What is Ekwefi's story?

Answer 1

Ekwefi was a woman who loved Wrestling, and fell in love with Okonkwo when she saw him throw Amalinze the Cat. She wanted to marry Okonkwo, but at the time, Okonkwo was too poor to marry. She ended up marrying another man, Anene, but after a couple years she ran away from him during the night to Okonkwo. Okonkwo took her and made love to her in his obi.

Ekwefi became Okonkwo's second wife. Her love of wrestling remained. She bore child after child, but they all died during their early years until she had Ezinma. She treated her daughter Ezinma like a sister, as an equal. She continued to have children with Okonkwo, and fathered at least 10 children with him.

Ekwefi often drew Okonkwo's rage, and was beaten by him occasionally. After one particular beating near the Festival of Yams, she made fun of Okonkwo's lack of prowess with a gun. This remark earned her a near-death experience, as Okonkwo discharged the gun at her, but did not end up hitting her.

During one day, her daughter Ezinma was taken by the oracle Agbala's representative Chielo late at night. Worried for her daughter, she risked the wrath of the Gods by secretly following Chielo around the nine villages and back to her cave home where she communed with Agbala, all in very low light.

Her daughter Ezinma also came down with the Iba or fever one day. She feared for Ezinma's death, but Ezinma managed to be healed by her father, Okonkwo. After Ezinma's iwi-uya was found, she felt much more relieved.

Ekwefi continued to stay with Okonkwo, following him in exile to Mbanta, and then back home to Umuofia.

Answer 2

Ekwefi is Okonkwo's second wife and mother of Ezinma. She loves wrestling, and originally wanted to marry Okonkwo; however Okonkwo did not have enough money for her dowry. She ran away from her first husband to live with Okonkwo. The children she has with Okonkwo generally die early in life, leading people to believe that her children are ogbanje, children whom once they die, enter their mother's womb to be born again.

Answer 3

Ekwefi is Okonkwo's second wife, from Chinua Achebe's novel "Things Fall Apart".