What is the importance of flying creatures in the novel, Who Fears Death?

Flying creatures represent freedom and wisdom. Onyesonwu transforms into a vulture, in which form she feels especially wise. She later realizes that when she transforms into a vulture, she transforms into Aro as a vulture, which explains the feelings of competence and wisdom she experiences. Later, Onyesonwu transforms into a Kponyungo, which is a flying firespitting creature. Her mother is also a Kponyungo; thus, the Kponyungo form represents both freedom, as Onyesonwu is able to escape her current situation to see the eastern forest, and wisdom, as Najeeba is an older and wiser mentor figure to her daughter.