Marriage Is a Private Affair

                                                                                      Chinua Achebe, Nigeria (1930 - )
Summary in English

'Marriage Is a Private Affair' is a story by Chinua Achebe. This story portrays the realistic conflict between old and new generations in Nigerian society in particular and in all the societies in general. In fact, this story shows the victory of new generation with modern values over the traditional customs.
Nnaemeka is a village boy from Ibo tribe of Nigeria. His father named Okeke is very traditional and rigid. Nnaemeka goes to town for his higher education after completing his school education. He falls in love with Nene, a modern girl from another culture at University. Both of them live in Lagos, a town of Nigeria. Nene asks Nnaemeka to write a letter to his father about their love and engagement. But Nnaemeka does not because he is afraid of his own father. However, Nene does not believe that parents will be unhappy when their son is engaged to marry.
Nnaemeka goes home on his holidays to convince his father. But his father wants to marriage his son with Ugoye Nweke, a Christian girl from Ibo tribe. Nnaemeka refuses to follow the suggestion of his father and clearly tells him that he loves a girl in town. She is Nene Atang and she is the only girl he could marry. She does not belong to the Ibo tribe and she is a teacher. His father believes that a Christian woman should not teach so he along with other villagers think that Nnaemeka has gone mad and a devil has entered into his mind.
Then, Nnaemeka goes to town and gets married with Nene. He stops going to visit his father on holidays. However, he sends the wedding picture to his father. His father tears the picture and sends back.
There is no connection between Nnaemeka and his father, Uekeke for about 8 years. Nene makes good relation with people living in Lagos.
Nnaemeka and Nene have two sons. Nene writes a letter to her father-in-law, Okeke asking to let his grandchildren visit their grandfather. She also requests him to take Nnaemeka and his two children for a few days while she would stay in town alone.
When Okeke gets this message, he is not able to resist his heart. He imagines his two grandchildren playing with him. Suddenly, love emerges from his heart for them. He knows that he could not stop loving his innocent grand children. Thus, he decides to go to town to take them.