Mama Agba

> "*You are not your mistakes. Do not let one moment define or destroy you. The gods work in mysterious ways. Have faith in their greater plan*"
> ― **Mama Agba** to Amari Olúborí
>
>

**Mama Agba** is the oldest living maji and sole survivor of the Raid. She is a Seer and now trains young divîners.

## Personality

Mama Agba is stern but loving. She is wise and the only person alive who completed their maji education.

## Physical Description

Mama Agba has white, small coils, and mahogany eyes. While in hiding after the Raid, she has disguised herself by having black hair and brown eyes. She has a mole on her chin and has developed new spots and wrinkles along her dark brown skin. She walks with a staff to help her pronounced limp.

## History

Mama Agba used to be the Elder of the Aríran Clan, but after the Raid she carefully concealed her status. She lives in Ilorin where she runs a boutique for nobles. Mama Agba also teaches and trains young divîner girls to wield the staff, a self-defensive weapon she hopes they will never have to use. Mama Agba helps sustain memories of the gods and other traditions that existed before the Raid. Mama Agba is Zélie's mentor and mother-figure since the murder of Mama.

### Children of Blood and Bone

Zélie takes Amari to Mama Agba upon learning her true identity. Mama Agba confirms that the scroll could bring magic back. She then tells Zélie her true identity as a Seer. She tells Zélie that she has had a vision of her, Amari, and Tzain on a journey to bring back magic.

Inan and Admiral Kaea burn down Ilorin in their search for Zélie and Amari. The two girls, along with Tzain, Baba, and Mama Agba escape.

### Children of Virtue and Vengeance

Zélie had believed that Mama Agba was dead, but she discovers that Mama Agba has started the Iyika rebel group and has been fighting for the maji since she said goodbye to Zélie. Mama Agba explains that she and Baba had been on their way to Oron when she had a vision of Zélie, Amari, and Tzain at the divîner settlement. They didn't arrive in time to stop the monarchy's attack, but they were able to find the survivors. They were leading them to Ile Ijosin when more soldiers attacked. Mama Agba says that Baba offered himself up to the guards in exchange for letting the others go.

Now that magic has returned to Orïsha, her hair has returned to white from the black she had enchanted it to be. Mama Agba does everything she can to instill a sense of pride in the rebels. She functions as a voice of wisdom, reason, and experience. Mama Agba is able to interpret for Zélie what the moonstone is and what it is capable of doing. She encourages an understanding of historical context among her maji mentees.

Her final and most important contribution to the Iyika is herself. When Zélie realizes that she and the other elders are supposed to use the moonstone to combine their lifeforces, Mama Agba offers herself as the necessary blood sacrifice to stabilize the magic.

## Relationships

### Zélie Adebola

Mama Agba is not just Zélie's mentor, but she is also like a second mother to her after the murder of Mama. Mama Agba was stern yet loving towards Zélie, and Zélie grew up respecting her and her knowledge and skills.

### Amari Olúborí

Though Mama Agba is clearly and unwaveringly on the side of the maji, she still treats Amari with generosity and kindness that Amari gets nowhere else in Ile Ijosin. Mama Agba makes the point to Amari that the fight they're in now is just an iteration of a fight that has been going on for centuries. She offers support and and advice even though Amari is not considered a true maji by the others.