In Nigeria there is a district called Umuofia. The people of Umuofia used to be farmers. They produced goods, such as palm oil, that the Europeans wanted.

Umuofia was a small district of nine villages. The people of these villages belonged to the same clan.  A clan is a group of people who live together and share the same customs. In time of war, all the people of the clan helped each other and fought together.

The clansmen had many different gods. Some of the gods were very important. One of the most important gods protected the crops, and she was called the Earth Goddess. Some of the gods belonged to a man's family and wooden figures of these gods were kept in one of the family huts. The clan believed that their customs pleased the gods, and they believed their gods would punish people who broke these customs.

The people of Umuofia did not know much about the rest of the world. They grew their own food and made their own things. The clan had its own customs, religion and leaders. The way of life in Umuofia had not changed for a long time, and the people were free. They made their own decisions and they chose their own leaders. In Umuofia, a man could become a leader as a result of his own work and ability.