"May it not happen again." She died in her eleventh month, and two others after
her. Ekwefi then became defiant and called her next child Onwuma-"Death may please himself." And he did.
After the death of Ekwefi's second child, Okonkwo had gone to a medicine man,
who was also a diviner of the Afa Oracle, to enquire what was amiss. This man told him
that the child was an ogbanje, one of those wicked children who, when they died,
entered their mothers' wombs to be born again.
"When your wife becomes pregnant again," he said, "let her not sleep in her hut.
Let her go and stay with her people. In that way she will elude her wicked tormentor
and break its evil cycle of birth and death."
Ekwefi did as she was asked. As soon as she became pregnant she went to live
with her old mother in another village. It was there that her third child was born and
circumcised on the eighth day.
She did not return to Okonkwo's compound until three days before the naming
ceremony. The child was called Onwumbiko.
Onwumbiko was not given proper burial when he died. Okonkwo had called in
another medicine man who was famous in the clan for his great knowledge about
ogbanje children. His name was Okagbue Uyanwa. Okagbue was a very striking figure,
tall, with a full beard and a bald head. He was light in complexion and his eyes were red
and fiery. He always gnashed his teeth as he listened to those who came to consult him.
He asked Okonkwo a few questions about the dead child. All the neighbours and
relations who had come to mourn gathered round them.
"On what market-day was it born?" he asked.
"Oye," replied Okonkwo.
"And it died this morning?"