Tl-tE

PRETTY
GIRL

Alila
The Pretty Girl

Story By
Osinobichukwu Daniel Theophilus
&
Ufuomanefe Akortha
Illustrated by

Olorundare Moses
(Signormos)
+234(0)8067481138

The Collectors Books & Music Stores Ltd.

Plot 283 Lateef Salami Street, off MM Intl Airport Road

Ajao Estae, Lagos
+234(0)7030661886
dantheo4christ@yahoo.com

Storytime With Grandpa Okafor

The Storytime With Grandpa Okafor series of books are reading
books designed to ll the need for interesting vocabulary-building reading material for school-age children. The appeal of these stories will
encourage school children to use their dictionaries to nd the meanings
of unfamiliar words they might encounter while reading these stories.
This series was conceptualized and developed by Osinobichukwu Daniel Theophilus and Ufuomanefe O. Akortha.

The Collectors Books

Alila - The Pretty Girl

Copyright 2015 by The Collectors Books & Music Stores Ltd.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or
distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or
retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher,
unless otherwise indicated.
Send all inquiries to:
The Collectors Books & Music Stores Ltd.
Plot 283 Lateef Salami Street,
Off Murtala Muhammad International Airport Road,
Ajao Estate, Lagos.
Printed in Nigeria
ISBN

Table of Contents
A Pretty Girl................................................... 1
Alila - Attractive but Avoided........................ 7
The Return of the Prince................................ 15
Settling In....................................................... 21
The Bride to Be.............................................. 29
A Bride is Chosen...........................................35
The Feast........................................................ 41
New Beginnings..............................................47
Bedtime.......................................................... 51
Questions........................................................53
Vocabulary Building.......................................58

CHAPTER ONE
A Pretty Girl
Amaka was a very pretty girl. She was so pretty that the
rst time most people saw her they would inadvertently
take a second look at her to make sure their eyes were not
playing tricks on them. It was said that the midwife who
had assisted Amakas mother during her delivery had
taken just one look at the baby Amaka and exclaimed
this one has been born married! Almost everyone had
heard that anecdote and during her infancy almost everyone who saw Amaka agreed with the midwife; it was a
common belief that pretty girls were exempt from worrying about getting married, as the most accomplished and
handsome men would always seek their hands in marriage. In fact, it was a generally accepted theory that truly
pretty girls suffered no shortage of suitors.
When her parents named her Amaka, which means
Beauty, everyone agreed that a more perfect name
could not have been chosen for such a pretty child. As
Amaka grew older she grew prettier, by the time she was
14 years old she was the prettiest girl in the entire village.
1

Everything about her made her stand out from the crowd;
she was tall and her movements were always graceful,
her totally unblemished, light-complexioned skin was almost translucent, she had a full head of raven-black hair
which had never been cut since she was born, she had
beautiful light brown eyes, and her perfectly ordered
teeth were porcelain white.
Amara was another girl in the same village. Amara and
Amaka were best friends, they had been best of friends
since they could remember, which is not surprising since
they were neighbours and were of the same age. Amara
was just eleven days younger than Amaka. Each of them
was the oldest child of her parents. Amara was not as
pretty as Amaka no girl in the village or surrounding
villages was but she was not ugly or plain. She was
not as light-complexioned as Amaka, nor was she as dark
complexioned as Chinelo, another village beauty, whose
skin was so dark and lustrous that it looked like polished
ebony. Amara, was not as tall as Amaka was either, and
there was nothing really superlative about her appearance. Nevertheless, she did stand out for something
Amara was known by all to be a very respectful, polite,
humble, well-behaved, honest, and hardworking girl.
2

She also had a very cheerful disposition. No matter what

she was asked to do, she would do it with a smile. Amara
would never pass an elder without offering a greeting.
She would relieve elders of loads that they were bearing and assist in carrying those loads to their homes. She
would offer help to anyone when she felt help was needed, and she always showed kindness in her dealings with
others.
Amara and Amaka went to the stream together in the
mornings and evenings to fetch water for their respective
households. They walked to school together and sat by
each other in class. They helped each other with their
studies and would often share whatever snacks they had
brought to school. In fact, it was as if they were twins
or blood sisters. Since they had done almost everything
together since the time they were mere toddlers, people
expected them to have similar characters but they did
not. Just as they differed in physical appearance so they
differed in their attitudes and character. Amara was genuinely liked by everybody who knew her because of her
friendliness and her good nature, but Amaka was not so
well liked. Everyone agreed that she was quite pretty, but
nobody really liked her; except for Amara, Amaka had
3

no friend in the village.

Amakas unpopularity was not the result of envy of others because of her prettiness, it actually stemmed from
her lack of good manners and her usually acerbic statements. Maybe it was because of the way everyone bent
over backwards to accommodate her every whim and
caprice or maybe it was because her parents were excessively indulgent towards her when she was very little that
she began to develop some very nasty habits. It was soon
obvious to anyone who cared to know that Amaka was
becoming a very spoilt child. She was rude to her elders
and very unfriendly with her peers. She was so arrogant
that most times people would choose not to correct her
when they saw her doing the wrong thing rather than
endure the contemptuous glance she would give anyone
that dared to say she did anything that was less than perfect. She always had a sharp retort for anyone who tried
to point out that she had erred in any way, and this was
affecting her in all areas of her life.
Her parents were becoming increasingly exasperated
with her behaviour, not only was she reluctant to do
chores around the house, she was also very mean; and
4

she did not show any signs of wanting to change for the
better. Her younger siblings dreaded the beatings and
harsh scolding which she regularly meted out on any of
them who dared to do anything which offended her at all.
Her mother often asked her why she could not emulate
Amara in some aspects of her life.
That Amaka and Amara did not constantly quarrel bafed almost everybody who saw their friendship develop
and grow stronger. Some people felt that it was as a result of Amaras very good nature that the friendship could
be sustained for so long. Some others predicted that as
the girls grew older they would see that their different
lifestyles were incompatible and they would slowly drift
apart. Some felt that Amakas sour nature would nally
cause her to do something that would rend their friendship. It was one of such people who held this last view
that gave Amaka the nickname which everyone called
her Alila1.

Alila is the Igbo Language name for an attractive insect that birds
dont eat. The Igbo language is spoken by most of the indigenous people
of Eastern Nigeria.

CHAPTER TWO
Alila Attractive but Avoided
One evening during the harvest season, when men gathered in the village square to drink palm-wine2 and discuss after a hard days work, Amara and Amaka passed
through the village square, on errands for their parents;
while Amara stopped to kneel and greet the seated men,
Amaka just walked past without so much as a pause or
a change in her stride. She stopped some distance away
and stood waiting for Amara to join her.
After waiting for some time and Amara had not yet left
off greeting the men, she shouted across the distance to
Amara, Are you not coming any longer, or are you going to waste all the time in the world there?
Is that not Amaka, Mazi3 Okoros daughter? asked
Mazi Onwuka.
Of course it is there is no other young girl in this village
that could be so ill-mannered! replied Mazi Chibueze.
2
Palm-wine is the sap of the Rafa Palm tree, which is gathered
from incisions made in the trunk with a tapping knife.
3

Mazi is equivalent to the English Language title Mister (Mr.)

Mazi Onwuka shrugged and sighed Humph! That girl

does not have the courtesy to stop and greet her elders,
and she is impatient with another who has the good grace
to do that. Humph!
Amara explained that they were both running errands for
their parents and that was why Amaka was so impatient. Then she rushed to meet her friend and they both
walked out of sight of the men in the village square.
Mazi Ebuka took a drink from his drinking horn, wiped
his mouth with the back of his hand and said, Ah
Obiageli didnt train that girl properly she didnt train
her properly at all.
Obiageli was Amakas mothers name and the blame for
her daughters misbehaviour was being laid at her feet
because, in Ibo society, mothers were expected to ensure
that their children were well-mannered and decorous;
that was one of their primary responsibilities as managers
of the home and household affairs.
Mazi Onwuka spoke up in defence of Amakas mother;
The girl chose this path she is walking on her own I
have seen Obiageli and Mazi Okoro both discipline this
8

girl very severely for her bad behaviour, but the girl has
elected not to change.
This statement led to a lively discussion with some insisting that the blame for the misbehaviour of children
rests squarely on the shoulders of their parents and others
saying that sometimes despite the best efforts of their parents, some children choose to misbehave.
The discussion lasted for some time before Mazi Uchenna
said, I wonder how Mazi Chigozies daughter manages
to remain her friend; they are both so different!
He was referring to Amara, who was Mazi Chigozies
rst daughter.
I wouldnt allow my daughter to be that girls friend,
said Mazi Ebuka referring to Amaka, Mazi Chigozie
should be careful that she does not inuence his daughter
negatively!
Another lively discussion followed that statement some
of the men felt that Amaka would inuence Amara negatively, while others felt that Amara would exert a positive
inuence on Amaka.
9

Mazi Onwuka said that he didnt believe that the friendship would last much longer.
They are almost women now, he said, Amara will
soon realize that Amaka is not a good friend to keep, and
withdraw from her. That is if Amaka doesnt cause a ght
between them before that.
Mazi Ebuka laughed and said Her parents should have
named her Alila, because despite the attractiveness of
that ant, lizards, chickens and other animals, and even
people know to keep clear from it... just like everyone has
learned to avoid Amaka.
Everybody laughed. Living in a rural society, most of
them reared a few birds of their own and they all knew
that chickens, which would normally feast on insects,
avoided that particular insect, it was assumed that the insect must be harmful to them. They all felt that it was a
perfect nickname for such a truculent pretty girl.
The nickname spread and soon everyone was referring to
Amaka as Alila.
At rst nobody knew whether Amaka was aware that she
was being called Alila, since nobody actually called her
10

that to her face. Then one day, on the way back from the
stream where she had gone to get water, she picked a
quarrel with another girl and then threw the other girls
earthenware pot, which she had brought to the stream
to fetch water, to the ground and broke it. It happened so
fast that Amara who had stepped into the fray to try to
stop the quarrel from degenerating into something worse
could not prevent Amaka from breaking the pot.
When Ngozi for that was the other girls name threatened to ght Amaka, Amara tried to hold her back and
smooth things over the best she could under the circumstances.
Amaka shouted, Amara, dont hold her back! Let her
come and see why I am called Alila!
That seemed to do the trick because everybody, including Ngozi, burst into laughter! They all knew that Amaka
knew that she was being called Alila, and they also knew
that instead of being upset by that, she was proud of it.
When Mazi Okoro came home that evening, he and his
wife both had a serious talk. He had heard what transpired between Amaka and Ngozi at the village square
11

and he told his wife all that he had learned about the incident.
When her mother heard of the incident at the stream she
was extremely unhappy. She called Amaka and asked her
Do you not know that you are almost a full-grown woman now?
You take delight in being seen as someone to be avoided, I wonder where you believe that will take you.
By this time Amaka was already 17 years old. She smiled
when her mother was complaining... she didnt know
why her mother was so upset she actually liked the
name Alila.

12

14

CHAPTER THREE
The Return of the Prince
The entire village was agog with expectations. The Igwes4 rst son, the Crown Prince was returning to the village after so many years in the United Kingdom. He had
gone to the United Kingdom for his education
immediately after he completed standard school and acquired his rst school leaving certicate. He had gone to
England to attend Modern School on scholarship and after
he had completed his secondary education he went on to
the University of Cambridge, also on Scholarship.
After graduation he had remained in the United Kingdom
and established a business which had begun to ourish
after a few years. He left for England when he was barely
twelve years old and he was just returning 16 years later.
As can be imagined, the Igwe & the Lolo5 were both
very excited to have their senior son and the heir apparent to the throne back home. They were preparing a
4
Igwe is the title which designates the paramount traditional ruler of
a village or clan in Ibo land, roughly equivalent to the English Language title
King.

5
Lolo is the title of the Igwes wife, roughly equivalent to the English
Language title Queen.
15

welcome feast, the likes of which had never before been

seen in the land. The Igwe had gotten numerous rams
and goats which would be slaughtered and cooked for
the feast. The Lolo had organized the womens group
already and they had designated those women who were
going to pound the heaps of yam tubers and the buckets
of pre-soaked tubers of cassava with which the pounded
yam and cassava foo-foo6 for the feast were going to be
prepared. Those who would cook the assorted variety of
soups and stews with which the pounded yam and the
cassava foo-foo would be eaten or swallowed had also
been assigned.
The men of different age-groups were not left out. They
organized themselves into groups to beautify the entire
village and they also ensured that the Igwes palace was
cleaned and painted in preparation for the crown princes
return.
By this time Amaka was 22 years old and she was one
of those assigned to join in the pounding of the cassava
6

Cassava Foo-foo is a traditional Ibo meal prepared by soaking peeled

cassava tubers in water till they ferment and then pounding them or grinding
them. The ground cassava mash is then made into balls and boiled, then those
balls where pounded again after they had cooked. Its texture is similar to that of
pounded yam.

16

foo-foo. Amara, on the other hand, was assigned to join

those who were cooking the soups and stews. Despite
all the predictions to the contrary, the two young women
were still best of friends even though the years had done
nothing more than amplify their characters.
Amara was a very patient person who was considered
much wiser than her age. Even much older people turned
to her for advice. She was still extremely hardworking
and cheerful and she still performed all her duties with a
smile. She had a kind word for everyone and maintained
her friendly disposition. The villagers had taken to calling her Mmo-Ozi.7
Amaka, on the other hand, was short-tempered and cantankerous. This was quite evident during the preparations
for the princes return. She refused to work amicably with
the other women assigned to the same task and was always at the centre of every quarrel or misunderstanding
that occurred while the preparations were being made.
Even the older women were not spared a tongue-lashing
if they did or said anything that she did not like. It was
evident that she was an incorrigible shrew, so everyone
walked on eggshells around her. Some people even won7
The Ibo language word which means Angel.
17

dered why she was involved in the preparations at all,

seeing that she did not want to work with others.
Despite all her character aws, Amaka was still pretty
beyond belief; she had been blessed with extremely good
looks and not even her detractors could say otherwise.
Finally, the day for the princes arrival dawned and the
entire village was bustling with activity from the rst
cock crow. All the preparations which required the assistance of the villagers had been completed already and
the servants in the palace could handle the other things
that needed to be done before the prince arrived in the
evening.
In various homes the household chores were swiftly completed and women and girls began beautifying themselves
in preparation for the festive occasion. Musicians had
already began gathering in the village square and their
instruments and voices could already be heard by midmorning. By Noon a small crowd had already gathered
at the village square by then boys between the ages of
14 and 18 were engaging in amateur wrestling matches
which thrilled the spectators. There was also dancing and
various acrobatic displays. Thankfully, the sun was shin18

ing and there were no portents of rain in the sky so there

were no fears that the feast would be ruined by inclement
weather.
Around 4:45 PM the prince arrived in a vehicle that had
conveyed him to the village all the way from Lagos. Immediately he alighted from the vehicle the musicians
went into a frenzy; the drummers beat their drums like
people possessed, the singers sang a rousing welcome
song and the other instrumentalists all matched the intensity of the drummers. The dancers put on such a display
that even the old men and women wanted to get up and
dance too! It was all so very thrilling.
The prince smiled when he saw the welcome which had
been prepared for him, as he went towards the podium
where his father and his council of chiefs were sitting
to greet them properly. He knew now just how much he
had missed home when he was away, he also now knew
why it was said that East or West, home is best. He was
home.

19

20

CHAPTER FOUR
Settling In
The feast was a resounding success. Even visitors and
delegates from the surrounding villages had admitted
that they had never witnessed such a feast before, but
when the feast was over it was time for Elochukwu, the
prince, to settle in. He had been away for a long time and
during his time away much had changed in the village.
He often said it was surprising how everything seemed so
familiar and yet so different at the same time. The smell
of home cooking being done with rewood transported
him back in time to his childhood in the palace, but when
he looked around him he saw evidence of development
which had not been around when he left for England as a
boy. Graded roads, hand-pumped water the village had
indeed seen a lot of changes while he was away.
One thing that had not changed though, was the fact that
the Igwe and the Council of Chiefs and Elders still adjudicated disputes between villagers. His father invited him
to sit with the council while they listened to the complainants and settled issues. He was frequently surprised
at the wisdom and simplicity with which the council set21

tled the disputes using the time-honoured customs of the

land. Most times the disputing parties left satised with
the verdict of the council.
The disputes were of all sorts, domestic disputes between
husband and wife, between children and parents, and between siblings were entertained when the families could
not resolve those issues on their own. Disputes between
families mainly concerning land and property were the
most frequent. Sometimes a persons livestock would destroy anothers crops and when an amicable settlement
couldnt be reached by both parties it would be brought
before the Igwes council.
Prince Elochukwu enjoyed sitting in with the council
most times, but sometimes the cases involving land were
boring and drawn out.
One day, while in a council meeting a report was brought
concerning someone called Alila, it seemed she had
been very rude to an elderly woman and even threatened
to beat her up. Prince Elochukwu wondered what parent
would name a child Alila, because he knew that that was
the name of a an insect that was avoided by birds and used
in a local proverb to signify something that was ashy but
22

undesirable, but as usual he just kept quiet and listened

while the elders tried to resolve the issue. When Alila
was sent for, she sent back a reply that she had no interest
in coming to the Igwes Palace because of an old hag
with nothing better to do than take any little infraction before the Igwes council.
The council told the elderly womans daughter, who had
brought the report, to try to avoid Alila because she was
an ill-natured person who had no respect whatsoever for
anyone at all. They told her that they have been constantly
receiving such reports and never once did she agree to
appear before them. They advised her to go, since Alila
didnt actually beat up her mother, and try to forget about
the incident. Prince Elochukwu wondered who this girl
Alila could be that would defy the Igwes councils summons.
Over the course of two months while Prince Elochukwu
sat with the Igwes Council he was to hear that name
again on four different occasions, each of them involving extreme rudeness to elders and threats of violence.
On each occasion, Alila refused to honour the councils
invitation.
23

Prince Elochukwu intimated his father, the Igwe, and the

Council that he would have to return to England to oversee his business interests. When he explained why he
could not remain longer than two months more in Nigeria before returning to the United Kingdom, the Igwe and
the Council said they understood that he had to leave.
After Prince Elochukwu had informed them of his intention to return to England, the Igwe and the council met
and then they summoned him before them. They told
him that after serious deliberations they had concluded
that before he left for England again he would have to
take a wife from the village. They told him that his marriage was a matter of grave importance because any wife
he took would be the next Lolo of the Kingdom when
he, Prince Elochukwu, became the Igwe. Therefore they
would help him in a search for a betting wife who was
worthy to be a princess and the next queen of the village.
Customarily, when a wife was being sought for the crown
prince, all the eligible young women would be considered and the most beautiful girl in the village would be
chosen as his bride because the people felt that their kings
deserved the very best.
24

So the town crier was sent with a message to announce

round the village that any family with a daughter of marriageable age should let the council know so that every
single eligible young woman would be considered.
The village was abuzz with excitement after the town
crier had done his duty. All the parents with young women of marriageable age who were not already betrothed
were hoping that their daughters would get chosen because not only was Prince Elochukwu very responsible
and polite, he was also a man of means and could cater
for the needs of any woman that was chosen as his wife.
Besides, it was prestigious to be a parent to the next Lolo
of the Kingdom.
The young women themselves were excited and desired
to be chosen because Prince Elochukwu was obviously
a man of breeding and he was also very tall, well-built,
strong and very handsome. Anytime more than one single young woman was somewhere the discussion invariably went to the choice of a bride for the prince.
Even Amaka and Amara, discussed the issue when Amara went to visit her friend at home. Amara told her friend,
Well, if it is the most beautiful girl in the town that the
25

prince must marry then you are already the next Lolo!
Amaka smiled and replied; It doesnt have to be me,
there are so many pretty girls in this village.
But in her heart she felt that no other person could be
chosen, because she knew that she was without doubt
the prettiest girl in this village and all the surrounding
villages Everyone knows that! she thought happily.
She started daydreaming about what the United Kingdom would be like and how she would deal with people
who were not subservient to her when she nally became
queen.
Amara shook her to bring her out of her reverie.
What are you thinking about that you seemed so far
away you didnt even hear what I was saying? She
asked Amaka.
People have said sometimes it is very cold in England,
she replied, I wonder how I shall cope. Well, I will learn
to cope.
Amara laughed and shook her head, Amaka, you are
very funny!
26

Amaka smiled, her dimples made her even more beautiful, as did the small gap in front of her teeth. She knew,
she just knew, she would be one chosen as the next Lolo.
As Amara stood up to take her leave, Amaka was already
immersed in her daydream where she was living in England, waiting to be called to take her position as the Lolo
of the Kingdom.

27

28

CHAPTER FIVE
The Bride To Be
The search for a bride for Prince Elochukwu was on. The
eligible young women were studied by unbiased members of the council and then nally the parents of all
the eligible young women were invited to the Igwes
Palace. They were told that there would be another feast
two weeks before Prince Elochukwu was to leave the
village for the United Kingdom and it would be at that
feast that the bride chosen for Prince Elochukwu would
be announced.
The invited parents went home and told their daughters
and from then on almost all the young women who were
hoping to be the chosen one were constantly on their best
behaviour and in their best attires in case they were being
observed by the councils representatives. Even the usually cantankerous Amaka did not get into any altercations
with anybody.
Before the day of the feast the young women all tried
different beauty regimens handed down from their mothers, grandmothers and aunties to make their skins look
29

smooth and supple and remove any spots. The other

eligible bachelors were watching with interest too. Every one of them had their eyes set on one young lady or
another and they knew the prince would only take one
bride. They knew that by the time one of the young women was chosen, the others would be more amenable to the
idea of marrying other suitors but for the moment, all
the young ladies had their eyes set on the prince.
Amara was one of the few young women who did not
actually think she would be chosen as the princes bride.
She knew that her friends Amaka & Chinelo would be
the top contenders.
She acted as she normally acted and dressed like she
normally dressed. She would still rush to assist someone
drop a load she had brought from the farm, not minding that her clothes could get stained from the effort. She
would pick up a child that had fallen and gotten injured
while playing and comfort the child not minding that that
would make her look slovenly. She never felt that anyone
was watching her and she actually felt that the entire process of choosing a bride for Prince Elochukwu was a bit
superuous, she never mentioned that to anyone though,
30

because she knew that it was part of their tradition.

She had become used to people calling her Mmo-Ozi,
she just smiled when they called her that. Even the children called her that now, but she knew that no matter
how many people thought she was an angel it would
not translate to marriage proposals.
Chinelo had turned down more suitors than she could remember, for one reason or another. Even Amaka whom
everyone called Alila had had to fend off some suitors,
but nobody had ever shown that kind of interest in Amara. She sighed when she thought about it, but then she
didnt allow it dampen her spirits for long her normally cheerful disposition banished the clouds from her
heart and she was smiling again.
She actually hoped her friend Amaka would be chosen
as the princes bride because she knew that Amaka was
not much liked in the village and that Amaka did not like
many of the people in the village either and since Amaka seemed to be excited about marrying the prince, she
just wished Amaka would be the chosen one. She didnt
think there could be any other choice though. Amaka was
clearly the brightest star in the constellation of young
31

women in the village.

Amaka was having the similar thoughts. She felt that all
that was being done was just a mere formality so that the
Council would seem fair and impartial in the eyes of the
villagers. She knew she was going to be chosen. For a
brief moment she had been afraid that Chinelo or maybe
Ngozi, or Chidera would be strong contenders then she
remembered what their English teacher, Mr. Alphonso,
had said when they were in Secondary School. He had
told them that the adjective pulchritudinous was only
used to describe the most beautiful people or things, he
had then added, People like Amaka Okoro. The other
girls were in the same school and he knew them all, but
he had used her for the example. She had blushed with
pleasure then and that was her basis for knowing that she
was clearly better looking than any other girl her age.
Chinelo also felt that she would be the one chosen. She
knew she was beautiful and she knew too that Amaka
was considered more beautiful because she was slightly
taller. Chinelo had dimples too and was also gap-toothed
and she felt that her coal-black skin which glittered like
polished ebony would make her defeat all other contend32

ers. Every morning she used either palm-kernel oil or

shea butter oil on her skin to make it glisten. From the
appreciative glances she got as she went about her day
to day duties she knew that it was having the desired
effect.
Ngozi, Chidera, Chinomso, Ebere, Chizorom, and Chibuzor each thought she was going to be the chosen one.
Each of them felt that there was something which made
her uniquely beautiful and propelled her to the front of
the pack. Each and every one of them, as well as many
others, was assured that she was the bride-to-be.

33

34

CHAPTER SIX
A Bride Is Chosen
The Council was in session. It was the morning of the
day of the feast. All the representatives had come back in
and every single eligible girl had been considered. When
every result had been polled and everyones opinions
had been sought, the votes were overwhelmingly in support of the fact the Amaka, Mazi Okoros daughter, was
the most beautiful young woman in the village.
They decided to call the prince in and tell him that they
had found him the most beautiful girl in the village to be
his princess. When they had called him in and they had
told him who his bride was he was happy and thanked
them, he was about to withdraw to continue his preparations for the feast when Mazi Okoroafor, the oldest member of the council cleared his throat and greeted all the
council members and the prince.
I have been a member of this council for very long, he
said.
Prince Elochukwu, I was one of those tasked with nd35

ing a wife for your father. He continued, Your mother

was as beautiful as a diamond amongst rocks you can
still tell how beautiful she must have been as a young
woman by looking at her now and seeing how beautiful
she still looks after bearing children for your father.
While your mother was the undisputed beauty of the village, she was also a very well brought up young woman from the beginning, there was never any doubt that
she would make a tting queen for this kingdom.
I do not like to make long speeches but I will not sit
idly by and see you make a mistake you and this kingdom will regret for time immemorial.
Alila is not your queen!
Prince Elochukwu was dumbfounded, so the most beautiful girl in the village was the same person that people
called Alila, he mused.
Mazi Okoroafor continued speaking, That name should
serve as a warning to you.
As attractive as Alila is, birds dont eat it be warned!
Some of the other members of the council tried to make
36

an argument that it was the culture to choose the most

beautiful girl in the village as a bride for the crown prince
and that that culture should be followed.
Mazi Okoroafor spoke up again; Culture is meant to
guide us, we are not its slaves.
That culture serves to make us seek out the most betting Lolo for our future Igwe how many of you relish
the thought of Alila being the Lolo tomorrow?
Everyone was quiet. They were all thinking of the implication of having someone that everybody tried very hard
to avoid, as their next queen.
Even now, people turn to take another path when they
see her coming. that was from Mazi Odinaka.
She has never even honoured our summons now, what
will she do if she is made Lolo? asked Mazi Chukwudi.
Let us be careful what we choose to do today, continued Mazi Okoroafor, the fate of the entire kingdom
could very well rest on our choice!
I have spoken much, Mazi Okoroafor said as he reclined backwards in his seat, let the council decide what
37

is best collective wisdom always supersedes the wisdom of just one man.
You have spoken wisely, said Mazi Odinaka, we shall
deliberate some more and choose the best bride for our
future Igwe.
There was a lengthy discussion during which the council
members spoke about the merits of each girl that was eligible for marriage. They agreed that since they were setting a new precedent, they should not just focus on beauty, but also on character. Immediately that was agreed
upon, the council unanimously said there was only one
true contender; the next was a far distant, second place.
Mazi Ifeanyichukwu addressed Prince Elochukwu, My
prince, we are sorry that we could not give you the most
beautiful girl in the village, in-fact when counting the
beautiful ones she might not be in the top ten, but we can
assure you that she will be the best wife to you and the
best queen to this community.
Mazi Okoroafor spoke up again, I dont understand
what you see as beauty is it a ne face and a horrible character? Amara is the most beautiful girl in this
community in my opinion. When you see her you smile
38

because she is like a ray of sunshine on a dark day

She is humble, helpful, hardworking, kind, honest to
me she is beautiful beyond description.
Prince Elochukwu looked at Mazi Okoroafor with renewed respect, An English Poet wrote, he said That
a thing of beauty is a joy forever, anyone that gladdens
the heart as you just described must be immensely beautiful. My elders, I thank you for your assistance in nding
me my bride.
All the members of the council looked with pride on
Prince Elochukwu, they knew that in him they would
nd a wise and just Igwe.
The council adjourned so that they could prepare for the
feast. Each member was reminded not to disclose the
chosen bride before the ofcial announcement during the
feast.

39

40

CHAPTER SEVEN
The Feast
The feast kicked off quite early in the day at the village
square with drumming and music from the musicians.
By the time the Igwe and his council arrived alongside
the Lolo and Prince Elochukwu, it was late afternoon.
The eligible maidens all performed a dance and all of
them were seen by Prince Elochukwu. Immediately he
saw Amaka, he knew she must have been the one everyone called Alila. Behind her comeliness and her grace and
charm he saw a glint of hardness in her eyes. He admitted that she was clearly the prettiest girl of the lot as far
as looks were concerned. When she introduced herself as
Amaka, when she got to the podium where Prince Elochukwu was seated, he conrmed that he was right. He
then tried to look for Amara amongst the girls he was
seeing. It didnt take long for him to spot her either. He
saw the kindness and the laughter in her eyes and he saw
the way she smiled at everybody. He also noticed that she
was the only one who all the children seemed to be interested in watching and who they swarmed around when41

ever she sat down. By the time she came to the podium to
introduce herself the prince already knew that she would
have been the only one he would have chosen, even if the
choice had been left to him alone. She was not haughty
like some of the girls, nor was she trying too hard to impress him like some of the others, she was just her usual
humble self.
For a moment their eyes met, and in that eeting moment, Amara felt she was the one that was chosen. She
felt that somehow she and Prince Elochukwu had connected, but she banished the thought from her mind as
just a ash of fancy.
Meanwhile, Amaka had seen the prince studying her and
she had believed that she must have been the one chosen.
Chinelo and the others, somehow knew they had not
been selected, all of them had seen the prince taking an
interest in Amaka and they felt that she had been chosen. They were all despondent as they went back to their
seats. Not one of them saw the way Prince Elochukwu
had looked at Amara, and even if they had, they wouldnt
have believed it meant anything.
42

Finally, the feast was over. It was time to announce the

young woman chosen to be the princes bride.
When the announcer mentioned that it was Amara
Amaka jumped up and started performing a victory
dance, it was when the announcer added the daughter
of Mazi Chigozie that Amaka knew she was not the one
called.
At rst there was a stunned silence. Then the village
square erupted in cheers!
The other contestants were numb with shock, no one had
ever considered Mmo-Ozi to be a challenge. They were
still unbelieving. Then they turned to look at her and what
they saw bafed them. Amara seemed to be glowing from
inside... just like the angel that they called her, and then
they saw how truly beautiful she was, both inside and out.
Even Amaka who felt slighted at rst, realized that her
friend was truly the only one who deserved to be the future queen of the land. The only one who could befriend
Alila, who everyone else avoided.
There were more than a few disappointed young women
that day, but such was the nature of Amaras spirit that no
43

one held a grudge against her or wished her evil, in fact,

each and every one of them was happy that as she wasnt
the chosen one it was Amara who had been chosen.
The feast was over, and everyone was happy!

44

46

CHAPTER EIGHT
New Beginnings
Prince Elochukwu and Amara were married just three
days after the feast. They would be leaving for the United
Kingdom just ten days after they were married so there
was a lot to do, especially for Amara, who had never left
the village before.
Before they left the village two days after their marriage
ceremony, Amaka came to visit her friend in her matrimonial home.
They sat and talked for a while and then Amaka said
People say it gets very cold sometimes I wonder how
you would cope.
And then they looked at each other and burst into ts of
laughter.
Amara told Amaka, You really are a true friend!
No, you are the true friend the only friend I have
ever had. Tell me the truth, do you think I am a bad
person? Amaka asked.
47

Amara looked at her friend for a long time before she

answered her, then when she nally spoke she said, I
have never seen you as a bad person, you just try hard
to make sure nobody likes you please do me a favour,
do it for me as a wedding gift
Amaka was perplexed, What is it you want done for
you? she asked.
Please let people see the you that I know, the kind,
generous, loving and lovable person you really are!
Amara replied.
Amaka nodded, there were tears in her eyes.
As they hugged before she left for home, she was extremely happy for her friend but she was also a bit sad
at their imminent separation. She knew that the only
person who saw any good in her was about to leave the
village for a whole new beginning. She resolved to create
a whole new beginning for herself too, a beginning to a
life in which she would no longer be called Alila.

48

50

EPILOGUE
Bedtime
Grandpa Okafor had nished telling his story. Matthew,
Mark, Martha and Moses were waiting for him to keep
speaking but he didnt say anything more.
The children loved it when he came to spend time
with them because he always regaled them with stories.
Grandpa, did Alila change and get married later?
asked Martha.
I dont know, I really dont know. Answered Grandpa
Okafor
Arent you the one telling the story? You should know
how it ends said Mark with an impish smile.
Grandpa Okafor chuckled But thats how the story
ends he said.
Is this a true life story? Matthew asked.
It might be my father was the one who told us that
51

story when I was still very young, he told us that his father, my grandfather, was the one who told him the story
answered Grandpa Okafor.
Well, its way past your bedtime Grandpa Okafor
said.
I feel sorry for Alila, that was little Moses speaking.
Me too echoed the other children in unison.
Grandpa Okafor gave each of the children a hug and said,
Its important to be well-behaved so that we dont end
up being sad. Good night children.
Good Night Grandpa and with that they all ran off to
their beds.

52

Questions
Chapter One
1. What do you think that the midwife meant when she
said that Amaka was born married?
2. According to this chapter what was the commonly
accepted theory about pretty girls?
3. Name another village beauty apart from Amaka.
4. Who was Amakas only friend?
5. What character did Amaka display that earned her
nickname?
Chapter Two
1. What was the difference in the way Amara and
Amaka treated the elders at the village square?
2. Who was Obiageli?
3. Why was Amaka being compared to the insect
known as Alila in the Igbo Language?
4. Was Amaka aware of the nickname she had been
given?

53

5. How old was Amaka when she had the ght with
Ngozi at the stream?
Chapter Three
1. Why did the Crown Prince travel to the United
Kingdom?
2. How old was the Crown Prince when he returned
from the United Kingdom?
3. What does the nickname that everyone called Amara
mean?
4. Why was she given that nickname?
5. Do you think the Crown Prince was happy to be
back home? Give reasons for your answer.
Chapter Four
1. What was the Crown Princes name?
2. What changes had occurred in the village during the
Crown Princes absence?
3. Name one thing that did not change during the
Crown Princes absence?
54

4. What was Amakas response when she was invited

by the Igwe and his council?
5. Why did Amaka say that she would learn to cope
with the cold in England?
Chapter Five
1. When would the name of the girl chosen as the
bride for the Crown Prince be announced?
2. What was the criterion for choosing a bride for the
Crown Prince?
3. Who were the two top contenders for being chosen
as the Crown Princes bride?
4. What did the word Mr. Alphonso used Amaka to
illustrate mean?
5. Name eight girls that felt that they would be chosen
as the Crown Princes bride.
Chapter Six
1. After the polls, who was considered the most beautiful girl in the village?
55

2. Who spoke up against the councils choice?

3. What was his reason for speaking against the choice
the council had made?
4. Why did all the members of the council look with
pride upon the Prince?
5. What was each member of the council reminded
to do before the meeting was adjourned?
Chapter Seven
1. What did Amaka believe?
2. Why did the other girls believe that Amaka had been
chosen?
3. Why do you think there was a stunned silence when
the chosen bride was announced?
4. Who was named as the bride of the Crown Prince?
5. Was the Prince happy with the bride chosen for him?
Give reasons for your answer.

56

Chapter Eight & Epilogue

1. How many days after the feast was the marriage
ceremony of the Prince and Amara held?
2. What was the wedding gift Amara demanded of
Amaka?
3. Do you think that Amaka genuinely like Amara?
Give reasons for your answer.
4. Who told Grandpa Okafor the story he related to his
grandchildren?
5. What did Grandpa Okafor say was important? Why
was it important?

57

Vocabulary Building
Amongst the following words which are found in this
book are some with which you might be unfamiliar and
some which might have been used in ways which you
have not encountered them being used before (because
alternate meanings of the words were employed in the
books text). One of the best ways to build your vocabulary (the words which you know and can use correctly) is
by using a dictionary to nd out the meaning of unfamiliar words and then using those words in forming sentences of your own so that you do not forget what the words
mean. Use the new words you learn as often as possible
to make sure that you retain them in your vocabulary.
You can enlist the help of your friends, siblings, parents,
teachers, or any other person, in your quest to expand
your vocabulary. If you are able to make learning new
words a fun experience, you will nd that expanding
your vocabulary will be much easier than you ever imagined. Place a check mark after each of the words that you
have sucessfully mastered.
Happy Learning!
58

Abuzz
Acerbic
Acrobatic
Adjudicated
Agog
Altercations
Amiable
Amicably
Amplify
Anecdote
Assorted
Attires
Bafed
Banished
Betting
59

Breeding
Cantankerous
Caprice
Chores
Comeliness
Constellation
Contemptuous
Contenders
Conveyed
Courtesy
Customarily
Dampen
Decorous
Degenerating
Delegates
60

Deliberations
Despondent
Detractors
Dimples
Dimples
Disposition
Disputes
Ebony
Elected
Eligible
Erred
Exasperated
Exempt
Exert
Fate
61

Fits
Fleeting
Fray
Frenzy
Grave
Grudge
Hag
Haughty
Immensely
Immersed
Imminent
Impartial
Inadvertently
Inclement
Incompatible
62

Incorrigible
Indulgent
Intimated
Invariably
Lustrous
Matrimonial
Midwife
Podium
Porcelain
Portents
Prestigious
Propelled
Pulchritudinous
Regimens
Rend
63

Resounding
Retort
Rousing
Shrew
Slighted
Slovenly
Spectators
Stride
Suitors
Superuous
Superlative
Supersedes
Supple
Tongue-lashing
Translucent
64

Truculent
Unanimously
Unbiased
Unblemished
Virtually
Whim

65