“Whenever this pot breaks, I will die, please don’t ever go close to it”.
Thabo said, his voice heavy with a mixture of fear and certainty.
The words hung in the air between them, and his new wife.
Lorato, stared at the pot with a mixture of curiosity and unease.
She had only just entered this house as his wife and the keeper of his secrets, and already she was confronted with a mystery that was as baffling as it was chilling.
The pot itself was unassuming, a small earthenware vessel that looked as if it had been crafted by a child’s hand.
It was nestled in a corner of the cupboard, half-hidden by a pile of linens.
The man had pointed to it with a trembling hand, his eyes pleading with her to take his warning to heart.
Lorato couldn’t help but wonder about the story behind this curious prophecy.
Who had spoken it, and why?
Had it come to pass before, or was it still waiting to be fulfilled?
She felt a shiver run down her spine as she thought of the consequences should the pot be broken.
“I will be careful, my love, she said softly, reaching out to take his hand.
I will never go near that pot”.
Lorato finally replied.
But even as she spoke the words, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the pot was more than just a vessel of clay.
It seemed to hold a power of its own, a silent and brooding presence that threatened to upend their lives at any moment.
Lorato wondered what the future held for her and her new husband.
Would they live out their days in peace, or would they be forever haunted by the specter of the broken pot?
Only time would tell, but for now, the pot remained whole, and the maiden and her husband clung to the fragile hope that it would stay that way.
They lived happily but the man never made advancement of touching her For good 5 weeks with the excuse that he made an oath to his father not to taste his wife till the marriage clocks 5 months.
One day, Thabo returned from work and his wife ran to give him a welcome hug as usual But he dodged his wife’s widely opened arms and gave her a very hot resounding slap.
His wife felt surprised and angered at the same time.
“Why did you slap me?”
She asked, holding her cheek with her left palm.
“And what are you going to do about it?”
Thabo fired back with a furious tone.
His response got Lorato so angry.
She hurried inside the room where the pot was kept, opened the cupboard, carried the pot and smashed it on the floor.
After she smashed it, her anger dissolved and she got back to her senses.
“I have kïlled my husband.”
She cried as she watched the shattered pieces of broken pot and blood that spilt out.
She was still weeping when his husband walked in and she couldn’t believe her eyes.
She was still weeping when his husband walked in and she couldn’t believe her eyes.
“My father told me to avoid toxic women and what I did is exactly what he told me.
Everything you see is nothing but a setup.
I just gave you a test which you unfortunately failed.
So just pack your things and leave my house.
Tell your people that I’m coming to collect your bride’s price.
In the Zulus kingdom, it is an abomination for a young lady who’s already married to come back to her father’s house and become single again.
As they believe that such a person is being chosen by the gods that’s why she can’t stay with her husband.
And such a person should be used as a sacrifice to the gods.
Lorato cries her eyes, she couldn’t know what to do next as she keeps crying and begging her husband.
“My beloved husband, this is my first and greatest mistake I have made, please forgive me and accept me in your life again”.
She pleaded with tears in her eyes.
“You have only ten minutes to leave my house, I will come and collect the money I paid on your head soon”.
Thabo replied her.
Lorato doesn’t know what to do, she have already parked her things as she began to think of where to go, tears couldn’t stop flowing from her eyes as she began to sing a sorrowful song.
Where shall I go!!!!
Who will I run to““`
My father reject me°°°°
Because I’m the only
child….
My people reject me,
Saying that I’m a bad luck to them…
My mother why shall
You leave me in this
Wicked world!!!
The gods that I serve,
Please show me the way!!
I’m heart broken.
She kept crying as she sing and walked down the road.
Lorato have already concluded that she will run away from a far place where no one could find her.
As she sat on the under mango tree in the bush resting sleep catch up with her.
“Mommy, what are you doing here?
Why do you choose to leave me and come and stay here”? Lorato asked.
“Lorato my beautiful daughter, I named you Lorato because you was once a reason why your father came to love me again after Eight years of marriage without a child.
You know that I was used as a sacrifice to the gods and since that day, your father started seeing you as the evil child that brought so much sorrow and bad luck to his life.
Please get up and run as fast as you can,
Some group of people is after you.
Get up!
Get up!!
Get up and run to a far distance where no one could find you, I will always be with you and protect you from wherever you’re going”.
The spirit of her mother said.
Lorato wakes up and found out that it was a dream.
For the first time she dreamed about her mother, for over five years ago that she was killed in the name of sacrifice, she have never for once appear or come to her in a dream.
Lorato began to wonder what her mother just said, but she’s so much confused.
“What did my mother mean by some group of people is after me?
Why will they be after my life?
Have my husband called them and informed them of what happened”?
As she keeps thinking about it, she noticed some footsteps coming close to her, she quickly picks some of her belongings and run away leaving the rest behind.
“She’s close to this place, this is her belongings, I can remember her wearing this clothes often”. One of them said.
“Let’s rush and get her, she must be used as sacrifice tonight before the king dies.
The truth is that, Thabo still love his beautiful wife but he wants her to go and stay with her father for a week so that she will learn from her mistakes before he will accept her in his life again.
The king of the Zulus kingdom is seriously sick and a human blood is needed for sacrifice to the gods so that the king will leave, and they’re left with no option than to go after Lorato to be used for the sacrifice.
Lorato kept running for her life, hoping to escape, but unfortunately, one of the palace guides searching for her in the forest spotted her and alerted the others.
She sprinted as if aiming to break the Guinness world record for the fastest runner.
Lorato ran until they lost sight of her again.
Exhausted, she sat on the ground, and sleep overtook her.
Thabo was worried sick about his wife’s fate, knowing the Zulus kingdom wanted to use her as a sacrifice in exchange for the king’s life.
He blamed himself for failing to protect her and barely slept or ate.
Lorato awoke to find a tiger in front of her and a palace guide behind her.
Trapped, she decided to run towards the guide, hoping he would protect her from the tiger.
The tiger attacked, using the guide’s body as a shield.
Lorato seized the chance to escape and ran deeper into the forest, unsure where she was headed.
After a long run, she settled down to rest, wondering why the palace guides pursued her.
As she pondered, someone touched her shoulder.
“Please don’t kill me, I beg you,”
Lorato pleaded, tears in her eyes.
“Keep quiet, what are you doing in this forest alone?”
a voice asked.
Lorato explained her situation, and the stranger introduced himself as Nduka, a hunter from the Igbo kingdom who had come to Nguni for hunting.
He offered to help her escape, but Lorato was hesitant, fearing another trap.
Nduka reassured her,
“Trusting me is not the problem now, let’s go, the enemies are close.”
Lorato had no choice but to follow him, despite her exhaustion and hunger.
Nduka led Lorato in a different direction, towards another kingdom.
Meanwhile, the king of the Zulus kingdom joined his ancestors, buried with seven maidens as his final respect on earth, a belief that they would serve him in the afterlife.
The Zulus kingdom believed that the seven maidens buried with the King would serve him in the afterlife.
Lorato felt relief wash over her, but fear still lingered, making her hesitant to fully trust Nduka.
Unfortunately, they encountered the tiger that had killed one of the guides earlier.
Its eyes seemed to hold a fierce determination to kill a hundred men at once.
Nduka, a professional hunter, knew he had to protect Lorato and faced the tiger in a fierce battle.
Though he emerged victorious, he was severely injured and weakened.
Lorato emerged from her hiding place to praise Nduka, but found him near death.
“Please, sir, don’t die and leave me alone in this forest.
Stay strong, let’s walk out of this place and find help,”
she begged, tears streaming down her face.
Nduka managed to say,
“I won’t die, I’m strong enough to get you out of here.”
He handed her his necklace, saying,
“This will prove my identity.
If I don’t make it, follow the direction to the river, ask for Ebuka, and show him the necklace.
Tell him to take you to my mother and convey my love.”
Lorato pleaded for him to stay strong, but Nduka instructed her to fetch bitter leaves to ease his pain.
She hastened to find the leaves, but upon her return, she found Nduka had passed away.
Lorato cried uncontrollably, then wiped away her tears and headed towards the river as instructed.
She met Ebuka and his friends, who vowed to help her retrieve Nduka’s body.
However, when they returned to the scene, they found only Nduka’s blood, his body having been devoured by a wild animal.
Fear gripped them, and they realized they had to escape the forest before it was too late.
Fear gripped them, and they thought the same animal might emerge from nowhere and finish them off.
They began to run out of the forest, but soon realized Lorato was not with them.
They stopped and went back to search for her, finding her lying helpless on the ground.
Lorato had fainted due to hunger, having not eaten for days while in the forest.
Ebuka carried her on his shoulder, and they ran out of the forest.
At the riverbank, Ebuka took Lorato to his usual resting spot and gave her food to eat.
She ate voraciously, like a hungry lion that hadn’t seen food in two weeks.
She slept off after eating and woke up the next morning, too weak to move.
So, they decided to postpone their journey until the next day.
The Zulu kingdom believed Lorato was responsible for their king’s death, as she had failed to be used as a sacrifice in exchange for his life.
The guides took it upon themselves to bring her to the village to face punishment.
They decided to search for her by the riverbank, where Lorato was watching Ebuka and his friends on a boat.
Suddenly, someone touched her and pointed out the soldiers approaching.
Lorato quickly alerted Ebuka, who rushed with his boat and carried her away.
The guides gave chase but lost sight of them and returned.
Ebuka took Lorato to the Igbo tribe in southeastern Nigeria, a long journey but they arrived safely.
They exited the river and boarded a vehicle heading to Abakaliki, where Nduka’s mother, Adanne, lived.
Adanne was cracking palm kernels when she saw Ebuka arriving with a girl she didn’t know.
“Mama daalu olu” (Weldon work, ma), Nduka greeted.
“Good evening, ma’am,” Lorato also greeted.
“Ya gaziere gi nwam” (it shall be well with you my child), Adanne responded.
“Ebuka, you didn’t tell me you were coming back today.
Where’s your friend Nduka?
Tell me, is everything okay?”
Adanne asked, noticing Ebuka’s worried look.
Nduka was Ebuka’s childhood friend, their bond growing from friendship to brotherhood.
Most villagers found it hard to believe they weren’t siblings, given their close relationship.
Ebuka struggled to answer Adanne’s questions.
Just then, Lorato remembered the necklace Nduka had given her to give to his mother.
But what could she do now to retrieve it?
“Mama, Nduka was killed by a wild animal in the bush while hunting yesterday,”
Ebuka managed to reply.
“Hahaha, Ebuka, you’re funny!
How can you tell me my son was killed by a wild animal?
Have you sold my son into slavery?
Tell me what happened!”
Adanne exclaimed, her voice trembling.
“Haa, Mama, you know how much Nduka and I care for each other.
Why would you think I sold my own brother into slavery?”
Ebuka said, tears streaming down his face.
“If you show me his necklace, only then will I believe your story,”
Adanne demanded.
Ebuka looked at Lorato, expecting her to hand over the necklace, but she disappointed him by revealing she had left it by the riverbank.
“Okay, Mama, please accept this girl into your home while I go retrieve the necklace,”
Ebuka pleaded.
“Who is she, and what is she doing here?”
Adanne asked, looking at Ebuka suspiciously.
“Mama, this is the girl who was with Nduka in the forest when he died.
Nduka asked her to come and stay with you.
Please, don’t send her away.”
Ebuka explained.
Adanne, who had taken Ebuka in as her own child after his parents died during the Biafran war, agreed to let Lorato stay, but only if Ebuka was sure she had no bad intentions.
“Trust me, Mama, she’s a good girl.
I’ll be back tomorrow,”
Ebuka said, departing from the house.
Lorato felt uncomfortable, unable to understand Adanne’s language, and spent the night and next morning in silence.
Ebuka succeeded in retrieving the necklace but was caught by the Zulu guides on his way back.
They pursued him, aiming to force him to reveal Lorato’s whereabouts.
Adanne, sensing something was amiss, cried out in distress, and Lorato joined her, unable to control her own tears.
“Don’t worry, Mama, Ebuka will be back, nothing will happen to him,”
Lorato finally said, even if Adanne didn’t understand her.
“Don’t worry, mama, Ebuka will be back, nothing will happen to him,”
Lorato finally said, not minding if the woman heard her or not.
Ebuka, a professional and expert swimmer, jumped into the water when they were about to catch him.
The Zulu soldiers were confused about what to do.
They had chased Ebuka this far, wondering why he didn’t jump into the water earlier, saving them the trouble of coming this far.
They returned, disappointed.
Ebuka emerged on the River 9ja side, his clothes wet, but he didn’t care.
He thought it was better for his clothes to be wet than to die at the hands of the Zulus.
He had to trek for hours for his clothes to dry before entering a motor.
All this while, Ebuka made sure the necklace didn’t leave his hand, knowing the consequences of losing it.
He knew his mother wouldn’t believe his story if he couldn’t provide the necklace.
It was already two days, and Ebuka was not yet back.
Lorato was getting used to the Igbo language, learning it from Adanne, who spoke it and pointed at what she wanted Lorato to understand.
They had gone to bed when a knock came at the door.
“Who’s there?
What do you want at this time of the night?”
Adanne asked from inside.
“Mama, it’s me, Ebuka.
I’m back.
Please open the door.”
Adanne rushed to open the door with Lorato, and Ebuka entered.
“Welcome, my son.
Please tell me your brother is alive.
Where’s Nduka?
Did he come with you this time around?”
Adanne asked.
“Mama, here is the necklace Nduka gave to this girl to bring to you.
He said she will live here and take care of you.”
Ebuka explained.
Adanne fell to the ground, crying uncontrollably when she saw the necklace.
“Chim ooo! (My God!)
Onye ka m mejoro!! (Who did I offend?)
Death, why did you take my precious son away from me?”
She kept crying, joined by Ebuka and Lorato.
Adanne knew the power of the necklace, which Nduka inherited from his father before he died.
The necklace doesn’t remove from your neck once you wear it unless death knocks on your door.
Within minutes, the villagers gathered to know what was happening.
Some sympathized with Adanne and Ebuka, while others mocked them.
The rumors of Nduka’s death spread like wildfire in Abakaliki, with many saying Adanne was a witch who used the necklace to kill her husband and now her child.
Ebuka left after two weeks to return to South Africa to continue his business, believing the Zulus might have calmed down by then.
Adanne and Lorato lived in peace, with Adanne treating Lorato like her own daughter, happy to have someone to help with domestic work.
One fateful night, their neighbor Nwanyimma slept and didn’t wake up the next day.
Rumors had it that Nwanyimma quarreled with Adanne yesterday at the stream over a coin they found, but Nwanyimma, being more powerful than Adanne, took the coin from her.
The villagers accused Adanne of killing her neighbor, and the youths marched to Adanne’s house to drag her out…
The villagers concluded that Adanne couldn’t go unpunished.
As the youths marched to Adanne’s hut to drag her out, Lorato was busy preparing their meal when she saw a group of people approaching their compound.
She got scared and ran inside to wake Adanne up.
“Nne nne, please wake up!
Some people are coming!”
Lorato said, shaking Adanne to wake her up.
Adanne got up and found the villagers in their compound, shouting her name and asking her to come out.
She came outside and was surprised to see the youths, full of anger.
“What have I done to attract the anger of the youths?
Have I committed an abomination?”
Adanne asked.
Udoka, one of the youths, spoke out,
“You’ve committed something bigger than an abomination, you witch!
You killed your husband and your son, and now Nwanyimma, your neighbor.
You must come with us to the shrine, where you’ll swear with your hair that you didn’t kill Nwanyimma.”
Adanne pleaded,
“Please, youths of our land, is this not too much for a woman who just lost her child?
I’m innocent;
I’ve never killed before, and I never will.
Please let me be.”
Ikemba, another youth, said,
“Only the gods can prove your innocence.
If you claim you’re innocent, why are you afraid to swear in the shrine?”
The youths dragged Adanne out of her house to the village shrine, where she was forced to swear with her hair that she had no hand in Nwanyimma’s death.
Lorato couldn’t control her tears as she remembered her predicament.
She wept, singing a sorrowful song.
Ugomma, Adanne’s closest friend, came to the compound, consoled Lorato, and finished cooking their meal.
Ugomma believed Adanne was innocent and couldn’t do such a thing.
She took care of Lorato, hoping Adanne would return home safely.
The youths shaved Adanne’s hair, and she was forced to spend four days in the shrine, as per their tradition.
Lorato couldn’t sleep, thinking and hoping for her mother’s return.
She wished Ebuka was there to witness what was happening, but he was unreachable.
Lorato couldn’t sleep at night, her mind racing with thoughts and hopes of her mother’s return.
She wished Ebuka was there to witness the events unfolding, but he was unreachable without a phone.
Eventually, sleep overcame her.
Three days passed, and Adanne remained strong, despite her enemies’ expectations.
They visited her, hoping to find her weak or dead, but she disappointed them by appearing unharmed.
However, she had been denied food for those three days.
The families of Nwanyimma and their supporters couldn’t understand why Adanne was still alive, given the circumstances of Nwanyimma’s death.
After four days, Adanne was released, but she was too weak to work or care for herself.
Her body was failing, and tears and sorrow had become her constant companions.
She managed to get home but couldn’t find Lorato, despite calling out to her multiple times.
Ugomma had gone to work on her farm, expecting to welcome her friend back later.
Lorato had gone to fetch water from the stream, overjoyed to hear of her mother’s release.
She couldn’t contain her happiness, smiling as she walked down to the stream.
Meanwhile, Adanne lay helpless, too weak to get food or care for herself.
Though relieved to have survived the shrine, she was heartbroken over the persecution she suffered from her own people.
She knew she couldn’t survive, as excruciating pain ravaged her stomach, unbearable and relentless.
Adanne cursed the villagers before succumbing, vowing that no mother in the village would ever know the joy of seeing their children thrive, just as they had denied her the same joy by seeking to make her childless.
Shortly after, Adanne joined her ancestors, ending her long and arduous battle with life.
Lorato returned home with her pot of water and found her mother dead.
She hastily dropped the pot and rushed to Adanne, shaking her and pleading,
“Mama, please wake up!
Don’t leave me, prove to them you’re not a witch, please come back!”
Lorato’s cries and shaking couldn’t revive Adanne.
Asa, Ugomma’s first daughter, who had just returned from her husband’s house to visit her mother, heard Lorato’s cries and rushed to the compound to investigate.
She found Adanne’s lifeless body and burst into tears.
Both Lorato and Asa wept uncontrollably.
Asa eventually composed herself and consoled Lorato, realizing that Lorato must be Ebuka’s wife due to her grief and connection to Adanne.
Together, they carried Adanne’s body to her room and laid her on the mat.
The news of Adanne’s death spread like wildfire, leaving the villagers perplexed.
Some believed her innocence, but the shrine’s reputation for not releasing guilty victims alive added to the confusion.
Meanwhile, at the river side, Ebuka felt uneasy, sensing something was amiss in the village through the spirit within him.
Despite his efforts to focus on his work, his mind overpowered his strength.
He decided to journey back to the village to uncover the truth.
Though familiar with the long journey, he wished he could fly to the village.
Ebuka arrived in the village the next day, only to be met with the devastating news that his second mother, Adanne, had also passed away.
Her body was taken to the new mortuary, the first of its kind in the village, built by the white men for those who weren’t ready to bury their loved ones yet.
Adanne was the first person to be admitted there.
Ebuka was overcome with grief, but Lorato and Asa consoled him and took on the responsibility of caring for Lorato, as Adanne had advised.
Ebuka knew he had to step up and provide for Lorato’s needs, as she had no other living relatives.
As days turned into weeks, the village was gripped by fear.
Adanne’s spirit began to terrorize the women, chasing them whenever they went to fetch water from the stream.
Many women reported this, but their men dismissed their claims, thinking they were just imagining things since the fight between Adanne and Nwanyimma had occurred in the stream.
However, things took a dark turn when Adanne’s spirit began to kill the women one by one…
Things began to get worse as Adanne not only hurt the women but also started killing them one by one.
Nneka was the first woman to die at the hands of Adanne.
Nneka was Udoka’s mother.
She had gone to the stream to fetch water with her husband, refusing to go alone, but that didn’t stop Adanne from killing her.
As she was busy fetching water, her husband watched in horror as Adanne emerged from the stream with an axe.
Nneka saw Adanne and ran to her husband, shouting and pointing, but he couldn’t see anything.
“She’s there!
Look,
she’s in the water,
and she wants to kill me!”
Nneka kept shouting, but her husband was confused and didn’t see Adanne.
In a fit of rage, Adanne swung the axe, which landed on Nneka’s neck, and she collapsed and died.
Nneka’s husband was left confused and afraid, carrying his wife’s dead body back home.
The news of Nneka’s death spread like wildfire through the village, and everyone became afraid.
No one dared to go near the stream to fetch water again.
Adanne noticed this and changed her tactics, moving to the market square.
Her next target was a group of women attending a meeting.
Ugomma was among them, discussing how Adanne had prevented them from fetching water from the stream.
As they approached the village square, Adanne was ready to strike.
She commanded her axe to kill all the women except Ugomma.
The women tried to run but were unable to, as if some strange power was holding them back.
The axe killed them one by one, leaving Ugomma unharmed.
She ran away in terror, unable to understand why the axe had spared her.
The news of the women’s deaths in the village square spread, throwing the villagers into even greater confusion.
They couldn’t understand why Adanne’s spirit had begun to harm the women of the village.
And they were left speechless wondering why Ugomma had been spared.
These were the questions that Ezemmuo, the chief priest, needed to answer.
The elders prepared to seek a solution from Ezemmuo, but when they arrived at the shrine, they found him dead.
This discovery filled them with even greater fear, as they realized that Adanne’s spirit was not only claiming the lives of women but also the life of the revered priest, the “eyes of the gods.”
They wondered,
“If Ezemmuo couldn’t survive Adanne’s attack, who else was safe?”
Lorato lived peacefully with Ebuka, who showered her with brotherly love.
One fateful night, Lorato had a dream in which she walked to the stream with her friend Asa to fetch water.
In the dream, she saw her mother and Adanne in the water, laughing and discussing something she couldn’t understand.
She asked her mother,
“What are you doing here?
How do you know Adanne?”
Adanne replied, “Keep quiet, little one.
I am behind the deaths in the village, and I will make them regret the day they took me away from my home.
Go back home, for we are with you.”
Lorato watched as they disappeared and then awoke from her dream, fear preventing her from sleeping again until dawn.
The villagers learned about the great priestess Anyanwu, who lived in a neighboring village.
Anyanwu was the most powerful in the entire Igbo tribe, having succeeded her mother.
The elders decided to send seven men to seek Anyanwu’s help in solving their problem before Adanne’s spirit wiped out the entire kingdom.
Adanne continued her reign of terror, visiting the villagers in their homes, killing them one by one.
The first compound she visited was Achala’s house, where his family was busy peeling cassava.
When they noticed their female goats dying, they became confused and afraid, running inside and locking their door.
Achala’s wife pleaded with an invisible force, “Please don’t kill me!
Please, I’m not the one who killed you!!
Please spare my life!”
But Achala and his children couldn’t see anything, and Achala’s wife’s blood splashed on his face as she struggled to stay alive.
The door, which they had locked from inside opened by itself, Achala saw a shadowy figure leaving the house.
Meanwhile, the seven elders prepared to embark on their journey to see Anyanwu, planning to start that night.
The villagers, still reeling from the king’s death, wished for a leader to turn to.
After the king’s passing, they had decided to wait for the prince, who was studying with the white men, to return and take the throne.
Adanne learned about the elders’ journey to seek Anyanwu’s help and decided to take drastic action.
She hung herself from a tree on the road leading to Anyanwu’s village.
The elders – Udoka, Mbakwe, Obiajulu, Azuka, Anwunta, Ikpeazu, and Nweke – encountered Adanne’s hanging body and were shocked to see Anwunta’s wife, who had been killed in the market square, emerging from the bush.
Anwunta, overcome with grief and longing, rushed to embrace his wife, only to disappear with her.
The others heard Adanne’s laughter but couldn’t locate her.
As they neared Anyanwu’s shrine, a python emerged from the bush and bit Nweke and Ikpeazu, killing them instantly.
The remaining elders ran in terror, finally reaching Anyanwu’s shrine.
Adanne appeared, intent on killing Anyanwu as she had done with Ezemmuo.
Anyanwu, sensing her presence, grasped her most powerful charm and commanded Adanne to reveal herself.
Adanne tried to strike Anyanwu but was prevented by the protection of the spirits.
The remaining elders arrived, hearing Adanne’s voice but unable to see her.
Anyanwu pleaded with Adanne to show mercy, but Adanne insisted on vengeance.
Adanne tried to raise her axe to strike Anyanwu, but she wasn’t permitted to touch her.
Anyanwu was loved by the creator and had the protection of many spirits.
Just then, the remaining four elders entered and found Anyanwu conversing with an invisible presence.
They recognized the voice as Adanne’s, though they couldn’t see her.
“I command you to speak, why are you here for the last time?”
Anyanwu said, her voice echoing through the shrine.
Adanne replied from the corner,
“I’m Adanne.
Those people in your shrine humiliated me, leading to my death.
I don’t want you to help them; they must pay for their sins.”
Anyanwu, who deeply respected the spirits and received their protection, responded,
“Don’t you think it is not yet time to show them mercy?
If you wipe out the village, how do you think your loved ones will feel, being the only ones left?
Please, show them mercy and let them be.”
Anyanwu pleaded.
“I will only forgive them on one condition,”
Adanne replied.
“And what’s the condition?”
Anyanwu asked.
The remaining four elders present were confused and fearful, hearing Adanne’s voice but unable to see her.
They watched as Anyanwu and Adanne discussed their fate.
“Firstly, one among this four must sacrifice his life for the others to live.
You know it’s the right thing to do to appease the vengeful spirit.
Secondly, they must provide what’s needed to bury me without involving my child, Ebuka.
Thirdly, after my burial, Ebuka, my son, should be crowned king in the community.
This is the only option for me to let you leave in peace,”
Adanne said, then vanished immediately.
“It will be done according to your wish,”
Anyanwu said, bowing down in respect.
Anyanwu acquired her powers by appeasing the spirits, never fighting them, but rather persuading them to grant her wishes.
“You have seen what you have brought upon yourselves,”
Anyanwu said, turning to face the elders.
“You can’t just do something to someone simply because they have no one to speak for them.
I believe this will serve as a big lesson to people.”
She continued,
“It’s now up to you to decide your fate.
I don’t need to repeat what Adanne said, as you all have heard it yourselves.
One person must volunteer for sacrifice so the others can survive.
If not, none of you will make it alive.”
The elders were shocked, each looking to the others to make the sacrifice.
“Well, it seems you’re not ready yet.
You can go and perish on the road.
Go!
Go!!
Go!!!!”
Anyanwu shouted, her annoyance evident.
As they turned to leave, Mbakwe remembered that even if he left Anyanwu’s shrine, none of them would survive, and the villagers would still perish.
So, he offered himself for the sacrifice.
“Which way, my priestess?”
Mbakwe asked, stepping forward.
“That way, my son,”
Anyanwu replied.
Mbakwe approached the small hole in the shrine, and smoke enveloped him.
The elders were terrified, unable to see Mbakwe anymore.
After appeasing Adanne’s spirit, Anyanwu instructed them to carry out the necessary rites.
They set off for their village, wondering how the villagers would react to the news.
Many questions raced through their minds as they continued their journey home.
“What if the villagers reject the message and refuse to perform the rites?
What if Ebuka doesn’t accept the throne?”
Udoka, Obiajulu, and Azuka arrived at the village square, where the villagers were already seated, eagerly awaiting their return.
The villagers were surprised to see only three of the seven elders return.
One of the elders approached them and asked them to share their journey’s outcome.
Udoka stood up, cleared his throat, and began to speak.
“I greet you, my people.
I thank the gods for keeping us alive till today.
It’s true that we wronged our ancestors by killing the innocent, but they still showed us mercy.”
He paused, surveying the villagers who were eager to know their fate, but not interested in a long speech.
He continued, undeterred.
“We journeyed to see Anyanwu and encountered Adanne’s spirit along the way, which killed Anwunta, Ikpeazu, and Nweke.
Mbakwe, Obiajulu, Azuka, and I reached Anyanwu’s shrine, and she agreed to assist us.
Adanne finally showed us mercy, but on one condition.”
He paused again before continuing,
“One of us had to offer his life as a sacrifice, which Mbakwe did.”
“Secondly, we shall provide everything needed for Adanne’s burial without involving her child, Ebuka.
Thirdly, we shall crown Ebuka as our community’s king.
If not, we shall face the worst consequences.”
The villagers were terrified by Udoka’s words, feeling sorry for the families who lost their loved ones.
However, they were also relieved that there was a solution to their problem.
A week later, the villagers prepared for Adanne’s burial without consulting Ebuka.
The burial celebration was the grandest in the entire Igbo tribe, with kings and queens from far and wide in attendance.
After the burial, the villagers contributed generously to build the palace, offering their land and resources.
However, no one dared to approach Ebuka to discuss the king issue, assuming he would accept the offer without hesitation.
But they didn’t know what he had in mind, as he had been silent since Adanne’s death.
After completing the palace, the villagers gathered the courage to inform Ebuka of their decision to crown him king.
Lorato was eating with Ebuka when she saw the villagers approaching their compound, reminiscent of the day they dragged Adanne away, leading to her death.
Fearful, she drew Ebuka’s attention to the direction.
Ebuka stood up immediately, grasped his matchet, and prepared to defend himself and Lorato.
“What do you people want from us again?
You’ve already killed her;
what else do you want from us?”
he asked, his annoyance palpable.
An elder intervened,
“Please calm down, our son.
We’re deeply sorry for the harm we’ve caused you.
Please forgive us.
We’ve come to make amends by crowning you the King of this community.”
“I can never be part of your evil community, let alone be its head.
I have already made arrangements to leave this community in peace before you people send me to an early grave, just as you did to my mother.
I advise you to leave in peace before someone’s head rolls on the ground.”
Just then, Ugomma entered and begged Ebuka to calm down.
She told him that her mother had appeared in a dream, saying her spirit would only rest if Ebuka was crowned king.
Ebuka was torn, respecting Ugomma greatly and wishing for Adanne’s spirit to rest in peace.
He concluded that accepting the throne would bring peace to Adanne’s spirit, so he agreed to become king.
The villagers were overjoyed, not *only because they would* be free from Adanne’s humiliation but also because they would have a king after many years without a leader, and one who was generous to all.
Two days later, they gathered for Ebuka’s coronation.
After being crowned, he announced his marriage to Lorato and commanded respect for her as queen.
He also reformed the truth-seeking tradition, consulting the chief priest and his gods instead.
Everyone celebrated, eating, drinking, and dancing with joy.
King Ebuka ruled with the fear of God, standing for justice.
He later designated a memorial day for Adanne Nkanebe and her son Nduka Nkanebe.
Queen Lorato stepped out of her chamber and strolled into the garden, taking in the sights.
She came across a flower that closely resembled the one from her father’s house, and memories flooded her mind.
She began to reflect, speaking to herself,
“Indeed, life is a battle.
To succeed, you must face your fears and never give up.
I can’t believe a poor girl like me, rejected by my own people, has become a queen in another land.
They have lifted me from the depths to the palace. Truly, God is great.”
THE END.
