Anine sat on a log of teak tree that fell at the back of Ajonwa's shrine. The tree had been her source of solitude each time she remembers how unfair life had been to her. The falling of the tree reminded her of the day her husband passed on to the great beyond. 

The unfairness of life began when Anine's husband died three years after they got married. She lost her mother when she was just three years old. She was raised by a father who made sure she never lacked anything, so her mother's absence was not felt. However, her father died after giving her hand in marriage. He sold everything he had just to make sure Anine never had anything to do with Ajonwa deity. This led to depression and consequent upon that, he died. 

Anine continued with her life after the death of her father. Her loving husband filled every vacuum her father left. When he died, Anine's world collapsed. 

Sitting on the log of the fallen tree, Anine began to recall how she got to Ajonwa's shrine - the same shrine her father made sure she never had anything to do with before his death. She remembered her beautiful daughter, who had gone missing for over ten years, tears began to roll down her smooth face. 

Anine wiped her tears immediately with the tip of her sackcloth when she heard a noise in the bush. It was taboo to cry around the shrine. The Chief Priest had dealt mercilessly with those who were found guilty. 

Crying around the shrine was often seen as a sign of cruel and inhumane treatment. The Ajonwa deity believed that all his captives were treated fairly, and as a matter of fact, one is considered safe in the hands of gods. Crying was also seen as a sign of denial and lack of appreciation for the fair treatment Ajonwa believed he offered, so people who were found crying were punished by death.  

Anine looked around the bush and discovered that the noise was made by a Guinea fowl that laid eggs on the foot of the fallen tree. Perhaps she was not the only one that was traumatized by the falling of the Tectona Grandis tree. She sat back and began to recall all the events that happened since she was a child. 

As a child, Anine had always tried to find out how the strongest deity presiding over her community was created. She has heard stories of how some powerful deities protected their people against invaders by manifestations of sacred power. Her father told her that deities are always envisioned in ways appropriate to the culture of the community they are presiding over. They are seen as supernatural, divine, and sacred beings with powers greater than those of ordinary humans, but interacts with humans, positively in a way that carries humans to a new level of consciousness, beyond the grounded preoccupation of ordinary life. 

However, the Ajonwa deity was nothing compared to all Anine's father told her about gods. The deity had caused so much pain to the women of Ohanta community. This left the villagers with rhetorical questions. 

"Who created Ajonwa deity?"

"Why was it created?"





"No one created Ajonwa deity, gods cannot be created by mere mortals!" Anine recalled her father's voice bellowed as if she had committed an abomination by asking who created Ajonwa deity. 

"But I will tell you a story my late father told me when I was about your age," Mazi Ugwu said to her daughter. 

"Some seasons ago, a certain man paid one of the ancient rulers of this community a visit. He told the king that he came from a distant land, but the people rejected him. No one wanted to associate with him. He also revealed to the king that the last place he settled was at Ndikwe community, however, one of the greatest deities presiding over Ndikwe instructed the villagers to drive him out of the village. He was driven out of the community like a common criminal. 

The king had compassion on him and promised to help him. He summoned his cabinet and shared the traveler's story with them, they all had compassion on him and agreed that land would be given to him to farm, build a house and raise his own family. 

The king and his cabinet took the traveler to a valley that ran between four great hills that is in Ohanta. He gave the valley to the traveler since the land belonged to no one. The traveler's joy knew no bounds. He told the king and his cabinet to return back to the valley after four market days to see the magnificent structure he would build in the valley. He also promised to leave a gift for the people of Ohanta for their good hospitality. 

The king and his cabinet were surprised. No one builds a hut in just four market days. They were also curious to see the gift the traveler promised he would also give the people of Ohanta. 

After four market days, the king and his cabinet set out to the site that was given to the traveler. They could not believe what they saw when they got to the site." 

"Father,  what did they see?" Anine interrupted. 

"Ani nne do not interrupt me." Mazi Ugwu preferred to call her daughter's name in full. 

"I shall tell you all my father told, and you shall also share this story with your children. This is the only way to make sure our histories are not erased." 


"When the king and his men got to the site, they saw a body of water. Water had been the only problem Ohanta was facing then. People had to travel as far as Uzofia community to fetch some water during the dry season. 

The king was very happy and startled at the same time. At the back of one of the hills, stood a gigantic structure that was built with mud, but the traveler was nowhere to be found. The king and his cabinet left the valley. 

They waited for another four market days before visiting the site again. On getting to the river, the men washed their hands in the water, to make sure it was real. When they tried to visit the gigantic structure that stood at the back of one of the hills, three fiery-looking bulls came out and stared at the king directly. The bulls were surprisingly heavy and incredibly determined to cause serious injury or even kill the king. The king backed away slowly and located his exit immediately." Mazi Ugwu narrated. 


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Chapter 2


"After much deliberation, the king and the people of Ohanta community agreed to send four men to Ndikwe community to trace the origin of the traveler. The villagers waited for so many seasons, but none of them returned.  Nothing was ever heard about the men. Their disappearance remained a mystery in Ohanta community till today." 

"But Father...."

"Ani nne stop interrupting me," Mazi Ugwu said. 

"Just one question Father" Anine said with index finger up. 

"Go ahead"

" How many days will it take a man from Ohanta to get to Ndikwe?" Anine sorted to know. 

"I have not embarked on the journey my entire life, but my father told me it is a three-day journey" Mazi Ugwu responded. 

"So since then, no one tried to trace the origin of Ajonwa?" Anine asked. 

"After some seasons, when Ajonwa began to release what he had in store for the people of Ohanta, three men embarked on a secret mission. They told no one where they were going - not even their parents could explain where they went to. The men returned after twenty-eight days. My father said the whole villagers assembled when the men were sighted at the market square. 

The three men narrated how fruitless their search was. According to them, the traveler lied to the king. No one was driven out of Ndikwe like a common criminal. The king and the villagers lost hope of tracing the origin of Ajonwa." Mazi Ugwu narrated to his daughter. 

"Hei woman!"

The Chief Priest shouted at Anine who was lost in thought. 

"What are you doing here all alone?" The Chief Priest asked. Anine was startled by the unexpected question, so she stammered. 

"Nothing I...." 

"You are needed in Ajonwa's inner chamber right now. Please do not keep him waiting. I repeat, do not keep Ajonwa waiting because you won't be alive to share your story."

Anine knelt before the Chief Priest of Ajonwa. 

"Please Eze Ajonwa help me. The last time I visited Ajonwa's inner chamber, he inflicted me with scratches and bruises on my Instruments. He spanked me, pushed me, called me names that are not mine, he even tore my flesh with his teeth. Please Eze Ajonwa, help me." Anine pleaded. 

"Keep quiet woman! Other women were all brought here at a tender age. None of them has ever complained of being manhandled by Ajonwa. Did you see that young girl that was brought here yesterday? Her mother said she was born eighteen seasons ago. She has visited Ajonwa's inner chamber twice today." 

"Ee two what? Chukwuokike where are you?" Anine supplicated quietly. 

"Since you came to this shrine, you have been complaining of one pain or the other. If you had allowed your daughter to answer the call of Ajonwa, she wouldn't have died and you wouldn't be here...."

" My daughter is not dead she is alive!" Anine interrupted with a loud voice. 

"Be careful woman, remember shedding tears is a taboo in this shrine. I shall show you no mercy if I see your tears. Your daughter has been missing for the past ten seasons, and if she returns home alive, she will not be allowed to step her feet in this shrine, unless she returns a virgin. Ajonwa hates leftovers that is why he has not been fair to you. Do not keep him waiting." The Chief Priest repeated before leaving. Anine ran after him. 





Anine walked straight to Ajonwa's temple. The magnificent edifice was made of mud bricks and woods. The temple had about four hundred chambers, including separate chambers for the master, his wives, and the Chief Priest. The temple also had bathrooms and lavatories.  The ceiling of the chambers were supported by painted wooden pillars and there were further chambers attached outside the main temple. No one had ever visited any of the chambers except Ajonwa and Eze Ajonwa.

The temple occupied about one acre of land, and despite the hills around, it gave the appearance of very open space with plenty of trees and vegetation. The inner chamber where Ajonwa slept with his wives had the appearance of an ancient cave.  

Intercourse with Ajonwa deity was one of the most distressing, horrendous, and demeaning experiences anyone could have. Ajonwa used the women as sex objects who were there to satisfy his sexual prowess. 

Anine walked down the narrow entrance that led to the inner chamber of Ajonwa deity. She found herself right inside the chamber. She began to recall how she felt the first time she was brought into the chamber and stood face to face with Ajonwa, the folktale she has heard so much about. 

That day was the first time she saw Ajonwa deity in human form, and also a day she would never forget in her life. She recalled how the Chief Priest led her to the inner chamber after explaining all the dos and don'ts of the shrine. She was so afraid of meeting Ajonwa for the first time since she was born in Ohanta community. 

Anine was told by her late father that Ajonwa had nothing to do with women who had been defiled by another. He only wanted virgins and so she was not worried that she might be raped. She concentrated on the answer she had ready for Ajonwa about the disappearance of her daughter. She kept repeating her lines as she looked around the cave-like chamber. Her heart was pounding harder than ever. 

The moment Ajonwa entered the chamber, Anine forgot all her lines. The deity, who appeared in human form pinned her against a wall and ripped her sackcloth with his left hand. Knowing what was about to happen, Anine froze. Her whole body went numb. She couldn't move. Ajonwa began to have canal knowledge of her in a way that she had never experienced.

"You will remain in this temple until your daughter returns!" Ajonwa announced before leaving the chamber. 
He walked swiftly out of the chamber as if nothing happened. Tears were in Anine's eyes, but she tried to look brave. The Chief Priest listed all the taboos and their consequences for her before leading her to the inner chamber of Ajonwa deity. 

The intense penetrative sex left Anine with physical injuries and emotional pain. She lost her sense of control and self-worth. Since her husband died, no man had ever laid with her. She took an oath never to associate with any man for the rest of her life.

She could not imagine her daughter and other young girls who were sent to the shrine going through such inhumane treatment. For once, since her daughter disappeared from the village, Anine was grateful and happy that she did. 

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