The Great Ponds

by Elechi Amadi

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Introduction

The Great Ponds by Elechi Amadi is a literary fiction novel originally published in 1969. Set in pre-colonial Nigeria, the story centers on a bitter dispute between two villages, Chiolu and Aliakoro, over fishing rights to the valuable Wagaba pond.

Elechi Amadi was a renowned Nigerian author. His works often reflect his deep connection to his Igbo heritage and his experiences growing up in colonial and post-colonial Nigeria. Having served in the Nigerian Armed Forces during the civil war, Amadi gained insight and historical depth, shaping him into an expert realist. Amadi's work remains significant for its authentic portrayal of Nigerian life and its exploration of universal themes such as love, war, tradition, and resilience.

Plot Summary

The Great Ponds revolves around a conflict between two villages in the Erekwi clan of Nigeria: Chiolu and Aliakoro. Thirty years ago, the village of Chiolu won ownership of the Wagaba Pond from Aliakoro after a fight. Since then, Chiolu has relied on the pond for fishing and food for its community. However, Aliakoro has been illegally fishing in the pond without permission. When Chiolu soldiers catch the poachers, a new conflict erupts between the villages, reigniting the fight over rights to the Wagaba Pond.

The village chiefs, Eze Diali from Chiolu and Eze Okehi from Aliakoro, meet to resolve the situation but cannot agree. The war persists, causing unrest in both communities.

Olumba, the chief warrior from Chiolu, is a skilled strategist who leads the battles and trains young warriors. Wago, the chief warrior from Aliakoro known as the "leopard killer," is the village's best hope in the war.

The Erekwi clan's villages want to stop the conflict and push for peace. Meanwhile, fighting between the Chiolu and Aliakoro villages escalates, leading to the kidnapping of Oda, Olumba's youngest wife, and Chisa, Eze Diali's daughter.

One night, the village elders meet to discuss resolving the conflict. Olumba claims that Ogbunabali, the night god of the ponds, has revealed that the pond belongs to Chiolu. The representatives from Aliakoro village reject this claim, but eventually both sides reach an agreement. If Olumba remains alive in the next six months, Chiolu village will retain rights to the Wagaba Pond; however, if he dies, the rights will transfer to Aliakoro village.

The people of Chiolu village want to keep the pond for themselves. So, they tell Olumba to stop fighting and stay home. They think this will give him a better chance of surviving. Unfortunately, bad luck follows Olumba.

First, he injures himself trying to remove a hornet's nest near his house. Then, Igwu, the dibia (a traditional healer and spiritual leader in the Igbo culture) of Aliakoro, puts an evil spell on him. However, Anwuanwu, the dibia of the Abii village, rescues him.

Trouble escalates as the Spanish flu spreads through the villages. Olumba's family is also affected by the sickness, and he loses his daughter and son. He falls ill but finds some happiness when his wife, Oda, returns to the village with Chisa. They inform the villagers that the Aliakoro village sold them as enslaved people but managed to escape when their buyers died from the disease.

Meanwhile, Wago sees an opportunity to help his village by attacking Olumba while disguised as a leopard, hoping to defeat him in his weakened state. However, the young warriors from Chiolu intervene, fighting against Wago.

The next day, the villagers find Wago dead in the Wagaba pond. Eze Diali believes he committed suicide and declares the pond unfit for fishing. As a result, the war between the Chiolu and the Aliakoro ends. Now, neither village has access to the lake, and they are both left facing a deadly epidemic.

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