The Four Baskets myth — how Agwu became head of all

- In the primordial twilight (Chi efo efo, Chi abo abo — no day/night division), God assembled all creation at the Mbala Obi Chukwu and displayed four long baskets, contents concealed: whoever deciphered them would be Isi Ora, channel of all knowledge and wisdom.

- All failed except Agwu, who transformed into a rat, gnawed each basket, and listened as the frightened baskets called each other by name: Eke, Oye, Afo, Nkwo — the Afia naano, ubosi naano ("four markets, four days") constituting the Izu, the four-day week.

- Chukwu declared Agwu Isi Ora/Oha, conferring powers second only to His own, plus an Ofo and the right to give each spirit its oke (share). To the astral spirits God gave Kpakpankpa Ndu (life-propelling); to Agwu, Kpakpankpa Agwu (spirit-propelling).

- Mbe the tortoise accused Agwu of cheating; God asked why Mbe hadn't used his own God-given faculties. Verdict upheld (God's decisions are unalterable) — and Agwu was additionally empowered to use the tortoise shell in Afa divination: O na-abu ana-akuikwu Mbe, ana-afuikwu Mmuo — the more you sound the tortoise shell, the clearer you see the spirits. (Parallel: ancient Chinese tortoise-shell divination, which Umeh encountered in Taiwan.)