A BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF ASUKWO
ASUKWO is a story of a self-centred and highly opinionated man who came to himself after a humiliating experience that was caused by his goats. He had married many wives, had many children, but lived in abject poverty in the midst of plenty. “Not me , not me” became a familiar tune in his home as each of his many wives denied him food, pity and nuptial comfort because of Natty that he introduced into his harem. Asukwo learned the hard way about the indomitable force women can wield when their purpose and mind are set and united. Regretably, the lesson came late as Asukwo grappled to understand the conspiracy of silence pulled by his many wives. The story discusses the pros and cons of polygamy, as it adopts a tale-telling style. It seems to forecast what usually hapens when a self-made, self-sytled and self-centred fellow disregards or under estimates the strength of the weak and the vulnerable when the latter unite to sing their own songs. The language of the story is remarkably picturesque and flows with the story. The locale and the culture of the Ibibio people of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria form the background.