Long ago, in the land of Umudike, there lived a beautiful maiden named Onyema, whose beauty was said to rival the dawn. Suitors came from far and wide, bearing gifts and promises, but she chose none, her heart was reserved for the gods’ purpose, as she often said.
One day, a warrior named Obieze came to the village, brave and proud. With songs and stories, he won Onyema’s trust, promising marriage, peace, and honor. The elders approved, and a great celebration was planned.
But Obieze’s heart was not true. On the night before their wedding, he stole the village’s sacred staff of Ani, used to maintain the balance between the people and the spirits of the land, and fled. When morning came, the staff was gone, and so was Obieze.
From Tears to Stone
Onyema, heartbroken and dishonored, wandered into the sacred grove of the earth goddess Ani and knelt in tears. Legend says she cried and cried until she turned to stone, her sorrow preserved forever. Her statue, they say, still stands deep in the grove—eyes closed, tears etched on her cheeks.
From that day on, anyone who enters the grove with deceit in their heart hears a woman’s wail and becomes lost for days. The villagers call it Ibe Olu Onyema, “The Cry of Onyema.”
Moral of the Tale
The Cry of the Stone Woman warns against betrayal and dishonoring sacred trust. It reminds us that actions rooted in deceit can leave behind a curse far heavier than guilt—and that true love, when betrayed, can echo forever.
Knowledge Check
1. Who was Onyema? She was a virtuous maiden chosen by the gods and loved by many.
2. What did Obieze do wrong? He deceived Onyema and the village, stealing the sacred staff and fleeing.
3. What happened to Onyema? She turned into a stone while weeping in the grove of the earth goddess Ani.
4. What is the warning of the grove? Anyone with a deceitful heart will hear her cry and lose their way.
5. What does this tale emphasize? The importance of honor, trust, and the spiritual consequences of betrayal.
Origin: Inspired by West African Igbo mythology, where sacred groves, earth deities, and ancestral justice hold deep cultural meaning.
