"I beg you to accept this little kola," he said. "It is not to pay you back for all
you did for me in these seven years. A child cannot pay for its mother's milk. I have
only called you together because it is good for kinsmen to meet."
Yam pottage was served first because it was lighter than foo-foo and because
yam always came first. Then the foo-foo was served. Some kinsmen ate it with egusi
soup and others with bitter-leaf soup. The meat was then shared so that every member
of the umunna had a portion. Every man rose in order of years and took a share. Even
the few kinsmen who had not been able to come had their shares taken out for them in
due term.
As the palm-wine was drunk one of the oldest members of the umunna rose to
thank Okonkwo: "If I say that we did not expect such a big feast I will be suggesting
that we did not know how openhanded our son, Okonkwo, is. We all know him, and we
expected a big feast. But it turned out to be even bigger than we expected. Thank you.
May all you took out return again tenfold. It is good in these days when the younger
generation consider themselves wiser than their sires to see a man doing things in the
grand, old way. A man who calls his kinsmen to a feast does not do so to save them
from starving. They all have food in their own homes. When we gather together in the
moonlit village ground it is not because of the moon. Every man can see it in his own
compound. We come together because it is good for kinsmen to do so. You may ask
why I am saying all this. I say it because I fear for the younger generation, for you
people." He waved his arm where most of the young men sat. "As for me, i have only a
short while to live, and so have Uchendu and Unachukwu and Emefo. But I fear for you
young people because you do not understand how strong is the bond of kinship. You do
not know what it is to speak with one voice. And what is the result? An abominable
religion has settled among you. A man can now leave his father and his brothers. He can
curse the gods of his fathers and his ancestors, like a hunter's dog that suddenly goes
mad and turns on his master. I fear for you, I fear for the clan." He turned again to
Okonkwo and said, "Thank you for calling us together."