cassia tree
a flowering plant of the legume family native to the Indian subcontinent, popular as an ornamental plant and also used to make herbal medicine
parching
making dry through extreme heat
homily
a moralizing speech
engagement
formal agreement to be married
arranged marriage
a marriage orchestrated by the families of the individuals being married, often leaving the bride and groom with little control over the agreement
The Ibo (also Igbo)
native to south-central and southeastern Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea, the Ibo are one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa
Lagos
the most populous city in Nigeria
perfunctorily
done with minimum effort or reflection
cosmopolitan
having a worldly attitude, not confined to a particular cultural tradition
tribe
a grouping of people in a traditional society that links families and/or communities within a common culture
Saint Paul (Paul the Apostle)
a Christian apostle who spread the teachings of Jesus Christ in the first century
Corinthians
two New Testament epistles Saint Paul addressed to the Christian church he founded in Corinth, Greece
Calabar
seaport city in southeastern Nigeria
scarcely
hardly at all
herbalist
dealer of medicinal herbs