Chapter 37: Eniiyi Sleepwalks to the Iroko Tree
⚠️ 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
Months after previous events, it is well past midnight. Ebun is awake studying for an exam that would promote her to chartered accountant and boost her salary, as her current pay barely covers expenses. The generator has broken, so she reads by candlelight. She hears a door open and goes to check. Her four-year-old daughter Eniiyi is walking down the corridor in pyjamas, followed by the family dog. Ebun calls her name but Eniiyi does not respond and continues walking toward the stairs. Ebun catches up and blocks her path, realising Eniiyi is asleep—her eyes closed, mouth slack. Ebun hesitates, then shakes her awake. Eniiyi is confused; Ebun explains sleepwalking. She carries her back to bed.
Sleepwalking becomes a regular occurrence with no pattern. The family tries various remedies—not eating after 7 p.m., warm milk, singing praise songs, running around the compound to tire out—none stop it. Aunty Bunmi suggests consulting Mama G, but Ebun ends that conversation quickly. One night, following her mother’s advice, Ebun decides to follow Eniiyi instead of stopping her. She follows the sleepwalking child down the stairs, through the hallway, out the kitchen door, to the iroko tree at the centre of the courtyard. Eniiyi sits on a large exposed root and stares into the void. Ebun watches, her heart plummeting.
Key Events
- Ebun studies by candlelight for a chartered accountancy exam, struggling financially.
- She hears a door open and discovers Eniiyi sleepwalking in the corridor.
- Ebun initially blocks and wakes her; sleepwalking recurs regularly.
- The family tries multiple home remedies to stop the sleepwalking, all unsuccessful.
- Aunty Bunmi suggests consulting a spiritual healer; Ebun refuses.
- Following her mother’s advice, Ebun follows Eniiyi during a sleepwalking episode.
- Eniiyi walks to the iroko tree in the courtyard, sits on a root, and stares blankly.
- The chapter ends with Ebun’s dread as she watches her daughter.
Character Development
Ebun: Her financial stress is highlighted—working late to improve her career. Her maternal protectiveness is clear as she intercepts Eniiyi’s sleepwalking. Initially she feels fear and unease (describing her daughter as looking “possessed”). Her desperation grows as remedies fail, leading her to reluctantly follow the advice of her mother, acting against her own reluctance to involve superstition. This shows her growing vulnerability and willingness to consider the supernatural despite her rational tendencies.
Eniiyi: Remains an innocent, vulnerable child. Her sleepwalking is involuntary and she has no memory of it. She represents the unknowable aspect of childhood that can disturb a parent.
Aunty Bunmi: Mentioned as a voice of traditional belief, suggesting a spiritual cause. Her role contrasts with Ebun’s initial skepticism.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Motherhood and Protection: Ebun’s primary instinct is to safeguard Eniiyi. She studies to provide for her, and her fear during the sleepwalking episodes is rooted in the inability to control or understand what her daughter is experiencing.
Fear of the Supernatural: Ebun explicitly finds the sleepwalking “far creepier than she had imagined” and compares it to possession. The iroko tree—a tree considered sacred and sometimes dangerous in Yoruba folklore—amplifies the supernatural dread. The tree’s exposed root becomes a focal point where the child gazes into nothingness.
Financial Pressure: This subtle theme underlies Ebun’s exhaustion and explains her late-night study sessions. The candlelight (due to the broken generator) echoes her fragile financial stability.
Isolation and Silence: The house is silent; the generator is broken; only the candle provides light. This isolation heightens the eerie atmosphere and Ebun’s solitary struggle.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter introduces a significant plot element—Eniiyi’s sleepwalking to the iroko tree—that likely connects to the novel’s supernatural or folkloric threads. It deepens Ebun’s character by showing her financial strain and her conflicted approach between rational and superstitious solutions. The final image of Eniiyi staring into the void under the iroko tree creates a haunting cliffhanger, setting up tension for subsequent chapters. It also establishes the mother-daughter dynamic as central to the story’s emotional core.
Study Questions and Answers
1. What does Ebun hope to achieve by studying late into the night?
Answer: She is preparing for an exam that would make her a chartered accountant and increase her salary. Her current pay is insufficient to support Eniiyi’s growing needs and school fees, even though she does not pay rent.
2. How does Ebun’s mother advise her to handle Eniiyi’s sleepwalking, and how does Ebun initially react?
Answer: Ebun’s mother suggests that Ebun should follow Eniiyi to see where she is going. Ebun is initially hesitant and unsure whether to take the advice, but eventually does so out of desperation.
3. Describe the final scene of the chapter and its emotional impact on Ebun.
Answer: Ebun follows Eniiyi as she sleepwalks to the iroko tree in the courtyard. Eniiyi sits on a large root and stares into the void. Ebun watches, and her heart plummets, indicating a deep fear and dread, as the scene carries supernatural implications.