Derick Ofodirinwa answers “What is an ogbanje? I am only 40 pages in...”

Stephanie asked this question about Freshwater:

What is an ogbanje? I am only 40 pages in and am confused as to what has actually happened to Ada? on page 19 it says"The air cracked and we remembered. It was the sound ofo ur brothersisters, the children ofo ur mother, the ones who had not come across with us. Ndi otu. Ogbanje." So are they themselves ogbanje? The things inside Ada? How did they get there?

Derick Ofodirinwa An Ogbanje is a reincarnating spirit that causes grief or pain. They're most often children that die stillborn, or children that die before they're ma…moreAn Ogbanje is a reincarnating spirit that causes grief or pain. They're most often children that die stillborn, or children that die before they're married (marriage in Igbo culture makes one 'complete'). This spirit comes through the mother over and over, torturing her and her family. This is the most common understanding.

Ogbanje that don't die the during infancy are believed to grow up to be very attractive and rebellious. Often troubled or troublesome children that will ultimately die early if measures aren't taken. Because of this, many rebellious or vain children are called 'ogbanje'. They're also 'special' children while alive, often having a higher level of spiritual intuition than others. Nobody really knows if a child is Ogbanje unless they pass, and there's a history of pre-mature death in the family.

I haven't read the book so I don't know how it's used in this context but that's the most 'cannon' definition I can give based on Igbo cosmology and thought. I do know that the protagonist is an Ogbanje and has multiple spirits communicating in her which is an interpretation I haven't heard before.
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