Having a daughter marry someone for a price is almost the same as selling her. According to the book, The Bride Price by Buchi Emecheta, Aku-nna, a young teenager, was forced to marry someone of her uncle, Okonkwo’s choice. Aku-nna fights fate and cultural customs to be with the one she desires. This story shows how females in a society must feel as if they are under the men. The readers learn about how in the African society, the males use women to benefit themselves, traditions play a big part in society, and how betraying your society’s rituals will result in a cursed death.
Aku-nna’s uncle, Okonkwo is in charge of Aku-nna’s life, and that includes who she has to marry. He gets to choose while she must follow his orders. “…Okonkwo was almost a father to her now… He wanted to be an Obi, so he needed more money. Aku-nna had to allowed to stay in school so that she could be married to rich man, from one of those newly prosperous families springing up like mushrooms all over Ibluza” (Emecheta 75). Aku-nna goes against her uncle’s will to marry her teacher and lover, Chike. Okonkwo wanted to become one of the rich men in his community; therefore he decided to keep Aku-nna in school so she could get more money for her bride price. He is selfish and is only doing these things for his own advantage. This can relate to how in society the men are superior to women and are able to be the one in charge. The idea of gender roles comes from ancient thoughts. It is passed on that men are stronger and more powerful than women; therefore Aku-nna’s society continues to carry on the concept of letting the man administrate the women.
During the story, “She could never return to Ibuza because she had committed an abomination. Some elders, however pointed out that as long as Okonkwo did not accept any bride price from the slave, the girl still belonged to Okoboshi for no one is his senses” (Emecheta 104). This passage from the novel shows how the traditions that are passed down from generation to generation teach that females must have her bride price paid in order to be with someone. If their bride price is not paid, it means she still belongs to the uncle and the man the uncles want her to get married with. The elder men in Aku-nna’s life would remind everyone else of how they must have the bride price paid to be with someone, or they are not considered to be married. This expresses how the practice of paying the bride prices carries on.
As it turns out this whole novel is a traditional story told by the people of Ibuza to teach young girls not to go against their family’s will. “Chike and Aku-nna substantiated the traditional superstition they had unknowingly set out to eradicate. Every girl born in Ibuza after Aku-nna’s death was told her story, to reinforce the old taboos of the land” (Emecheta 168). It is supposed to teach young females living in Ibuza how they must listen and obey their parents; if they don’t, they will be punished for not following the traditions.
The Bride Price demonstrates the idea of men being of a higher status than females, customs will continue to be passed on, and disagreement on traditions will have an effect on the future—whether it is negative or positive. Going against her uncle’s will to be married to a man that he disagrees with will result in bad endings. This leads back to the real world society and how it was supposed to be lead by traditions, and customs of a certain society. The manner of men being of greater status is hoarded by the males to restrain females from rebelling.