Chapter I – The Burden of Motherhood
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
The chapter opens three months after Eniiyi’s birth. Ebun’s mother, Kemi, remains the ideal grandmother – she visits briefly, dances with the baby, and vanishes with wealthy suitors. Kemi is hunting for a fourth husband, targeting a twice-divorced millionaire’s son. Ebun finds her mother’s interference tolerable, but her aunt Bunmi is relentless. Bunmi gave Eniiyi her first bath, coating her in palm oil and washing her roughly. She continually corrects Ebun’s parenting, insists on feminine colours, and secretly introduces formula despite Ebun’s wish to breastfeed exclusively. When Bunmi finally leaves due to a cheating scandal at her school, Ebun is left alone with the baby and Sango, the dog she distrusts.
Ebun struggles with exhaustion, moving through chores in a daze. She tries to cook plantain while holding Eniiyi, and hot oil splashes onto the baby’s thigh, causing a severe burn. Kemi returns, applies Vaseline and a bandage, but stops when she notices the wound’s shape – pampas grass, identical to scars Ebun remembers on her cousin Monife. Ebun denies the similarity, insisting the scars are different, but the implication hangs in the air.
Key Events
- Kemi’s social life overshadows her role as grandmother; she uses the baby as a prop in her marriage hunt.
- Bunmi takes control of Eniiyi’s care, from the first bath to feeding decisions, undermining Ebun.
- Ebun confronts Bunmi about the formula, but her aunt dismisses her concerns.
- Bunmi is called away to handle a cheating scandal at her school, giving Ebun temporary relief.
- Ebun, left alone with Sango, begins to crack under the weight of sleep deprivation.
- While cooking, she accidentally burns Eniiyi’s leg with hot oil.
- Kemi treats the burn and points out its resemblance to Monife’s old scars.
- Ebun refuses to entertain the comparison, closing the conversation forcefully.
Character Development
- Ebun: Her arc deepens her isolation. The early months of motherhood strip away her confidence. She is perpetually tired, makes mistakes, and struggles to assert authority over her own child. The parallel to Monife’s burns foreshadows a darker inheritance – physical or emotional trauma passed down.
- Kemi: Superficially supportive but self-absorbed. She prioritises her romantic ambitions over genuine help. When the accident occurs, she becomes competent but also inadvertently revives the ghost of Monife.
- Bunmi: Portrayed as domineering and unsympathetic. Her insistence on traditional methods (palm oil bath, formula, gendered colours) shows her need to control Ebun. Her departure underscores that she uses the baby to fill her own loss.
- Sango: The dog senses Ebun’s distress and remains near Eniiyi, suggesting a protective instinct that Ebun herself lacks at moments.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Trauma repetition: The burn on Eniiyi’s thigh exactly mirrors Monife’s scars. This motif links the new generation to a hidden history of violence or abuse that Ebun refuses to acknowledge.
- Motherhood as exhaustion: Ebun’s sleep-deprived haze illustrates the physical toll of parenting. The chapter shows how fatigue erodes judgment, leading to the accident.
- Family boundaries: The clash between Ebun and Bunmi represents the struggle between a mother’s autonomy and extended family’s interference. Bunmi treats Eniiyi as her own, ignoring Ebun’s wishes.
- The pampas grass shape: A recurring visual clue. In the context of Monife, it implies that Eniiyi may share a fate similar to her cousin’s, but Ebun’s denial suggests she is not ready to face the truth.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is a turning point in Ebun’s journey as a mother. It exposes the cracks in her support system – Kemi is absent, Bunmi is controlling, and Ebun is utterly alone. The accidental burn signals that Ebun’s negligence has real consequences. More importantly, the shape of the wound reopens the mystery of Monife’s death. By denying the connection, Ebun reveals her fear and guilt, hinting that the scars are not just physical but psychological. The chapter sets up a future revelation about what happened to Monife and how it might repeat with Eniiyi.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Ebun refuse to acknowledge that Eniiyi’s burn resembles Monife’s scars?
Ebun’s denial suggests she fears the implications – that history is repeating itself or that she is somehow responsible. Admitting the similarity would force her to confront the truth about Monife’s suffering and her own role in it.
2. How does Bunmi’s interference affect Ebun’s confidence as a mother?
Bunmi criticises everything from feeding to carrying the baby, making Ebun doubt her own decisions. When Bunmi secretly gives formula, she undermines Ebun’s authority. This constant correction leaves Ebun feeling incapable, which contributes to her fatigue and mistakes.
3. What role does Sango play in this chapter?
Sango is a silent observer who follows Ebun and Eniiyi. Ebun perceives his stare as judgmental, but he also nudges her when the baby cries. He may represent intuition or loyalty – a reminder that someone (or something) is watching over Eniiyi even when Ebun falters.