serious sin It is seen as an insult to Ani the Earth goddess The narrator explains It was a crime against the earth goddess to kill a clansman and a man who committed it must flee from the land Therefore Okonkwo must leave his village for seven years to avoid angering the gods and the spirits of the dead Punishment and Loss of Honor The exile destroys everything Okonkwo built in his life He loses his titles land and pride The villagers burn his houses and kill his animals to please the gods He goes to his mother s village Mbanta to live among his mother s kinsmen Exile as the Turning Point Okonkwo s exile is not only a punishment but also a symbol of his fall During his absence the white men enter Umuofia and change everything When he returns he finds his people divided and powerless In short Okonkwo is exiled because of an accidental killing that breaks the sacred law His punishment brings shame loss and sorrow