The sacred stool is an emblem of power and prestige. Two different men covet the stool; each determined to grab the succession by any means, fair or foul. The rivalry of the two men sparks off violent confrontations, until an occurrence which is bigger than both of them. Kwakuvi Azasu is a creative writer and lecturer in literature. First published in 1982, this novel has been republished to coincide with the publication of the author's more recent fictional writing, The Slave Raiders (2002) and The Invitation (forthcoming, Ghana Univ. Press, 2005).