Chapter 34 Summary – Chapter II (Cursed Daughters)
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Ebun returns home after a draining day at work. Her four-month maternity leave ended too soon, and she now relies on her mother and aunt to care for Eniiyi during her long hours. Lack of sleep has made even routine auditing tasks difficult. She reaches home at ten at night, only to find a tense conversation in progress. Her mother, aunt Bunmi, and the family friend Mama G are gathered with grim expressions. When Ebun tries to leave, her mother insists she stay, saying it concerns Eniiyi. Mama G claims that Eniiyi is the reincarnation of Monife (Mo) and warns that reincarnated people often die young and in the same manner as their previous life. She offers to beg the gods for Eniiyi's safety, but Ebun rejects the idea as superstition and storms off. Yet alone in the hallway, she cannot dismiss the uncanny resemblance between baby Eniiyi and the deceased Mo, and she feels a flicker of unease.
Key Events
- Ebun struggles to focus at work due to exhaustion and a long commute.
- She arrives home late, finds her mother, aunt, and Mama G in a serious meeting.
- Mama G claims Eniiyi is Monife’s reincarnation and is at risk of dying young.
- Ebun angrily dismisses the superstition and refuses Mama G’s help.
- Despite her rational stance, Ebun privately remembers Mo’s hospital visit and Eniiyi’s scar, feeling unsettled.
Character Development
- Ebun appears overwhelmed by the demands of being a new mother and a working professional. Her skepticism toward reincarnation marks her as a rational, modern woman, but the chapter ends with her doubt creeping in.
- Mama G shifts from being a cocky figure to a nervous one, revealing her sincere belief in reincarnation and her desire to help. Her gold tooth and tribal marks visually reinforce her connection to traditional culture.
- Bunmi (aunt) and Ebun’s mother are portrayed as fearful believers, willing to consult Mama G out of love for Eniiyi. They represent the pull of superstition within the family.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Superstition vs. Rationality: Ebun’s rejection of Mama G’s reincarnation claim clashes with the intuitive fears that eventually gnaw at her. The chapter dramatizes the tension between traditional beliefs and modern skepticism.
- Sleep deprivation as vulnerability: Ebun’s mental fog from lack of rest makes her more susceptible to irrational doubts. The exhaustion symbolizes her weakened defenses.
- Photographs and absence: The empty spaces on the wall where Monife’s picture used to hang serve as a physical reminder of unresolved grief and the lingering presence of the dead.
- The reincarnation motif: Mama G’s story about a man who died exactly like his father foreshadows the possibility that Eniiyi’s fate might echo Monife’s death, linking the living and the dead across generations.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter deepens the novel’s exploration of grief and the supernatural. It introduces the explicit possibility that Eniiyi is Monife reborn, raising the stakes for Ebun as a mother forced to choose between protecting her child and rejecting her family’s worldview. The emotional conflict Ebun experiences—between her rational self and her lingering doubts—sets up a central tension for the remainder of the story. It also highlights how the loss of Monife continues to shape every relationship in the household.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why does Ebun struggle to concentrate at work in this chapter?
Ebun is severely sleep-deprived after returning from maternity leave. She must read financial reports multiple times to understand them. Her commute in Lagos traffic also leaves her exhausted, arriving home at ten each night. -
What specific claim does Mama G make about Eniiyi, and what is her warning?
Mama G claims that Eniiyi is the reincarnation of Monife (Mo). She warns that reincarnated people often die young and in the exact same manner as their previous life. She offers to beg the gods for Eniiyi’s safety, implying that without intervention, the baby is in danger. -
How does Ebun react to Mama G’s claim, and what final detail troubles her?
Ebun angrily rejects the idea, calling it delusion and refusing to let Mama G near her daughter. However, after walking away, she recalls Mo’s hospital visit, Eniiyi’s healing scar, and the striking resemblance between the baby and the dead cousin, leaving her unable to completely dismiss the feeling that something sinister is at play.