Ijemmiri

The kingdom of Ifite had a complex tradition that differed from other kingdoms in Igboland. The kingship was nonlinear - it circulated among the families favoured by Ikukuike, the only deity in the land. The chosen family would rule for a period of eight seasons. The orator of the deity served office for a lifetime, and it alternated between a woman and a man. The next mouthpiece was chosen by the deity himself a moon after the former had passed on. The kingdom had a stream running before the shrine of the deity, and anyone who had come to consult had to pass through it before entering. It was known as the sacred stream of purity yet there was more to it that nobody, not even the Ezemmuo knew about. This was an agrarian community sufficient through favours of the deity.
Ijemmiri was invited to work for the palace after she was favoured by the queen. She couldn't have turned down the offer because in Ifite serving royalty was an honour. Igwe Ojemba had one season to go before the crown would be shifted to around family. There wasn't any opposition to this tradition until Lolo Nneora conspired with a Dibia in the neighbouring kingdom to influence the spiritual realms that decided the next ruler. She made sacrifices so that the kingship would eternally remain in the lineage of her husband, the king. The death of Ezemmuo came as an opportunity to her, thinking that her disobedient plan would fruition. Little did she know that the maid she favoured was the next Ezenwanyi.