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the ivory cup. Delighted at the ease with which they were advancing, jubilating Igbimo
warriors headed directly for the Benin palace. When Olorogun heard of the Igbimo attack
on his army, he ordered the immediate stoppage of the Owo campaign, and commanded
the army return to Benin to defend the city. Olumoja heard that the entire Benin army had
been pulled from the Owo campaign and was heading back home to defend the capital
against the Igbimo attack. He therefore asked the leader of the Igbimo army to return
triumphantly home with the army. It did not matter that they had not brought back home
the ivory cup to the Igbimo people.
When Olorogun returned home with his army, he immediately sent for the diviner.
Olorogun was in a rage. The diviner lied. The diviner had assured everyone that the war
would go well against the Owo army, but the campaign had once again proved a disaster.
The diviner had to pay with his life because that was the condition. They dragged the
diviner, both hands tied to his back, and threw him before the king.
“You lied,” Olorogun screamed at the diviner.
“I did not lie, your highness,” the diviner, Kagho replied. “I told you exactly what
the divination said.”
“Then why did we lose?” Olorogun asked. “You said we would win as long as we
had the Igbimo ivory cup with us. We have the Igbimo cup, why did we lose?”
“Your highness, I consulted the oracle to find out why we lost,” Kagho protested.
“It is the deceit of men, your highness. The oracle did not lie.”
“Stop talking in parables,” Olorogun screamed at Kagho. “Tell me exactly what
happened, because your time is up.”
“The Igbimo people deceived you, your highness,” Kagho protested. “They did not
give you the right cup. They gave you a fake, a copy, but not the real cup. Without the