Duty and responsibility are key drivers for many characters in Skin of the Sea. Through the duty of the Mami Wata, Kola’s perceived responsibility for his village and siblings, and Esu shirking his duty as Olodumare’s messenger, Skin of the Sea explores how duty, responsibility, and choice are interconnected.

Since being made by Yemoja, the Mami Wata must collect the souls of those taken from their homes to return them to Olodumare. In the months she has been a Mami Wata, Simi has performed this duty, but when she saves Kola’s life, she defies the task for which she was created. In Chapter 7, when Yemoja tells Simi she broke Olodumare’s decree rescuing Kola, Simi thinks, “I may have saved Kola, but in doing so, I failed her” (55). Simi didn’t know it when she chose to rescue Kola, but her perception of her duty influenced her choice. It’s Simi’s responsibility to collect the souls of the dead, but she believes that saving a life is more important than saving a soul and, thus, incorporates saving Kola as part of her duty, even though it is not. Simi’s interpretation of her obligation to rescue creates difficulty for Yemoja.