Chapter Ten Summary

All the village folk collected in the village square for a meeting one evening. A woman named Mgbafo and her brothers stood on one side, with stoic faces, whilst her husband Uzowulu and his relatives stood on the other side, whispering.

The most secret cult of the clan was the egwugwu—the home of all ancestral spirits. Each of the nine egwugwu represented a village of the clan. Although it was apparent that men of the village represented the spirits, no one ever spoke of it.

The spirits had collected to solve a family matter. Mgbafo was taken away by her brothers because her husband Uzowulu would beat her mercilessly, even when she was pregnant. Uzowulu wanted them to return the bride price but Mgbafo’s family refused.

The ancestral spirits decided that Uzowulu must apologize to his wife and beg her to return to him. The case was settled with their decision.

Chapter Ten Analysis

An example of societal life in the clan is given in this chapter. It showcases the people as sensitive, intelligent, and coherent in their lives. When a man is accused of beating his wife mercilessly and lying about her fidelity, he is told to appease his in-laws and beg his wife to return to him. It is evident that Igbo society is fair and treats women as closer to men, even though it does not consider them equal to men.