Tales of Moremi Ajasoro have been passed down through generations, for centuries. The loving wife. The beautiful queen. Legend. The one without a child. This is the story of not just a queen's sacrifice, but a mother's loss.

Gathered around a crackling fire, with darkness enveloping the surroundings, our grandmothers told us the heroic story of Ooni Moremi. There was a palpable sense of anticipation in the cool night air as the tale was woven. The young princess from Offa, married to the great king, Oranmiyan of Ile-Ife, metamorphosed into a brave queen. Fed up with the regular raiding parties that terrorized her people, she sought out the help of Esimirin, the local river spirit. Emboldened by the promise of protection by the deity, Moremi let herself be captured by the raiders, who were known as The Forest People.

True to her words, Esimirin protected Moremi and this allowed her to rise above captivity in the land of the Forest People. A goddess's word is sacred after all. She was chosen to be a bride of the ruler of the raiders. Her charisma and elegance were to thank, but Esimirin's assistance must've gone a long way. Besides, wouldn't you help wholeheartedly if you expected the richest sacrifice to be offered to you upon the success of your mission? I wonder, did Moremi think of this often as she gained the trust of the raiders. Did the thought of giving so much create a hollow of anxiety in her chest every time she remembered, or was she ready to give whatever she could to help the people she ruled beside her husband? Did it not even matter at all as she learnt the secret of the Forest People; terrifying raiders under the guise of flammable raffia palm? Did she wonder about what sacrifice she had to offer that could satisfy a goddess?

Cattle, fowls, and money didn't entice Esimirin. What does a goddess want? The defeat of the raiders was an incredible feat, achieved by a woman nonetheless. If I were a goddess and a brave woman came to me for help, I would be lenient. The world already takes so much from them. They come into this world fighting for their place; made to scavenge the scrap that falls off the table that men eat from. A goddess, by definition, is a female deity, often associated with specific aspects of life, nature, or human characteristics. A female deity. Esimirin took the only child that Moremi bore.

Was that payment or punishment? Does being a deity exempt you from the pains of motherhood? Would it have been different if Oranmiyan was the one who braved the uncertainty of being captured? Would the deity have asked him to sacrifice his son? Is that a punishment reserved for a woman and a mother? Would he have cared? He had many different wives that bore him other children after all. The people of Ile-Ife, thankful for her courage, chose to honor her by dedicating a festival to her; the Edi Festival celebrated annually. A statue was put up in honor of her, and most importantly, they promised to be her sons and daughters forever, to make up for her loss.

Oral history tells the story of Moremi through a monocle. A queen with a sense of duty and responsibility. A courageous woman devoted to her people. A mother who gave up her only child for the sustenance of the people of Ile-Ife. The Moremi that we know is the hero. The story of Moremi, the mother, is lost through time. A mother's joy encompasses the deep emotional connection and sense of pride she feels in nurturing and seeing her children grow and thrive. Although her subjects promised to be her children, it's all superficial.

The warmth of her sweet boy couldn't have been replaced by them. The pointless arguments between a mother and child, nonexistent. Oluorogbo, her son, was robbed of his mother's love. Pulled from her arms and thrown into the depths of the river; an offering for the sustenance of Ile-Ife. There are no stories that relay the way Moremi's shouts, vocalizing her regret, could be heard though the land as she gave her son away. There are no songs that recount how her tears fell heavy onto the sand and could be felt miles away. Paintings depicting the mourning of a queen mother were not made. Fables of the fury seen in the eyes of Moremi never made it out of the tongues of the people.

Betrayed by the duty of a queen, pillaged by the cruelty of a deity, Oluorogbo, the tragic prince, was overtaken from his role as the child of his mother by the people of Ile-Ife. Loving her people to the point of sacrifice is her biggest feat, and her greatest flaw. But isn't that what being a mother is anyway?