“I cannot choose for you,” he said, “for choosing a bride is like making a bowl of akamu. If someone makes it poorly, you will blame him for the rest of your life; but if you makeit yourself, you will drink it without complaining, whatever the outcome.”

“Nnaka my son, our elders say, when a kid washes his hands clean, he becomes fit to dine with the elders. Our hearts are filled with indescribable joy and we can rub our belly with delight, so much so that we should give you the largest farmland and the most beautiful bride in the community but alas, we can only do so much. Nonetheless, the crack on the buttocks has not diminished its functions and we shall not disappoint you.”

“Some people refer to a ‘just war’ or a ‘war of necessity’ andothers posit that it is simply an illusion to dignify war, no matterthe circumstance. Having said that, the necessity or otherwise ofwar can be seen in the Igbo of Nigeria concept of ‘akwa aja ahụọgụ’. A man is thus bound to defend his ‘ama’ or territory andhis manhood against any intruder, oppressor or aggressor or beregarded as a ‘woman’ by his people.”

“Jared gently pulled my chin to face him. "He said he wouldn't make you choose. But if you don't have a choice, I'm the one that loses. So I'm going to make you choose, Nina. Choose me. Please...choose me." He shook his head. "I can't live without you.”

“Make no mistake,' He says, 'if you let me, I will make you perfect. The moment you put yourself in My hands, that is what you are in for. Nothing less, or other, than that. You have free will, and if you choose, you can push Me away. But if you do not push Me away, understand that I am going to see this job through. Whatever suffering it may cost you in your earthly life, whatever inconceivable purification it may cost you after death, whatever it costs Me, I will never rest, nor let you rest, until you are literally perfect - until my Father can say without reservation that He is well pleased with you, as He said He was well pleased with me. This I can do and will do. But I will not do anything less.”

“I believe that if you can't be absolutely certain of the outcome of your choices, then what difference does it make which path you choose?”

“Life is about choices, and you have the ability to choose. You always have had this ability. I suggest that not only do you have the ability, you have the responsibility to make choices for yourself. It is your life, and you are in the driver's seat, if you choose to be.”