THE STORY
Chief Kolokolo married Lady Bonfo, when she was 22 years old because he believed that a girl younger than his first wife Madam Bodex would "tone his blood and skin" and he can remain youthful as it is opined in some African societies. He was warned by his first wife not to marry a second wife because of a secret, which she had kept over the years. She however did not disclose that there was any secret. But Chief Kolokolo refuses and this leads to a chain of reactions and tragic consequences for the family. Cut in this web is Dr.Otoloto who has just become their family doctor.
Characters
Chief Kolokolo ...A traditional African Chief in his fifties
Madam Bodex ... Chief Kolokolo's first wife
Lady Bonfo ... Chief Kolokolo's second wife
Dr. Otoloto ...A medical doctor
* Please note that this play should commence with the playing of traditional Yoruba drums from Nigeria including "gangan". They should accompany the song below, which is an integral part of the play. It is vital, as we will find out that it will enrich the performance of the play. Another version of the song can be used also in the body of the play. The songs are translated into English and they can also be sung in this medium too.
SONG:
E ni e fe esu labule
E de ni e fe esu labule
Bale nta igbo
Iyawo e nta ogogoro
Omo won agba owo ita
E de ni e fe esu labule
Aya yayayo Aya aya yaya yo
They agreed that they do not want
Devil in the village
They said that they do not want
Evil in the Village
Yet, in the same village
The King is selling marijuana,
The Queen is selling ogogoro gin
The Prince, their son is forcing people
To pay toll for passing in front of the Palace
Yet, they said they do not want
Devil in the village
FIRST SCENE
THE HOUSE OF CHIEF KOLOKOLO
FX: THE SOUND OF A SEWING MACHINE IS HEARD AS LADY BONFO, CHIEF KOLOKOLO'S SECOND WIFE IS SINGING ALONG.
LADY BONFO: Who will stop me? I, Lady Bonfo, the second wife of Chief Kolokolo! Who will stop me from doing whatever I want to do in my husband's house? Nobody! I will sing along as I sew my customer's dresses. Let whoever is angry get bloated and burst like a balloon! (BEGINS TO SING)
SONG:
Malu ti e ri mole,
A da yin lejo o
Malu ti e ri mole,
A da yin lejo o
The fetish Cow
That you people buried alive
Will sit in judgment
Over you , someday
The fetish cow
You buried alive
Will judge over you.
FX: SOUND OF A DOOR OPENING, DEPICTING THE ENTRY OF CHIEF KOLOKOLO INTO THE ROOM.
LADY BONFO: Chief, what are you doing with a pen- knife again? How many times should we tell you that it is not befitting for someone of your stature to be going about carrying a knife like a cowboy?
CHIEF KOLOKOLO: Thank you very much. I heard you all the way from outside. Was that why you were singing that foul song like a pepper-seller in the market? The knife you keep complaining about is a key-holder. Does it look like that of a cowboy?
I knew you all along. No wonder you were singing of cows that were buried when I was coming. Have I become so worthless before you, a small girl, that you should be throwing proverbial and abusive local songs at me? Am I the first person to marry a small girl as a second wife or is it a crime? And have we suddenly become equals? Did they not teach you that a husband is always the head and he is always right?
FX: THE SOUND OF THE SEWING MACHINE CONTINUES IN THE BACKGROUND.
CHIEF KOLOKOLO: Is it a crime that I bought a sewing machine for you? And you have to be singing against me while sewing? Tell me. Is it a crime?
LADY BONFO: Haha! Yeah! What kind of accusation is this? What has my song got to do with you? Was I not singing on my own? Did you bury a cow alive? Or has the song pointed accusing fingers at you? By the way, was it not an outing you said that you were going? Why did you come back and begin to engage me in a quarrel? When you have met some new women outside, you begin this your strange behavior.
CHIEF KOLOKOLO: Me? Me, meeting women? Oh gracious! There you go again. That was why they advised me against marrying a young girl because they are always hotheaded. They do not like competition with other women once they are in.
I married you to come and tone my blood and refresh it, but instead, all I am getting is incessant quarrel and high blood pressure.
Or how can anyone explain your kind of song in a decent society? How can you sing of buried cows in a decent place? Who is burying the cows?
FX: SOUND OF KEYS THAT ARE SHAKING AND BEING DANGLED
LADY BONFO: Do not come near me with that your so-called knife and don't lie to me. I was talking about you running after women and you are talking about cows. Are they the same thing?
CHIEF KOLOKOLO: Will you stop the nonsense?
LADY BONFO: Leave me alone with my song O.
CHIEF KOLOKOLO: O. K .You let me hear that nonsense song about buried cows again and you will know that I am your father's equal!
FX: THE SOUND OF SEWING MACHINE COMES UP AGAIN
LADY BONFO: Just allow me to sew these dresses because I have a deadline and my customers will be here within the next few days to pick them up.
CHIEF KOLOKOLO: (FUMMING AND HUMMING SIMULTANEOUSLY)
Anyway, I am going out. If anyone asks for me, just tell the person that I have gone out.
(CHIEF KOLOKOLO CLOSES THE DOOR)
FX: SOUND OF A DOOR CLOSING IS HEARD. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, LADY BONFO CONTINUES THE SONG.
LADY BONFO: (SINGING)
Malu ti e ri mole,
A da yin lejo o
Malu ti e ri mole,
A da yin lejo o
The fetish Cow
That you people buried live
Will sit in judgment
Over you, someday
The fetish cow
You buried alive
Will judge over you.
(FX: SOUND OF THE DOOR OPENING TO SIGNIFY THE ENTRY OF MADAM BODEX, CHIEF'S FIRST WIFE
MADAM BODEX: Nobody can drive me away from my husband's house. Not a small girl!
LADY BONFO: I am already married to the Chief. This is my house and I cannot be driven out.
MADAM BODEX: (BEGINS TO SING AT ONCE)
SONG:
E ni e fe esu labule
E de ni e fe esu labule
Bale nta Igbo
Iyawo e nta ogogoro
Omo won agba owo ita
E de ni e fe esu labule
Aya yayayo Aya aya yaya yo
(FX: THE SOUND OF THE SEWING MACHINE IS HEARD AT THE BACKGROUND AS LADY BODEX CONTINUES TO SING THE VERNACULAR AND THE ENGLISH VERSIONS OF THE SONG)
SONG:
They agreed that they do not want
Devil in the village
They said that they do not want
Evil in the Village
Yet, in the same village
The King is selling marijuana,
The Queen is selling ogogoro gin
The Prince, their son is forcing people
To pay toll for passing in front of the Palace
Yet, they said they do not want
Devil in the village
(CHIEF KOLOKOLO RETURNS)
FX: THE SOUND OF THE DOOR IS HEARD AS CHIEF OPENS AND BEGINS TO SPEAK AFTERWARDS TO HIS FIRST WIFE)
CHIEF KOLOKOLO: What song are you singing again Madam? I have always told you that as the first wife, no one can take that position away from you. I left this place some minutes to see
Doctor Otoloto just over there and I heard my younger wifesinging about cows. I warned her not to sing proverbial songs in this house because such songs are pregnant with meanings and you started singing about the King that is selling marijuana, and the wife was selling ogogoro.
Where did you hear that? I over heard you from a distance.
FX: THE SOUND OF THE SEWING MACHINE CONTINUES TO BE HEARD
MADAM BODEX: Chief I was not singing about anyone in particular.
CHIEF KOLOKOLO: I have been warning you that such a song is dangerous in the house of a man with two or more wives.
MADAM BODEX: I am sorry Chief...but I was singing my song with no one in mind.
CHIEF KOLOKOLO: If I did not stroll in right on time, the way you women are, my younger wife would have joined in and everywhere would have been perfumed with songs. Just imagine your own song madam, you were ridiculing royal institutions.
CHIEF KOLOKOLO: And you know that I am a Chief. Look at my hands and neck. Are these not beads? Is it in my house that you should accuse a King of selling marijuana?
I will not allow anyone to remove my Chief robes from me.
MADAM BODEX: I am sorry Chief.
CHIEF KOLOKOLO: That is all right.
MADAM KOLOKOLO: I have to return to the market. I found that I have forgotten my stockfish there. I will soon come back home. Let me quickly go and pick it before they close at the stores.
FX: SOUND OF THE DOOR BANGING AS MADAM BODEX LEAVES
CHIEF KOLOKOLO: Bonfo darling, I am coming from the medical doctor. I saw him and he gave us appointment for next week. So we have to prepare for the appointment.
He said that he needs to see both of us together to carry out the examination.
LADY BONFO: That is no problem...I will be around and I must finish all the dresses before the appointment.
FX: THE SOUND OF THE SEWING MACHINE CONTINUES IN THE BACKGROUND
FX: THE OPENING SONG, "Eni E f"esu labule" SIGNIFIES THE END OF THE FIRST SCENE AND TRANSITION TO THE SECOND SCENE.
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