The chapter is a retelling of a Nigerian folk tale about the consequences of greed and wastefulness. In the tale, the sky was once close to the earth and offered the people all the food they needed from its largesse. However, over time, the people became careless and wasteful, taking more than they needed and discarding the excess.
The sky grew angry at this behaviour and threatened to leave. The people begged for forgiveness and promised to be more careful, and the sky agreed to continue providing for them as long as they respected its resources. However, one woman named Adese was unable to control her greed and continued to waste the sky's offerings.
As a result, the sky made itself unreachable, and the people were forced to rely on the earth for their sustenance. The earth offered to provide for them, but only if they were responsible and careful with its resources.
The story highlights the importance of valuing and appreciating the resources that we have and the consequences of greed and wastefulness. It also draws on Nigerian culture and tradition, using personification to create engaging and relatable characters and reinforcing the idea that resources are living entities that deserve respect and appreciation.
Overall, the story is a powerful reminder of the importance of responsible stewardship and the consequences of taking resources for granted. It provides a hopeful message of redemption and the possibility of a better future if we learn to value and appreciate the resources we have.