BOOK ONE: ETA OBA – DAUGHTERS OF OKESERI

CHAPTER 1 – The Triple Dilemma

In the perfect little African kingdom of Emure, nestled on Okeseri hill beside the thundering waterfall Omi Aro, lived three beautiful girls named Tade, Tode and Tide. They were identical triplets who lived with their father, Jide. Jide had lost his wife, Detola, in childbirth, but he was endlessly grateful for his three girls, who were the light of his life.

The girls laughed often as they went with their father weekly to their cocoa farm. Most people could not tell them apart, but Jide knew each one of them intimately. When they were younger, they would try to prank him, hoping he would mix up their identities like everyone else, but it never worked. “Eta Oba (Royal three)” – Jide’s nickname for them – were best of friends.

Each one had a distinct role within their happy trio. Tade was the philosopher who spent too much time in her own head, often staring at the clouds. Tode was the fixer, quick with solutions, always carrying small tools and remedies in her pockets. And Tide was the protector of her sisters, her muscles strong from years of defending them. Not even the ‘Omo Adugbo’, the neighborhood bullies, bothered them anymore after the day Tide fought off two of them, beat them down, and stuffed their mouths with a handful of sand each.

One morning, a few weeks before their 16th birthday, Tade sat cross-legged on their sleeping mat, braiding palm fronds. “We are only two years away from the Akowusi ceremony,” she said, her mind wandering. “But what does it truly mean to become a woman?”

Every nine years, Emure held the Akowusi farewell ceremony, a coming-of-age celebration for girls aged 18 and above. During the ceremony, they would perform the maiden dance with symbols of their chosen professions, announcing their entry into the workforce.

Tode looked up from a small wooden box she was organizing. “What professions should we choose? What kind of women would we be? Father does many things for us, but… I don’t think he can teach us how to be women. How shall we prepare for adulthood?”

“Shhh…” said Tide, glancing toward the door. “Father won’t like to hear that. It might make him miss O-ma more.”

“I want to be a warrior when I grow up,” said Tide, flexing her arm. “Tode, you want to be a healer, and Tade, you have always wanted to be a leader, but can girls be those things in Emure?”

“Don’t know,” sighed all three girls at once.

“Threes!” they all shouted, dissolving into a fit of giggles. Whenever they said the same thing at the same time, they shouted “Threes!”

Tode set down her herb box with decisive precision. “We need a plan to prepare for what kind of women we should be.”

Tade replied: “And we only have two years to decide.”

“Why don’t we ask Eledua when we go to the Waterfall next week? He will know what we should do.” All three girls nodded. Eledua was the all-knowing God, and He always had an answer.

CHAPTER 2 – A Plan Unfolds: Inquiring from Eledua

The girls prepared a bundle of yams and vegetables to take to Omi-Aro on Bathinday, the first day of Emure’s five-day week. The other days were: Roaminday, Selinday, Kinday, and Farminday.

On Bathinday, everyone went to the Waterfall for worship, laundry, and communion with Eledua. On Roaminday, people traveled by foot, teleportation, or on the electric trains and buses that ran twice a week. The town square bustled with traders selling fried yams with akara, boiled eggs, and zobo juice, all served in biodegradable leaf packs and eaten with the right hand—a sign of good manners.

Selinday was market day, and the girls loved the trivia market most, bartering for fabrics, jewelry, and magical things. On Kinday, the community performed acts of kindness for one another, building houses and cooking meals for those in need. Farminday was the national work day, where everyone farmed cash crops like cocoa and yams, which could be exchanged for coins at the Coin Exchange for travel outside the kingdom.

On Bathinday, Tade, Tode, and Tide were joined at cockcrow by their friend Ima. The four girls walked in contemplative silence to the Waterfall. As they descended into the clearing, they were met by the thunderous sound of Omi Aro and the sight of people speaking only in whispers.

The girls stood patiently in line, feeling the cool spray on their faces. They watched worshippers leave with empty baskets, their offerings accepted by a mysterious fire that left golden dust on the altar.

Finally, it was their turn. While Ima went to the laundry area, the triplets turned into the holy-of-holies. They entered the sacred chamber and were amazed to see the sky with the sun shining down in a luminous light, so bright they had to shut their eyes.

The High Priest ushered them forward. They knelt and bowed their heads.

Tade prayed on their behalf: “Great God, we thank You for watching over us. It is almost time for the coming-of-age ceremony. We need your guidance to learn the things that our mother is not here to teach us. Please show us the path to becoming the women we are meant to be.”

They sat on woven mats, waiting. Suddenly, all three looked up, eyes wide with recognition, and said in unison, “The Library at Timbuktu!”

The High Priest cast them a gentle, scolding look. The girls quietened down, hearts racing.

“We must go right away!” Tode whispered.

“We must let Father know first,” said Tade.

“First thing tomorrow then,” whispered Tide.

“No,” answered Tode. “We leave next Roaminday.”

They handed their gifts to the priest. A flame fell from the sky and consumed their offerings, leaving golden dust. Excited, they left with their empty baskets, joined Ima for a swim, and floated out of the Waterfall on clouds of excitement.

CHAPTER 3 – Leaving Home for the First Time

On the following Roaminday, the girls were surprised to find Jide up before them.

‘E kaaro, Baami’, they chorused, curtseying and hugging him. As they made breakfast, Jide re-told the story of their birth, as he always did on their birthday.

“This birthday, he told them: “Your mother always knew you would be great women. She wanted three identical daughters and here you are! Happy 16th birthday, Eta Oba, my Three Princesses.”

“Mother was very wise,” mused Tade.

“And as beautiful as Moremi,” chorused the girls with Jide.

“Now go and get ready for your adventure,” Jide urged them.

They hurried to their room. “E ti tete se tan ni’yen?” Jide joked. His girly-girls were ready in record time.

He handed each a heavy leather backpack with her name embroidered on it. A lovely aroma wafted out.

“What’s in it, Father?” Tode asked.

“It’s a surprise. I always knew this day would come. It contains everything you need.”

At the Square, Jide purchased tickets and gold coins for their journey. As they boarded the electric train, he wrapped his arms around them. “Don’t be sad, Father,” Tide said, hugging him tightly.

“Never, Eta Oba. Edumare sent you on a journey. I know He is with you.” Taking their faces in his hands, he blessed them. “May Eledumare bless you, keep you and prosper your journey…”

They settled into their private carriage. As the train pulled away, they waved until they could no longer see him. Just before the station vanished from sight, they saw Ima running to see them off.

The rhythmic motion of the train lulled them to sleep. They were awakened by Ticketier, a polite robot that scanned their tickets and retinas.

“Can we open the backpacks now?” Tode asked.

They found lunch pouches with roasted plantains, sweet potatoes, and savory fish sauce, still warm. They ate happily with tigernut milk.

“Father is the best,” Tade said, followed by a loud belch.

“Tade!”

“Better out than in.”

“We need to be real Omoluabi,” Tode chided. “Belching loudly is not ladylike.”

“There’s no one here but us,” Tade teased.

“Good thing Father paid for a private carriage,” Tide said sternly. “We need to stop doing that in private so we don’t do it in public.”

They found a game of Ayo in their packs and played for a while, their strategies reflecting their personalities.

“How much longer?” asked Tide.

“It’s an overnight journey,” replied Ticketier. “We should arrive by morning.”

They told ‘Moonlight Tales’ until the sky darkened, then slept, dreaming of the adventure to come.

CHAPTER 4 – The Library at Timbuktu

Tade was the first to see it. “We are here,” she whispered, shaking her sisters awake. It was dawn, and the ancient towers of Timbuktu rose from the desert, glowing golden in the morning light.

They freshened up in the train’s “top and tail room” and disembarked, overwhelmed by the ancient atmosphere. They opted for a camel ride up the hill to the library, enjoying the novel experience of bobbing up and down.

Soon, they were sitting in the Great Library, directed to the section titled “Great Queens of Africa.”

“Where do we start?” asked Tide.

“I think we should ask Eledua,” answered Tade.

“You are so wise,” Tode said.

They bowed their heads in prayer. After a few seconds, they looked up and chorused: “Makeda!”

“Threes!” they whispered, giggling.

“Shhhh!” The Librarian warned sternly.

They scrambled to the shelves and found the manuscript of Makeda, the Queen of Sheba. They carefully pulled out the ancient scroll from its protective case.

The moment Tade’s fingers touched it, something extraordinary happened.

“Tode,” Tade whispered, her fingers hovering above the unfurled parchment. “Are you seeing this?”

Her sister looked up from examining the scroll’s edges, her practical mind already cataloging, analyzing. “The luminescence appears organic rather than chemical. See how it pulses? Like a heartbeat.” Tode moved closer, her healer’s instincts overriding caution. “The text is moving, Tade. Actually moving.”

“The scroll is alive,” Tode breathed, her scientific mind warring with wonder.

The scroll shouldn’t be glowing.

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NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:

Thank you for reading! I’m thrilled to let you know that the adventure continues in Book 2: Eta and Amanirenas of Kush, coming 12 January 2026. To make sure you don’t miss it — and to get notified when the paperback of *this* book is released — follow me on LinkedIn and on all my socials.

#EtaOba #Afrofuturism #AfricanFantasy #TimeTravelAdventure #QueenOfSheba #Sisterhood #YABooks #Afrocentric

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