CHAPTER 1

Ogadimma Uzo, known to all as Ogadi, whistled as she went through her Instagram feed. She couldn't believe she was stuck at home with nothing to do while Ms. Banks was performing in a concert in Lagos.

She'd begged her grandmother to let her go, but she'd vehemently refused. Lagos was too far and too dangerous.

Yeah, right.

Ogadi looked at all the Ms. Banks posters on her wall. She'd been a fan ever since the Ze Ze freestyle, and now that her idol had come to Nigeria to perform, she was going to miss it.

What sort of fan did that make her? She thought desolately.

She was watching a live stream of someone who was at the concert when an idea hit her.

“I could actually get to Lagos quickly,” Ogadi mused, running her fingers through her afro.

She quickly dismissed the idea. Her grandmother would definitely have her head.

She looked at her phone again and saw comments saying all sorts of good things about the concert. Ogadi caved. Her love for Ms. Banks was greater than her fear of her grandmother.

She lay on her bed, put her legs together, and placed her hands by her sides. She began to inhale and exhale deeply as she waited for her death.

A quarter of an hour later, her spirit left her body and was transported to the huge event center, where Ms. Banks was rapping one of her latest bops to thousands of gyrating fans, who all sang along raucously.

Ogadi shouted at the top of her lungs. She couldn't believe she was seeing Ms. Banks in the flesh. “Ms. Banks!” she screamed, jumping up and fanning herself lest she stop breathing due to all the excitement.

Ogadi hung back from most of the crowd as she sang along with Ms. Banks. This was everything she'd thought it'd be and more. Thank heavens she hadn't listened to the cowardly side of her that had been scared of her grandmother's ire.

That thought died when a group of inebriated young men noticed her and began to gesture towards her.

Ogadi wondered what they were on about, until she noticed her outfit. She'd come to the concert in her pjs, which consisted of a loose crop top and a pair of briefs.

“Okaaaay,” she said to herself, “I probably should have changed clothes before I astral projected.”

What are the odds that those men will leave me be? she thought.

Not good, she decided when one of them walked up to her, stumbling slightly as he came to a stop before her.

Ogadi ignored him, silently praying to Ala that he'd go away.

“Hey, baby,” the man said, flashing his teeth, “why are you in such a skimpy outfit?”

Ogadi looked around. Nobody was paying them any mind. The people had paid to see Ms. Banks, and they wanted to get their money's worth.

“It's none of your business!” Ogadi hissed, stepping back from him.

“My name is Oxygen. My friends and I want to get to know you. Join us,” the man replied, undaunted.

“I'm sorry, but I'm not interested in meeting Hydrogen, Helium, and the rest. Just leave me alone,” Ogadi snapped.

The man swayed a little before he replied, “You wore this outfit to get attention, right? You'll get that attention from me and my friends.”

Oxygen reached out toward Ogadi, but she deftly moved back.

“Playing hard to get?” Oxygen asked right before lunging forward to capture her in an embrace.

His hands went round her, but when he closed them around her form, they slipped right through.

Shit! Ogadi thought, it's time to get out of here.

Just then Oxygen shouted, “Jesus! She's a ghost! She's a spirit!”

He and the other members of the periodic table dispersed, shoving people out of their way.

Soon, pandemonium broke out in the venue. While most people were still focused on Ms. Banks, the rest ran for their lives, not wanting to risk an encounter with a ghost.

“It's time to go,” Ogadi said as she concentrated real hard. Her form disappeared from the concert and shot back into her body, which had been lying where she left it on her bed.

She woke up with a start and began to pant.

A glass of water was offered to her, and she took it without thinking.

She'd already gulped down the contents of the glass when it hit her that someone else was in her room.

She turned and saw a woman in her late sixties peering at her disapprovingly over her glasses.

“Hello, Grandmother,” Ogadi said innocently.

* * *

Ezinne Alama struggled to contain her fury. She loved her granddaughter and let her indulge in some youthful shenanigans, but this time, the girl had gone too far.

“What did I tell you about going to that concert?” Ezinne asked angrily.

Ogadi wringed her hands. She hated disappointing her grandmother, but in this case, it had been inevitable.

“I obeyed you, didn't I?” Ogadi replied.

“Don't try to play smart, young lady. We both know you astral projected,” Ezinne retorted, “You broke the rules!”

Ogadi sensed the disappointment in her tone and went on the offensive, “Whose rules? Yours or Ala's? I just went to a concert. Stop acting like I killed somebody.”

“You know these rules are not of my making. They were handed down to me by mother, your great-grandmother. These rules were given by Ala. She doesn't ask much, only that you use the powers she bestowed on you wisely. Yet you use them to frighten people,” Ezinne chided, standing up.

“What do you mean?” Ogadi asked defensively.

“Check your phone,” Ezinne ordered.

Ogadi checked her phone's notifications and saw the heading:

GHOST REPORTEDLY SEEN AT MS. BANKS CONCERT IN LAGOS.

“Oh!” Ogadi exclaimed foolishly.

“You're supposed to use your powers to stop Dike Aru's minions, not terrify innocent concertgoers. I'm very disappointed in you,” Ezinne said quietly, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Ogadi winced. It hurt her the most when her grandmother took that resigned tone, as if she was at her wit's end.

“Well, you can't blame me,” Ogadi said, getting off her bed, “There are no demons to chase to the underworld. If there were, I wouldn't have gone to the concert.”

“That's a stupid excuse to give, and you know it. I really wish you'd start acting your age. You're twenty-two already; it's time you start taking this job seriously,” Ezinne remarked.

“Yes, I'm twenty-two, which means that I'm an adult and need no input from you whatsoever on how to live my life,” Ogadi said with her back turned to Ezinne.

Ezinne sighed. “I can see it's no use talking to you. Goodnight, Ogadi. Don't make me regret making you a Gate Keeper,” she said and left.

* * *

Ezinne rushed out of the house to the shrine in their backyard. Whenever she felt annoyed or agitated, she always sought sanctuary there as she told her problems to Ala.

Although Ala never replied, Ezinne always felt better.

Tonight, as she entered the mud hut, whose walls were filled with sacred inscriptions, she sat on the floor as she gazed upon the idol of Ala that stood regally on a dais carrying an infant.

“Ala, my goddess. Have I made a mistake? Is Ogadi not worthy to be your priestess?” Ezinne asked. She was greeted with silence.

“What can I do to show her how important this job is?” Ezinne asked again, feeling frustrated.

She stared at the idol, and a sense of peace surrounded her. After a few minutes, she fell into a dream.

She dreamt of Ogadi's initiation, which had taken place four years ago, on her eighteenth birthday. The dream was as clear as reality:

Ogadi stood in their backyard with a long white wrapper tied above her breasts and her face decorated with white chalk. A crescent moon was drawn on her forehead, for that was the symbol of Ala. A bonfire burned, casting an eerie light onto her and Ezinne.

Ezinne could tell that Ogadi was nervous; her hands had begun to shake. Ogadi hid them behind her back, furious at herself for not being in total control of her emotions.

“Do not hide yourself from Ala. I was also nervous on the night of my initiation,” Ezinne advised. She was wearing the same outfit as Ogadi, with the addition of beads around her neck.

Ogadi felt a little relieved, but her nerves refused to calm down. What if Ala found her unsuitable? Ezinne had told her many stories of maidens Ala had found unfit to join the Ndi Nche. During their initiation, the bonfire had raged out of control, which was interpreted as a not-so-subtle sign from Ala that they had failed to meet her expectations. They would then be heckled by the villagers who had gathered to witness the occasion.

Thankfully, Ogadi thought, no one will be around to witness it if Ala rejects her. These days, nobody wanted to associate with the Igbo religion. It was considered pagan and evil. According to Ezinne, back in the old days, no less than sixteen maidens were put forth to Ala, but today, there was only her.

Which means that Ala probably can't be that choosy, she thought, consoling herself.

Ezinne faced the idol of Ala on the dais and began to hail her:

“Ala, goddess of the earth and all that dwells in it, Enforcer of the laws of the earth, Mother who births and nurtures us all, I greet you.

I have come before you today with one of your daughters, Ogadimma Agbomma Uzo.

I hope you find her suitable to become an Onye Nche, a gate keeper to prevent Dike Aru from ever attacking the earth.”

Ogadi's heart began to thud noisily as she waited for the bonfire to rage wildly.

After a while, when nothing had happened, Ezinne turned to her and gave her smile of sublime happiness. “Ala has chosen you. Now, repeat after me.”

Ogadi felt so happy she wanted to jump up and down, but she knew better than to act without decorum during her initiation ceremony. She willed her heart to stop thudding in her ears as she repeated after her grandmother in a loud voice. “I, Ogadimma Agbomma Uzo, am grateful that you deigned to choose me to serve you, oh great goddess. I vow to do everything within my power to prevent a second rise of Dike Aru and his army of demons.”

When she completed her oath, she felt proud of herself for keeping the debilitating fear she was feeling out of her voice. What if she botched her duty?

After the oath, Ezinne began to sing a song about Ala's righteousness and benevolence. She began to dance, and Ogadi followed suit. They danced until the balls of Ogadi's bare feet began to hurt.

Then, Ezinne put a halt to the dancing, and they progressed to the last part of the initiation, which involved eating in the presence of Ala.

Ezinne brought out plates containing boiled yams and palm oil, which they ate with their hands, sitting on the ground.

* * *

Ezinne awoke from the dream with a start. When she regained her composure, she smiled up to the idol and said with heartfelt thanks, “Thank you, Ala, for clearing things up for me.”

She left with a smile on her face. Ala had showed her that dream to reassure her that Ogadi wasn't unfit to be a Gate Keeper. Now, if only Ogadi would stop squandering the powers the goddess had bestowed upon her.