“Don’t worry,” Amah had said when I visited her at her home in Ntebe. “I believe the cleansing will take care of things. You know something, Ona? I wonder if time isn’t ripe to get rid of these archaic traditions—”
“What traditions?”
“Have you even been paying attention?” she asked, frowning. “Ona, where was your mind? I’m sure it was with your amazing fiancé.”
I had only caught snippets of Amah’s remarks. My mind had flown in different directions as we stood on her balcony enjoying the early morning breeze, watching as the orange glow of the rising sun appeared behind the trees. I glanced at her pretty face, admiring the bronze hue created by the sun’s reflection on her left cheek, and shook my head.
“Did I say something wrong?”
“No. No. You didn’t. I love that lipstick on you. It’s very pretty.”
I hadn’t lied. Her lipstick was lovely, but more importantly, I needed so desperately to change the subject from Albert and me.
“Thank you!” Amah said excitedly. “I had no idea it was still there,” she said, rubbing her lips. “I thought I washed it all off last night. You’re very pretty too, my darling Ona. I know I marvel about Albert all the time, but believe me, he’s the lucky one. Ehen, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”
“Go on. I’m all ears.”
“Well, I’ve been talking to one of my friends from elementary school. Her brother just started a modeling agency in the UK, a big one for that matter, and they offered me to sign up with them. Do you think I should do it?”
“If you can find time during your studies, I don’t see the harm in that. You have the looks, so why not?” She was crinkling her nose as I spoke. “What’s the issue?”
“What will people think, though?”
“I’m not sure I understand, Amah. Which people are you talking about?”
“I have so many other things I’d like to pursue, but I always worry that people will make fun of me or judge me if I don’t meet their expectations.”
I laughed, in part, to relieve the tension in my head.
“That should be the least of your worries. People’s opinions should never come between you and your dreams. That’s as long as you’re not trampling on anyone on your journey.”
“You think so?”
“Listen, don’t you know the fear of judgment comes from the need to be perfect?”
“Who wouldn’t want to be perfect? Eh?”
“The way I see it, perfection should come from mastery, as mastery should come from doing. If I were you, I’d shift my focus to how I can uniquely improve myself every step of the way rather than worrying about what others think.”
“That’s right, Ona. How do you come up with this kind of stuff?”
“I don’t know. It just comes to me,” I said, grinning.
After several years going in and out of Luenah, I had acquired a lot of wisdom of my own. Unfortunately, none of the knowledge I was able to share now and then had enabled me to achieve what I needed the most. It certainly hadn’t helped me with the perfect plan for a much-needed escape. Fear of repercussion had also deterred me from seeking help from the people that loved me. I had just returned from my bi-monthly visit to my parents, and despite the strong urge to tell my mother about my predicament, I resisted, knowing there wasn’t much she could do in the present circumstance. Her constant affirmation that I had made something of myself didn’t help either. I didn’t think I would have her sympathy considering how independent I had become in everyone’s eyes. I believed my position had somehow robbed me of my right to compassion. From the airport, I had gone straight to Amah’s house, where I spent the night. The tension at home had become too great for me to bear. It was almost as great as the secret I carried in my heart. Somehow, it felt worse to keep it from my mother, grandmother, and Ifedi than from Amah. Amah thought I was the luckiest girl in the world. Being betrothed to the Crown Prince was every girl’s wish—in her mind, at least. If only wishes were horses, I would gladly have traded places with her. But my condition was such that I wouldn’t have wished it on anyone, not even my greatest enemy.
* * *
Following the cleansing ritual, the kingmakers invited Albert to enter the palace sanctuary to seize the staff while they remained in the adjoining room. The crowd outside danced and rejoiced to the sound of loud music as they anxiously waited for the gunshots that would signal the successful lifting of the staff by their new King. This was the most anticipated portion of the ceremony. As soon as the staff was successfully lifted, a new era would begin in the history of the Ntebe people. Many hoped this era would usher in peace and ease the austerity measures imposed by the federal government to cushion the dwindling economy. But something strange happened when Albert tried to perform his rites, something that hadn’t been witnessed by any person in the history of Ide. The staff refused to budge from its resting place, a stone altar in the sanctuary. Albert left the narrow space to inform the kingmakers. He persuaded them to perform further cleansing, hoping that would appease the angry gods. After several attempts, the staff still refused to move from its position. For two weeks, Albert returned daily to the sanctuary to repeat the action, but the staff remained fused to the altar. By the third week, rumors began to swirl as to the cause of the immovable staff. Some said the King’s spirit still roamed, unwilling to let go, due
