Okuata could go without shame to salute her husband’s parents because she had been ‘found at home’. Her husband was even now arranging to send the goat and other presents to her mother in Umuezeani for giving him an unspoilt bride.
(Arrow of God by Chinua Achebe – pg 122)

In the passage above, Chinua Achebe used the term ‘Found At Home’ in a metaphorical sense. He simply means Virginity.

Virginity in the precolonial African Tradition was seen as a woman’s gift to her husband. It signified that a woman was properly raised. In some African tribes, a husband was required to provide an evidence in the morning to show that his wife was a virgin. If the evidence proved positive, another celebration would salute such evidence.

In Camara Laye’s book: The African Child, the Malinke Tribes of Sierra Leone viewed woman’s virginity as a pride to the woman. In a Scene from the documented account of his childhood: African Child, he (Camara Laye) told a story where his mother bragged with these words:
‘If it be true that from the day of my birth I had knowledge of no man until the day of my marriage…’

In Nigeria, different tribes placed a lot of importance to ‘Found At Home.’

Virginity In Ancient Yoruba Culture

The celebration of the bride’s virginity in Yoruba culture is known as ‘Asa Ibale’. In ancient Yoruba tradition, intending couples were not permitted to share the same room before their wedding day.

The wedding night was always frightening for the bride and her parents. Those days, mothers constantly inquired from their daughters about their virginity. This was to prevent the shame of not being ‘Found At Home’ would bring to the bride’s family.

On the wedding night, a white cloth was usually given to the couple. The parents of the couple normally waited at the entrance door for the white cloth. That very night, after intimacy, the groom would throw the piece of cloth out for the families to see. It the cloth was blood-stained, the bride would be considered a virgin. If otherwise, it would be concluded that the bride had been involved in premarital...CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO CONTINUE READING
https://ajambele.com/Africa/virginity-and-chastity-in-ancient-african-tradition/

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OK ,what about men?

Camara Laye was from Guinea not Sierra Leone.