The first period.

         Ikó-vwa- Bridesmaids
         Òghene rûró- God has done it
        Âgbádágbruru- incomprehensible

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It was a time when girls married at fifteen or at the very least betrothed at that age. But, Oghenegoma had still not had her first mensural cycle at 18. Her sister, Oghenekevwe had started having periods since she was 14, two years ago. "What is wrong with me?" She thought. "There must be something I am not doing right." Her mother walked into the backyard only to find Goma lost in thought, the bitter leaf she was supposed to be washing, forgotten.
"Don't you know that I want to use that bitter leaf? Our in-laws would soon be here, and the food is still not ready. Your father will be furious". Yes, it was her younger sister's wedding day.
   Goma quickly washed the bitter leaf and rushed into the house to help her sister get dressed. The other young girls who came to help, the 'iko-vwa', finished arranging her clothes in the chest the groom had bought, dressed Kevwe and rushed home to get dressed themselves. It was a known fact that young men of marriageable age, came with the groom to any wedding ceremony in hopes of finding their own wives. The girls wanted to look their best. Goma couldn't care less. Men who had shown interest in marrying her in the past had quickly retreated when they found out that she had yet to have her first period.
  As soon as the girls left, Goma asked Kevwe, "why did you start 'seeing your time' so early and I can't have mine?". Kevwe gave her a look that said "how would I know?"
"No, I mean, what did you do that I haven't done? There must be something!"
"I can't really think of anything, ........... hmmmm............ Okay! Have you been slapped on the buttocks before by a boy?" Kevwe asked.
Goma was scandalized!! "No!"
"That's it!" Said Kevwe, "The day Umukoko slapped my bum for the third time, I had my first period that evening. You know he had some interest in marrying me, before he got Kekeghe pregnant and married her!  It's all for the best. My husband's barn is bigger than his, he has more farmlands and even more handsome......."
"So, I should find a boy to slap my bum 3times?" Goma cut in, wide-eyed.
"No!, He has to like you and he has to do it on his own".
"Adjekpiyede likes me. He has been begging for a kiss, the past two months. So, when next we are playing at the stream I should let him slap my buttocks?
"Yes, after the third time, am sure you will get your period" Kevwe said with conviction.
"Thank you, my sister. You look really beautiful. Oshare is lucky to have you as a wife!"

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  For the past one week, Adjekpiyede has been sick, so Goma has not had her buttocks slapped. It was like the gods were conspiring against her. She would be 18 this next moon and will be one of the oldest unmarried girls in her clan. She was dejected. Just when the sun was directly over-head, she started having stomach ache. She washed and drank some bitter leaf but the pain still persisted. She finished frying the garri and started making soup when her mother shouted.
"Oghene ruro!  Agbadagbruru!"
"Mama, what is it?"
" Come, follow me," her mother said, excitedly. They entered her mother's room. Her brought out a new wrapper and cut it into sizable pieces. "Go and bathe and come straight to me."
It was when she took off her dress that Goma saw that her gown was soiled with blood. She had finally gotten her first period and she didn't have to be slapped on the buttocks by Adjekpiyede or any other male to get it.