after twenty minutes and my cousin sister went out to dance for her inlaws.
She danced so beautifully that everyone was so happy with her. The sun noticed that an angel was dancing and decided to step away so that my cousin can shine. We had the best weather all through.
After the wedding, we all sat and laughed over the rain makers and how despite their drunkenness they still managed to escape. They paid Chief a visit to apologise thinking that he was still angry with them. Instead Chief brought another crates of beer for them to continue where they stopped.
