In Rola’s case, she is irritated with her family relatives who have come to visit. Meanwhile, Demoke has become disillusioned with his handiwork—the totem he had carved into a still-standing tree that is the centerpiece of the gathering. While Obaneji claims he merely fled from the noise, Adenebi cites that he has a “weak heart” and cannot bear such an emotional affair.

A tree-demon named Murete is lurking inside a tree trunk when Aroni forces him to come out, scolding him for attempting to abandon Obaneji. Aroni states he wants Murete to be present at the welcoming of the dead, but Murete insists that he wants to attend the gathering of the tribes. He shares that Agboreko, the Elder of Sealed Lips, has complained of Aroni’s trickery—as they asked for illustrious ancestors to attend their gathering but Aroni sent the Dead Man and Dead Woman instead, mere “accusers.”

In the next scene, Agboreko uses wine to summon Murete but the latter refuses to entertain him. Agboreko exits and Ogun, the patron god of carvers, enters. He commands Murete to direct him to the four “witnesses”, asking if Demoke, his servant, is among them. However, Murete is too drunk to provide a clear answer. Ogun proclaims that he shall protect Demoke from the cult spirit Eshuoro, whom he had angered for carving out a totem from araba, the latter’s prized tree.

Rola, Demoke, Adenebi, and Obaneji surmise the identities of the Dead Man and Dead Woman. Rola asks Obaneji if he is hiding something and the latter answers that he simply feels overwhelmed from knowing too much—as he works as a filing clerk for the Courts. His favorite type of records are those about passenger lorries, such as one dubbed the Incinerator because it caught fire the day before and all but five passengers survived. Obaneji explains that an office worker had taken a bribe and doubled the lorry’s capacity. Adenebi protests that it couldn’t have been one of their workers.

The four get to talking about how each of them would like to die, with Demoke stating that he would like to fall to his death while woodcarving. At one point, Rote teases Obaneji about preferring to die in his bed and attempts to kiss him. When Obanjei rejects her advances, she starts furiously insulting him. Meanwhile, Demoke comes to a realization and starts calling Rola “Madame Tortoise.”

The dead couple enter and Demoke rushes to ask the man if he is Oremole, the apprentice who fell from the tree while they were carving the totem. However, the Dead Man doesn’t answer his question and instead describes how he traveled the underworld after his death. The pair exit. In their absence, Demoke confesses that he had pushed Oremole to his death because the latter refused to let Demoke carve the top of araba. After confessing, Demoke hears his father’s voice from a distance and follows it.

Ogun is dismayed at having missed Demoke once more. He prays to Forest Father to be lenient on Demoke, as the latter is still his servant even though he committed a crime. After he exits, the Old Man, two of his councilors, and Adanebi enter. The Old Man orders one of the councilors to drive the broken lorry, The Chimney of Ereko, into the forest. He hopes that the lorry’s petrol fumes will drive away unwanted creatures. A baffled Adenebi seeks an explanation as to why the Old Man seeks to expel their guests. The latter responds that instead of the great ancestors they had asked for, the forest sent them “disgruntled creatures” instead.

Agboreko enters and reports that they are dealing with Aroni, who cannot be stopped. Meanwhile, Adenebi reveals that the Old Man’s son Demoke is simply around the area, with Madame Tortoise and a man who claims to be Chief Clerk. He then describes two “very unpleasant looking” beings who kept following them. The Old Man angrily responds that the “Chief Clerk” must be Eshuoro in disguise. He maintains that they will all be led to destruction because a servant of Oro, Oremole, has been killed.

Agboreko calls for a divination ritual and his beaters enter, accompanied by the dirge-man. While drums play and a dancer performs, the dirge-man entreats those present to “leave the dead some room to dance.” However, Agboreko and the Old Man are disgruntled about what they are able to divine. At this moment, the Chimney of Ereko approaches and scatters them all. Adenebi is knocked out in the confusion.

Adenebi awakes and hides from the forest spirits who have been driven out by the lorry’s fumes. Rola, Demoke, and Obaneji enter. The latter asks Adenebi if he was able to find out the man who had taken the bribe for the Incinerator. Adenebi protests that he merely wishes to be left alone. He asks Obaneji where he is taking them, and the latter responds that they are attending the welcoming of the dead.

Act II

At his dwelling, Murete prepares to leave for the gathering of the tribes. Eshuoro enters and chokes Murete, complaining that he has not been invited to Aroni’s welcoming of the dead. He vows to seek revenge against the humans for desecrating araba and tearing down the forest.

Meanwhile, the Forest Crier announces the welcoming of the dead. The scene is transported back in time, to eight centuries earlier. Forest Father, or Obaneji, enters with Aroni. They talk about Forest Father’s deception, with him insisting that it was only Madame Tortoise who was suspicious. They then attend the court of Mata Kharibu.

In the court, Mata Kharibu and his queen Madame Tortoise are seated on their thrones. The latter commands the court poet, who is Demoke in his past life, to fetch her canary from the rooftops. A warrior—the Dead Man—enters the court, his feet in chains. Mata Kharibu advances and rages at the warrior for defying his orders. He then raises his sword but the court physician stops him.

The physician explains to the warrior that he merely wishes to save him and his men. However, the warrior responds that he refuses to wage war for petty reasons. It is revealed that Mata Kharibu had stolen the wife of a neighboring chieftain and threatened war if her belongings were not released. Despite his best efforts, the physician cannot convince the warrior to relent to Mata Kharibu’s orders.

The historian, or Adenebi in a previous life, tells Mata Kharibu that only war will bring the nation greatness. However, the soothsayer Agboreko foresees too much bloodshed on both sides. Meanwhile, the slave dealer offers his services for the war. Mata Kharibu rewards him with the warrior’s men but the physician opposes this, citing that it is better to execute the men rather than subject them to such torment.

Demoke returns to Madame Tortoise her canary; however, she no longer wants it. She then approaches the warrior and mocks him for refusing to fight for her. The warrior’s pregnant wife rushes in and begs for mercy on behalf of her husband. However, the queen declares that she has decided to castrate him.

At this moment, Forest Father and Aroni, who have been watching the spectacle, are disrupted by Eshuoro. He demands compensation for the humans’ crimes against him. Ogun enters and proceeds to taunt Eshuoro. Forest Father separates the two and reprimands them for squabbling like men. He bids Aroni to continue.

The scene is transported to a forest clearing, in the aftermath of a lightning storm. Forest Father sits on a large stone, with the Questioner standing behind him. The Dead Woman and Dead Man enter, with the latter proclaiming that he has lived three lives, and yet his first still “possesses” him. The Questioner starts to insult the Dead Man, prompting Aroni to rip off his mask, revealing him to be Eshuoro. Amused, Forest Father announces that he will continue with the welcoming of the dead without his Questioner.

The Interpreter leads Demoke, Rola, and Adenebi to the scene. Forest Father is disappointed that this Interpreter is merely an acolyte; his original interpreter has gone off to the gathering of the tribes. He then bids Aroni to force the unborn infant out of the Dead Woman. The Interpreter dons the three humans with masks. The Dead Woman’s infant, Half-Child, crosses the clearing and begins playing a game of sesan. A Figure in Red appears and joins the child. Various forest spirits then speak in a chorus. The game ends, with the Figure in Red winning.

Aroni attempts to approach the Figure in Red but is thwarted, first by Forest Father and then by the Interpreter. The Ant Leader joins the scene and introduces himself to Forest Father as one of his sons. However, Aroni shouts at the ants for interrupting and they vanish.

Forest Father gestures for the Interpreter to unmask the humans. The first of the Triplets, the lower trunk of a body, enters and introduces himself as the End that will justify the Means. The second triplet proclaims that he is the Greater Cause used to excuse crimes. Forest Father explains that the triplets are perversions that are born when “lesser criminals” such as Demoke and the others obtain power. The third triplet introduces himself as Posterity. At this moment, the Figure in Red unmasks and reveals himself to be Eshuoro. He extends his hand to the Half-Child, claiming he won him in the game, but the child approaches the Dead Woman.

To capture the Half-Child’s attention, Eshuoro gestures for the Interpreter to play a game of ampe with the Triplets. As the game increases tempo, the Interpreter unmasks and reveals himself to be Eshuoro’s Jester. The Half-Child is drawn in their game and tossed around between Eshuoro and the players. Finally, Demoke intervenes and retrieves Half-Child. Forest Father and Aroni warn Demoke of returning Half-Child to the Dead Woman, but he proceeds to do so. Eshuoro yells in triumph.

At the gathering of the tribes, the celebrants dance around Demoke's totem. The Dance of the Unwilling Sacrifice commences with Eshuoro’s Jester clamping a sacrificial basket on Demoke's head. Eshuoro and his Jester start dancing. Demoke is made to climb the totem with this burden, while drums beat from below. Once he is too high to be seen, Eshuoro sets fire to the tree. However, Ogun is able to catch Demoke as he falls. He leaves an unconscious Demoke on the ground with a gun and a cutlass.

At dawn, a drunken Murete leads Agboreko and the Old Man to the scene. The Old Man rushes to Demoke and wakes him up, asking him what he has seen. Upon questioning, Demoke confirms that he has been with Aroni and Forest Father himself. He insists that he has gone through enough that night to make amends. Rola enters, looking humbled. All four deliver an epilogue while Igbale music plays.