Ikemefuna E-Book

kenechukwu obi

• Herausgeber: KenWrites
• Kategorie: Poesie und Drama
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

This play x-rays the life of a man [Ikemefuna] who lives to uphold the truth, honesty, and justice all the time, and is he going to give his life for this cause?  The stage is dark and quiet. Then spotlights suddenly illuminate it. And a man carrying a goat-skin bag that hangs down his left shoulder is revealed heading somewhere. A fierce-looking Enoka suddenly emerges from the side opposite the direction in which the other man is heading. Enoka is advancing menacingly with a stretched-out machete. Fear grips the man at once. He could not help but scream……

Leseprobe

IKEMEFUNA

A PLAY BY KENECHUKWU OBI

CAST

IKEMEFUNA

OSAMMA - Ikemefuna’s wife

CHIMA

OBOKA

NONYE

NWAEZE

ENOKA

OKEKE

CHIEF OKOLI

AGAEZI - Nwaeze’s wife

REST OF THE ELDERS

NOTE

Traditional costumes of the Igbos of South-East Nigeria will be apt for all the male and female characters respectively. All the characters should be bare-footed. The elderly men should wear round red caps. That of Chief Okoli should have a white feather attached to it, with one thin brown rope tied around each of his ankles.

MBATA AKU in this play are two igbo words which mean DEITY OF WEALTH.

PROLOGUE

The stage is dark and quiet. Then spotlights suddenly illuminate it. And a man carrying a goat-skin bag that hangs down his left shoulder is revealed heading somewhere. A fierce-looking Enoka suddenly emerges from the side opposite the direction in which the other man is heading. Enoka is advancing menacingly with a stretched-out machete. Fear grips the man at once. He could not help but scream.

THE MAN

Why are you staring at me so fiercely? Do we have scores to settle? Why would you want to take a defenceless man on this day he is heading his brother’s call?

[The man’s voice fades off at once as spotlights fade. And from the dark stage emanates a sonorous male voice that says:

Sow seed of truth

Nothing can stop it from sprouting

And blossoming in full glare of sunshine

No matter how many times hands of falsehood

And mischief uproot it

ACT ONE

SCENE ONE

Spotlights then come on again. The stage is this time, dimly lit in such a way that shows it is at night. Revealed are Ikemefuna’s two sons – Chima and Oboka, and their sister, Nonye. All are seated on the ground and already feeding each other with folk tales. Oboka looks up the sky and sustains his look. He soon draws Chima’s attention.

CHIMA

Oboka! It is your turn to tell a story. How come you’re starring at the sky like you kept something there?

NONYE

[Laughs. Her laughter is full of scorn]

OBOKA

[Still looking at the sky] Sometimes I wonder what gives the moon its light.

CHIMA

[Retorts] Leave your wondering till father comes. It’s your turn.

NONYE

[Chips in quickly] Or does he not know of even a story? [Laughs and gets Oboka’s attention at once]

OBOKA

Your mouth is as wide as the oceans of the earth. Learn to keep quiet when boys are talking.

NONYE

[Angered] Your big mouth! Keep it shut! [Chima quickly intervenes with a scream]

CHIMA

That should stop! Let’s hear your story, Oboka. Quickly! You know father will soon be here.

OBOKA

My story is about a girl who didn’t know how to talk.

CHIMA

[Nods his head in delight] That sounds interesting. Go ahead.

NONYE

[Quickly complains to Chima] No! I suspect Oboka is going to make jest of me.

CHIMA

Let’s hear him.

NONYE

No! He likes to say silly things.

OBOKA

[To Nonye] You talk more than you listen.

NONYE

[Futher complains to Chima] Did you hear him?

CHIMA

Listen first!

NONYE

[Shakes her head in disagreement] I know him!

OBOKA

[Smiles] This happened a long time ago, and the girl’s name is Nonye.

NONYE

[Protests to Chima] I told you!

[Oboka laughs. Chima gives him a knock on his head. Oboka fails to react as he sees Ikemefuna now approaching]

OBOKA

[Quickly whispers to the rest] Father is coming right behind you, Nonye. [Nonye looks back quickly and cringes as well.]

CHIMA

[In a low tone] You two had better be quiet now. [Ikemefuna gets to his children]

IKEMEFUNA

I know you have all eaten. [Begins to spread his goat-skin mat on the ground.]

HIS CHILDREN

Yes, father.

IKEMEFUNA

[Now seated. His children’s attention on him] I have discovered to my greatest surprise [Clears his throat] that somebody who is of my blood is secretly kicking at me.

[Air of confusion pervades as Chima, Oboka and Nonye stare at each other. Their palms strapped to their chests. Their mouths agape.]

CHIMA

Father, it can’t be me.

IKEMEFUNA

[Clears throat again] Let me die before you bury me, my son. I have discovered that tubers of yam disappear from my barn.

[Nonye, Chima and Oboka continue to stare at each other. Their palms have left their chests now. Nonye then nails Chima with a stare for a short while as Ikemefuna observes.]

NONYE

[Suddenly points at Chima] He gave me some to eat yesterday. [Withdraws finger]

CHIMA

[Retorts] You must really bury your mouth! When did you see me roasting yams?

IKEMEFUNA

I know the yams in my barn are securely kept away from goats. Are you all telling me that goats can now become ghosts and gain access to the yams in the barn?

OBOKA

Not at all, father.

IKEMEFUNA

Six moons ago, the number was thirty and it dropped to twenty. What are we going to plant when the rains arrive? [Quickly turns to Chima] Did you roast yams or not?

CHIMA

[Jittery] Don’t….. mind….Nonye.