Egbe, Yagba West, Kogi State—Every community has its founding myths, and in Egbe, Yagba West, the story of Yeye Lamo stands as a powerful, cautionary tale woven into the fabric of local folklore. Believed to have once been a human woman, Yeye Lamo’s transformation into a revered—and feared—goddess is rooted in the searing pain of barrenness and spousal betrayal.
A Love Tested by Barrenness
Legend has it that Yeye Lamo was happily married, but her joy was overshadowed by her inability to conceive. For over two decades, she and her husband waited, hoping for a child. Yet, the husband’s desire for children eventually overwhelmed his devotion.
Despite the belief that “no matter how intense or overwhelming our feelings might be, we have power to control them,” the man succumbed to the societal pressure for progeny. He took a second wife, who swiftly bore him a female child and, within ten years, a cluster of six children.
From Vulnerability to Vengeance
Initially, Yeye Lamo endured her fate, but the children of the junior wife soon brought chaos. The senior wife became vulnerable, mocked by the children and their mother. When she sought solace from her husband, he only added to her torment, rejecting her feelings and cruelly accusing her: “You are a witch, that is why you could not conceive and bear a child.”
The breaking point arrived on a hot day when the junior wife’s eldest child took Yeye Lamo’s best cloth without permission. When challenged, the girl reportedly reiterated the painful truth: “Why would I not have done that, after all, you have no child that would have been the beneficiary.”
Overwhelmed, Yeye Lamo appealed to her husband one last time. His response was devastating: “Thou shall not kill my daughter; you witch.”
Disappearance and the Promise of Calamity
Utterly broken and furious, Yeye Lamo began to sink into the ground. No one paid heed until she was almost completely gone. Her desperate husband finally rushed to her side, pleading with her to stay, but she refused to listen.
Instead, she promised trouble and calamity upon the household. She disappeared entirely, leaving behind a small spring of water—a spot now known and revered as ‘Yeye Lamo’.
True to her vow, misfortune struck the family. The junior wife could not conceive again, and none of her daughters could bear children in their own marital homes, enduring rigorous struggles.
The Rite of ‘IFON’
To put an end to the family’s misfortune, community elders consulted the oracle. The verdict was clear: Yeye Lamo, now a goddess, had to be appeased.
Today, before any daughter of the family can marry, they must first perform the ritual known as “IFON,” a mandatory appeasement to the spirit of the scorned woman who became the water goddess of Egbe.
Do you know of similar local legends or tales of powerful women in your community whose stories have shaped local customs? Share them in the comments below!
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