I want to give a special thanks to my sisters, by blood, Amar and Simi, and by fate, Mariam. We’ve undergone a hard but incredibly rewarding journey with this book. Thank you for supporting me every step of the way. Thank you for giving me the confidence to share my story with the world. Thank you for telling me how much you loved it and thank you for being fiercely honest with the improvements that needed to be made. Thank you for staying up several nights with me to make book boxes and other miscellaneous things that helped to bring this story to the world. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the work that you have all put into Daughters of Nri. This book, this experience, wouldn’t be what it is without you. Thank you especially, Mariam, for dedicating your time and patience to help publish this book. You are my angel.
Thank you to Ade, for constantly reassuring me and being there for me to vent. Thank you for letting me bounce ideas around with you and for always providing a safe space for me. Thank you to my Mum and Dad for telling me stories about home that helped shape the world in this book. Thank you for telling me that I deserved everything the world had to offer. Thank you for supporting me through this journey and for your unbridled excitement through every step of the way. Thank you, AJ for being so eager to help and get involved. Thank you Aunty Chichi for allowing me to consult you about the wonderful Igbo words that helped to make this book magical.
I’d also like to thank Donna, Alice and Troon, my brilliant editors, and every single person who has helped to shape this book.
Thank you once again to the reader. I hope you enjoyed the magic of this world; I can’t wait to share more with you.
DICTIONARY OF WORDS
Word (Pronunciation)
Language
Meaning
Abara (Ahh-baa-rah)
Igbo
A double-edged sword, originally used by the Ika people of Delta State, Nigeria
Afọ (Ahh-for)
Igbo
3rd day of the Igbo week system
Agbala (Ag-bah-la)
Igbo
Priestess of Ala; She is in charge of executing punishments against individuals who commit immoral acts
Agwu (Ahhg-kwoo)
Igbo
God of health and divination; the trickster deity, who enjoys confusing human
Ajo-nmuo (Ahh-gee-ohn-moh)
Igbo
Demon
Akara (Ahh-cah-rah)
Igbo
Tainted; Marked
Akwa (Ahh-kwa)
Igbo
Nest
Akwa Akwete (Ahh-kwa Ak-wet-tay)
Igbo
A unique handwoven fabric of Igbo women of Akwete in Abia State, Nigeria. Akwete cloth weaving is said to be as old as the Igbo nation.
Akwụkwọ (Ahh-kwu-kwoh)
Igbo
Green leaf
Akwụna (Ahh-kwu-nah)
Igbo
Prostitute
Ala (Ahh-la)
Igbo
Earth Goddess; female diety of the earth, fertility, creativity and morality
Algaita (Al-hai-ta)
Hausa
A woodwind instrument with double reed in the Northwest African savannah; also known as algaitu
Alijanesu-ojoo (Ahh-li-jah-neh-su-o-joh)
Nsinri
Demon
Amadioha (Am-ahh-dee-owm-ha)
Igbo
God of justice; Metaphysically, Amadioha represents the collective will of the people; he speaks and strikes through thunder
Amaghi (Ama-yee)
Igbo
Mysterious; unknown
Anwansi (Ann-wan-zy)
Igbo
Magic
Biko (Bee-co)
Igbo
Please
Chi (Ch-ee)
Igbo
Chi, the spirit believed to inhabit each individual; soul
Chukwu (Choo-kwu)
Igbo
God
Chukwu Di Mma (Choo-kwu dee-ma)
Igbo
God is good; good God
Dada (Dah-dah)
A child born with naturally mattted or locked hair that cannot be combed
Daga (Dah-gah)
Igbo
Knife
Dambe (Dem-bay)
Hausa
Dambe is a form of boxing associated with the Hausa people of West Africa
Dibia (Deeb-pee-yah)
Igbo
Mediators between the human world and the spirit world
Efere (Eh-fair-reh)
Igbo
Plate
Efuolas (Eh-fu-oh-lah)
Nsinri
Illegitimate
Ehuru (Eh-oo-rue)
Igbo
A spice similar to nutmeg
Eke (Eh-kay)
Igbo
1st day of the Igbo week system
Ekwensu (Eh-kwen-zoh)
Igbo
God of bargaining and war; ruled over the wicked spirits and the chaotic forces of nature
Elu (Eh-lu)
Igbo
High
Ero (Eh-ro)
Igbo
Fungi
Gawa (Gah-wah)
Igbo
Move; go
Gburugburu (Goh-bu-rue)
Igbo
Round
Ikenga (Ee-ken-gah)
Igbo
Literal meaning “place of strength”; a horned deity; personal god of human endeavor, achievement, success, and victor
Lolo (Louw-louw)
Igbo
Lady; revered woman
Mami wata (Mah-me woh-ta)
Pidgin
Water spirit; mermaid
Mgbapu (Mm-ng-bah-pu)
Igbo
Going away; leaving; running away
Mmiri (Mm-ee-ree)
Igbo
Water
Mmo (Mm-moh)
Igbo
Spirit
Ndewo (Nn-de-oh)
Igbo
Greeting; welcome
Ndụ (Nn-du)
Igbo
Life
Nkwọ (Nn-kwo)
Igbo
4th day of the Igbo week system
Nkwobi (N-wkoh-bee)
Igbo
A delicious dish consisting of cooked cow foot mixed in spicy palm oil paste
Nnunu (Nn-nu-nu)
Bird
Nwunye (Nn-wun-ye)
Igbo
Wife
Nzuzuo (Nn-zuh-zwo)
Nsinri
Secret
Ọbara (Oh-bah-rah)
Igbo
Blood
Obi (Oh-bee)
Igbo
An aristocratic title, meaning either elder in the first instance or chief in the second; also symbollically meaning heart
Ofo (Oh-for)
Igbo
A staff carried by selected Igbo elder men
Oga (O-ga)
Pidgin
Boss; master
Ọkụ (O-ku) Igbo Fire
Ọnụ ụzọ (Onour uh-zoh) Igbo Entrance; portal
Ọnwa (Oh-wah) Igbo Moonlight Daughters of Nri-BFORMAT-p.indd 440 04/09/2019 08:32 441
Ọnye Nyocha (On-yay Ny-oh-cha)
Igbo
Reporter; someone who reports; spy
Onyinyo (Oh-nin-yo)
Igbo
Shadow
Orie (Oh-rey)
Igbo
2nd day of the Igbo week system
Osigwu (Osi-gu)
Nsinri
Midwife
Otjize (Oht-jeeze)
Herero
A mixture of butterfat and ochre pigment used by the Himba people of Namibia to protect themselves from the harsh desert climate
Otomy (Oh-toh-me)
Nsinri
Atoms; miniscule particles
Ozo (Oh-zoh)
Igbo
Sir; revered man
Sayensi (Sigh-en-see)
Nsinri
Science
Shekeres (Sheh-ke-reh)
Yoruba
A percussion instrument consisting of a dried gourd with beads or cowries woven into a net covering the gourd
Uchie (Oo-chee)
Igbo
A delta region; Uchie tree, flame trees originating from Uchie
Ugu (Oo-gu)
Igbo
Pumpkin
Umu ada ogu (Uh-moo ahh-dah oh-gu)
Nsinri
Warrior goddess
Ụtọ (Uh-toh)
Igbo
Sweet
Zoro (Zoh-roh)
Nsinri
A grey material that can change its state instantly
Udara (Uh-dah-rah)
Igbo
An African cherry fruit with a chewable, edible skin that ranges from green to orange depending on its ripeness
Table of Contents
Title Page
Contents
Praise for Daughters of Nri
Copyright
*
Map 1
Map 2
The Trials to Ala
The Trials to Ala
1. The Black and Gold Oracle
2. The White Mahogany Tree
3. Death at the Window
4. The Birth
5. The Namibian Cook and the Efuọla Girl
6. The Visitor from the City of Nri
7. The Chief’s Fatal Mistake
8. A Walk to the Soldiers’ Quarters
9. The Emerald-Eyed Soldier
10. The Request
11. The Survivors
12. Ọnye Nyocha
13. The Girl who Shook the Earth
14. The Seven Obis
15. An Old Friend
16. A Series of Games
17. The Three Puppet Masters
18. Asilia Wakes from her Slumber
19. The Midnight Meeting
20. The Girl who Fought
21. The Head General’s Key
22. The Timbukan Scholar
23. An Idea Forms at Breakfast
24. A Gift for Ina
25. The Journey to Udi
26. Enikan
27. The Obis’ Court
28. The Coward
29. The Right Question
30. Ashes to Ashes
31. Meekulu’s Cave
32. Taken
33. Sharp Arrows and Soft Hearts
34. The Basements
35. The Akwụna
36. The Ìhè Courtyard
37. New Arrivals
38. No Light
39. Born of Black and Gold
40. Dancing Leaves
41. Strained Lunches
42. Four Friends
43. The Nzuzo Gardens
44. The Flame Tree
45. A Night’s Dance
46. A Parchment from the Eze
47. Wooden Boxes
48. The Golden Doors
49. The Hidden Villagers
50. Wooden Darts
51. The Ndụ Crystal
52. The Daughters of Nri
Acknowledgments
Dictionary of Words