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WhereFatIsaMarkofBeauty
TheNigerianteenagerhasspenteverydaysinceearlyJuneina"fatteningroom"speciallysetasideinherfather'smud-and-thatchhouse.Mostofherwakinghoursarespenteatingbowlafterbowlofrice,yams,plantains,beansandgari,aporridge-likemixtureofdriedcassavaandwater.
Afterthreemoremonthsofstarchydietandforcedinactivity,MargaretwillbereadytoreentersocietybearingthetraditionalmarkoffemalebeautyamongherEfikpeople:fat.
IncontrasttomanyWesterncultureswherethinisin,manyculture-consciouspeopleintheEfikandothercommunitiesinNigeria'ssoutheasternCrossRiverstatehailawoman'srotundityasasignofgoodhealth,prosperityandallure.

Thefatteningroomisatthecenterofacenturies-oldriteofpassagefrommaidenhoodtowomanhood.Themonthsspentinpursuitofpoundagearesupplementedbydailyvisitsfromelderlymatronswhoimparttipsonhowtobeasuccessfulwifeandmother.Nowadays,though,girlswhoarenotyetmarriage-bounddoatourintheroomspurelyasacoming-of-ageceremony.Andsometimes,nursingmothersreturntotheroomstoputonmoreweight.
"Thefatteningroomislikeakindofschoolwherethegirlistaughtaboutmotherhood,"saidSylvesterOdey,directoroftheCulturalCenterBoardinCalabar,capitalofCrossRiverstate."Yourdailyroutineistosleep,eatandgrowfat."
LikemanytraditionalAfricancustoms,thefatteningroomisfacingrelentlesspressurefromWesterninfluences.HealthcampaignslinkingexcessfattoheartdiseaseandotherillnessesarechangingtheeatinghabitsofmanyNigerians,andurbandwellersareoptingoutofthetime-consumingprocess.
EffiongOkonEtim,anEfikvillagechiefinthedistrictofAkpabuyo,saidsomefamiliescannotaffordtoconstantlyfeedadaughterformorethanafewmonths.Thatcompareswithastayofuptotwoyears,aswascommonearlierthiscentury,hesaid.
Butthepracticecontinuespartlybecause"peoplemightlaughatyoubecauseyoudidn'thavemoneytoallowyourchildtopassthroughtheriteofpassage,"Etimsaid.What'smore,manybelieveanunfattenedgirlwillbesicklyorunabletobearchildren.
Etim,65,puthistwodaughtersinafatteningroomtogetherwhentheywere12and15yearsold,butsomegirlsundergotheprocessasearlyasage7,afterundergoi