Taking place during the British colonization of Nigeria, the story begins with Nwambga remembering her late husband, Obierika, and how she told her father he was the only one she would marry. She remembers the early years of their marriage, Obierika’s kindness to his jealous cousins, and how he refused to take another wife even though he was well off. When Nwambga had three miscarriages, she decided to find another wife for Obierika herself. Nwambga went to her best friend, Ayaju, who is of slave descent, and asked for advice. Ayaju recommended having an affair, an idea that Nwambga rejected. After another miscarriage Obierika and Nwambga went to an oracle, who had them sacrifice a cow to Obierika’s ancestors. The next baby was a son, born alive, named Anikwenwa.

Okafo and Okoye, Obierika’s jealous cousins, began to come by more often. They eventually poisoned Obierika, killing him. Nwambga was consumed by grief and considered suicide but did not because of Anikwenwa. Okafo and Okoye continually took parts of Anikwenwa’s inheritance away. Word came from another village that when the village elders had refused to sign a paper given to them by white men, the white men came and razed the village.