Long ago, in a quiet Ibibio village, there was a river called Idoro Itam, known for her calm blue waters and gentle songs that lulled children to sleep. The villagers said she was the spirit-mother of many who lived near her banks. Women went to her for fertility, men for strength, and children for protection.
But one day, a greedy hunter killed a rare white fish sacred to the river. It was said to be her spiritual child the messenger between worlds. That night, the water turned dark, and thunder rolled though no rain fell. The villagers woke to find all their fishing nets torn, and the crops near the river turned yellow.
Only Eka Nnyin, an old priestess, understood. She dressed in white, took seven cowries, a calabash of honey, and went to the river at dawn. She knelt and cried, “Mother of waters, forgive the children who know not the weight of your heart.”
The river grew still. A voice rose like wind over water:
“I do not seek blood, only remembrance. You have forgotten your promise.”
From that day, the villagers built a small shrine by the river and offered fresh flowers every new moon. Idoro Itam’s waters became clear again but each time someone passed by at midnight, they could still hear the soft sob of a mother mourning her lost child.
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