Summary

Chapter Thirteen. In the first part of the chapter, narration describes a meeting of the male elders of the six villages called by Ezeulu to tell the story of the messenger’s visit. “The meeting took place under the timeless ogbu tree on whose mesh of exposed roots generations of Umuaro elders had sat to take weighty decisions” (141). After he has finished, Nwaka at first speaks politely about what happened, but then questions Ezeulu’s judgment and courage in not going to meet with the white man himself, saying that it is Ezeulu’s responsibility to deal with the evil that he has brought into the community. Several other members of the group speak in support of his position. Ezeulu restrains his anger as he responds by saying that he had planned, all along, to go the following day. At the end...