No comments,,no continuation thanks

Stop cultism u no hear, now them done cut ya ear, wetin u want use wear nose mask?

My new year resolution was to buy B M W car,,, God please forget about the car and help me with beans,. am seriously hungry and my body is shaking. ( jokes )
Corona Don scatter everything for this year.

It's true that power corrupt, absolute power corrupt, ABSOLUTELY.

happy new week to u all
stay safe and stay connected.

HAPPY NEW MONTH TO U ALL WISHING U GOD's BLESSINGS, PROSPERITY AND ABOVE ALL, GOD's SAFETY. HAPPY NEW MONTH ONES AGAIN

[left][/left] SCENE 6

A.C.P MEETING

A political meeting in the house of A.C.P Board of trustee's chairman, Chief Aberuagba Okanlawon, a robust looking man in his mid sixties. Present in the meeting are other A.C.P stalwarts who have come to see the board of trustees' chairman for various reasons.

CHIEF ABERUAGBA: ( Gulping down a jug of red wine, belching and rolling his left hand leisurely over his pot belly ) These crazy fellows think that they can instigate the people against us.

DR ADEJOH: ( Munching some pieces of meat, served by B.O.T chairman's youngest wife, and in between mouthful of the delicacy, talking ) Chairman... (crunch-crunch) Don't mind them (crunch-crunch) we would show them (crunch-crunch) ( makes for the bottle of wine, pour himself a generous dose ) we will get them.

CHIEF LARRY: ( Over a pack of juice drink ) They call themselves intellectuals, Abi? They are pointing fingers at us, that, we in the ruling party are 9JA's problem, isn't it? By the time we put all of them behind bars, they will stop singing. ( voices trail off as the chief's 5th, and the youngest wife, Aduke came in to whisper something to chief Aberuagba )

CHIEF ABERUAGBA: ( Allowing his wife to go ) Larry Baba, you could hardly let your eyes off my wife, I think you were talking politics. ( general laughter )

CHIEF LARRY: Kai, chief you seem to pick your wives from beauty contests. (. More laughter )

CHIEF ABERUAGBA: ( Acknowledging compliment vaingloriously ) That is the 5th one. you know, God has blessed us. my women all enjoy me, I strive to satisfy them materially and otherwise. ( Got distracted by the entrance of his P.A . who comes in with five of Chief's cell phones all ringing simultaneously.) Chief collects some of phones while the P.A attends to some. ( The scenario becomes absurd as both men's cacophonous telephone conversations present a picture of confusion )

ALHAJA LADI: Chief ( with a coy look at ABERUAGBA ) you are too great !

DR. ADEJOH: ( Interrupting and turning to ALHAJA ) It takes more than being an ordinary politician to become A.C.P board of trustee's Chairman..

CHIEF ABERUAGBA: ( Impressed and elated by the praises showered on him, turning to Alhaja Ladi ) You see, God has blessed us .. I just spoke with the president, some senators and governors now. My P.A too, attends to calls coming from local government chairmen and other political big wigs. We have to attend to them, can't afford to be selfish. You see, God has blessed us.

CHIEF LARRY: Chairman, don't forget us o. The 1 billion 9JA power contract that the inner caucus and the Elders forum of A.C.P are seeking to get is yet to pull through. Chief, we are relying on your connections.

CHIEF ABERUAGBA: ( Exuding confidence ) Consider that one done. You see, God has blessed us. We must be a blessing to others. I will speak to the president concerning the issue and he would co-operate with me. I'm sure.

ALHAJA LADI: ( Still looking chief coyly ) With you chief, A.C.P will keep moving forward.

CHIEF ABERUAGBA: ( Thanking Alhaja ) Thank you. We give almost every ordinary member of A.C.P reasons to smile. During elections we give them money and attend to their sundry needs. I can't count the number of people that daily throng my compound for daily ration of Amala and Ewedu soup...some people will now be saying we didn't feed the nation, what else do they want from us? that's what we do on daily basis to alleviate people's suffering. What else do the masses want that we have not given them. yet, these so called intellectuals are inciting the masses against us.

DR ADEJOH: Chief, don't bother, I, personally and other highly educated people in our party will handle them. They are ignorant. I used to hold the revolutionary belief while I was in the university, teaching. I could remember I could not afford the luxury of life, but when I became S. A. to Alhaji Dan Mikel ( the former minister of petroleum resources ) my eyes opened and subsequently, I burnt my revolutionary sentiment.

ALHAJA LADI: Doctor is correct, ( turning to Aberuagba ) Chief, invite some of these hungry radicals and create positions for them in the government, all of them will fall for it. Who wants to die poor?
(All laughing)

CHIEF LARRY: But I learnt that they are in the last stage of forming a political party.

DR ADEJOH surprised ) party? That party will never see the light of the day you know. We are on ground, We will simply instruct the NECK Chairman to disqualify the party at the level of registration.

ALHAJA LADI: Have they even released their leader, that insane man they call PROFESSOR ANJONNU?

CHIEF LARRY: Their lawyer has secured his bail, but that notwithstanding, his release doesn't mean anything.

CHIEF ABERUAGBA: They have challenged us to an open debate and we are not shying away from it. It's even a forum to debunk all what they have said against us.

DR. ADEJOH: It is an open debate, no problem, 9JAS will be there to listen to us. I will, right away, swing into action. I would mobilize the the A.C.P think tank. We would all be there. We will definitely floor them and 9JAS who are yet to decide on which side of the divide they should identify with, will all have reasons to come to us. The so called intellectuals will suffer shaame!

CHIEF ABERUAGBA: It is going to be a do or die affair. The die is already cast and we shall see to it.

TO BE CONTINUE

SCENE 5

MARKET SQUARE

A typical market scene. Buying and selling is going on as noise of bargaining fill the air. However, the conversation between the market women is fore grounded to enable audience have the idea of what is most current in the market catalogue of gist.

MAMA RISIKAT: ( Driving flies from her wares and simultaneously talking to her stall mate ) For how long are we going to be in business in 9JA considering the rate at which prices of food items are skyrocketing in the country?

MAMA LADIJA: ( Showing resignation ) I don't know o. Honestly I don't know.

MAMA RISIKAT: Now, customers rarely comes. We sit for hours yet we hardly realize enough at the end of the day to pay our taxi fare home.

MAMA LADIJA: The prices are chasing customers away

MAMA RISIKAT: ( Slightly frustrated ) Are we to be held responsible for the development? Is it not our leaders that are supposed to be held responsible?

MAMA LADIJA: ( Looking at distance, distracted by the scene going on in a spot where some of the market crowd converge. turning to talk to her friend ) Ha.. the magician is here today.

MAMA RISIKAT: ( Surprised ) Is he around?

MAMA LADIJA: ( Pointing at his direction ) He is around, look at him.

MAMA RISIKAT: And these people prefer to patronize him instead of buying food items for their households.

MAMA LADIJA: Do u blame them?

MAMA RISIKAT: I do

MAMA LADIJA: Don't blame them; 9JAS prefer these days, to patronize money doublers and magicians or anyone who can just hazard a miracle and put money in their pockets, such as BET 9JA, BIT COINS AND YAHOO PLUS.

MAMA RISIKAT: You are right o, 9JAS are lottery people now. Companies are taking advantages of people's penury and they are driving 9JAS to their early graves..

MAMA LADIJA: How do u mean?

MAMA RISIKAT: HA.. haven't you seen people drinking sugar to death or diabetes on account of looking for miracle bottle cover that will win them millions of NAIRA.?

MAMA LADIJA: You mean the promo for soft drinks and all sorts of whimsical promises?

MAMA RISIKAT: Yes o. A man in my compound drank himself to diabetes looking for a miracle caps of koce and pepsa soft drinks.

MAMA LADIJA: No be that one alone o. You need to see the ridicule Altina soft drink company subjects families too by a way of dancing competition.

MAMA RISIKAT: Those ones... Are they not the people who put families on stage, papa, mama, daughter and son to dance shaku shaku, break dance and gbese for ridiculous prizes?

MAMA LADIJA: No be that alone o. They put grand parents, I mean grandma, grandpa on stage to dance to rock and rap songs for chinchini money.

MAMA RISIKAT: ( Showing dissatisfaction ) Kai 9JA, you keep guzzling down your own. Look at the insult from this Gizim companies again.

MAMA LADIJA: ( Laughing ) Which one be Gizim companies?

MAMA RISIKAT: They are the phone companies

MAMA LADIJA: ( Still laughing ) you mean G.S.M?

MAMA RISIKAT: Yes, don't mind me jare. Since both of us retired as primary school teachers on account of poor salary, I've not been reading books again.

MAMA LADIJA: It has not been easy. What about the G S.M companies?

MAMA RISIKAT: Those ones... they're proper 419iers. They keep driving people mad with unprofitable lottery, while the smile to the banks with millions of proceedings from such exercises.

MAMA LADIJA: Everyone who has the opportunity want to fleece 9JA to death.

MAMA RISIKAT: It is in 9JA that electric generators companies make unchecked trillions, where the roads networks are death traps and rents are unaffordable.

MAMA LADIJA : Where hospitals, pipe borne water, industries are sold to the ruling elites and yet the companies remain comatose; they are not functioning.

MAMA RISIKAT: Look at us now, we have eaten our pride, we are self employed despite our teaching certificates, but 9JA has again chased people from the markets.

MAMA LADIJA: It is those people who have money that comes to the market, the ordinary people in 9JA are poor, yet our government will say no one is poor in 9JA.

MAMA RISIKAT: Who will then bail us out of our predicaments?

MAMA LADIJA: Only God knows.


MAMA RISIKAT: Those that are milking us dry are getting stronger everyday..


TO BE CONTINUE

It's good to be good

[left][/left]. SCENE 4

THE GATHERING OF THE INTELLECTUALS

The meeting this time around is held in Thomas' house. the mood of the meeting is sober.

THOMAS: ( Motioning to his colleagues who are already seated ) Our circumstances is not a joyous one. yet we will not allow sadness to Shadow our sense of reasoning. The last time we gathered, professor Anjonnu the dynamite chaired the meeting, but today, he is in the national custody of the state security service.

ENGINEER BADEJO: I was with him a week ago though the meeting was brief but prof's spirit remains what it is, unbroken. He sent his words to this meeting, the search for the w
WORD must not abate.

CLARK: ( In sadness ) 9JA gulps her own offspring. The nation is ravenous, consuming everything at sight like Corona virus, professor did not commit any crime. He simply spoke in his constituency; the university. He did not speak with the megaphone in the market place. Yet the nation became uncomfortable with his speech.

THOMAS: ,( Excited ) Those who witnessed his arrest agreed that professor was simply brave even in the face of intimidation. The students said he was aware that he could be arrested. but he dared to trek where the angels fear. he came, gave the address and opened the intestine of a rotten nation and submitted himself to arrest just like SOWORE and that soldier that insulted Buratai ( army general ).

PLATO: ( Enthusiastic ) prof. was simply amazing. I was with him at the venue of the speech, I mean the campus. Like a political surgeon he dissected the cause of 9JA's arrested growth and encouraged the students to join in the search for the remedy to cure our nation's woes.

CLARK: ( Seeking corroboration from PLATO ) The students were encouraged, I was told.

PLATO: A great deal. They were. Though prof. never incited them to mutiny as the security service want us to believe. They will lie that the person arrested is plotting a war against the country.

THOMAS : The enemies of progress will always misinterpret good intention no matter how good it is. but we should be more resolved now than ever. We cannot abandon the struggle at this stage, ( Turning to speak to the woman amongst them ) Barrister Nkechi, though you were not at the last meeting due to your professional engagement, your being around now is very needful. We have resolved this you will legally take up the issue of prof's illegal detention. By now, they supposed to have released him at at least on bail.

BARRISTER NKECHI: That won't be a problem, the state security is very wrong to have detained him till now.

ENGINEER BADEJO: ( Reminding others ) I hope you have not forgotten that we have a discussion with the politicians.

THOMAS: Thanks for reminding us. I for one, has not forgotten.

PLATO: We should be very careful with the way we handle them. They want us to compromise our vision and probably soft pedal on our search for the solution of 9JA's travails.

ENGINEER BADEJO: They won't succeed.

BARRISTER NKECHI: We will resist all their attempts to cow us. we will not give in to their intimidation.

THOMAS: ( Rising to indicate the end of the meeting ) The politicians have murdered their own rest. They have failed 9JA. And they cannot run away from the consequences of their actions. our bid to locate the WORD, the object of our search, the quest of our mission, should go unabated. Discovering where it resides, is a task we must perform. Lady and gentlemen, be not discouraged. Let each one encourage one. There must be a triumph of good over evil. Thank you very much for attending this meeting.


TO BE CONTINUE

[left][/left].
SCENE 3

A faculty quadrangle in a 9JA campus revealing groups of students seated not in a particular order. The animated banter going on in each group suggests that the students are either not ready for lecture or the faculty has a lecture free day.

CURTIS: (Playing with his mobile phone) I didn't know today would be lecture free....

JACKIE: What would you have done if you had known?

CURTIS: Go home.

JACKIE: Don't you get tired of going home?

CURTIS: (chuckling) get tired? I can never get tired of going home...

JACKIE: That's why you don't meet up with your assignments. Have u forgotten that we are to submit FPI 402 tomorrow?

CURTIS: (Startled) It's true o. And this is the reason why I always complain of BrainBox, my roommate, he has not been helpful. ( Frowning)

JACKIE: Leaving that guy out of this, he is too selfish for my liking.

CURTIS: (Agreeing) Granted that he is extra ordinarily intelligent, but he doesn't want to help anybody out. Imagine, how can one be selfish to one's room mate and course mate?

JACKIE: So, you people don't come together at all to do some of the homework together?

CURTIS: If he does, would I be complaining?

JACKIE: Leave him alone. The highest he can become is a miserable professor.

CURTIS: He believes all about life is academics.

JACKIE: He is wrong. To be great here (in 9JA) One needs more than ordinary education. You must know the who is who, I mean you have to be well connected to the circle of the rich and powerful.

CURTISAgreeing) Does he know that?

JACKIE: Then he is foolish. For these days professors hustle for political appointments as low as that of councilor.

CURTIS: That could be dignifying, I mean if they succeed in becoming councilor. Some of the professors scramble to become common speech writers for great politicians who are not so well-read.

JACKIELaughs) I don't need any certificate for any white collar job.. I am not looking for any job. I am already a potential politician. In 9JA's politics, You meet bread and butter in large quantities.

CURTIS Corroborating ) Let BrainBox and his ilk read all the books in the world. He would always see people like us who already know our ways to the top making it faster..

JACKIE: ( Digressing ) Would the professor invited to give an address on this lecture free day come?

CURTIS: Oh, are you skeptical?

JACKIE: I am, based on experience, others invited to do such in the past had reason not to attend..

CURTIS: You are right, I wonder why they behave so.

JACKIE: They don't want to go to jail. Coming to deliver the lecture implies that they comment on the state of affairs of our nation..

CURTIS: Since things are not going on well in the Country, their comments will always be scathing..

JACKIE: Yes o

CURTIS: Then does it mean that we would always have a founder's day without its address even when a lecture free day is created for such purpose..

JACKIE: ( Consoling ) He will come. people say, the guest lecturer, is a fearless critic of the government.

CURTIS: Let's hope he comes.

The stage light dims swallowing the noise from the students. A silhouette of a professor in an academic gown appears on the podium, the professor speaks only in signs and gestures and the response from the audience too is in pantomime but for the fact that there is no audible speech, the environment possesses all the bite of a charge, revolutionary parley. Few minutes into this, the security officials barged in and the assembly scatters as the guest lecturer ( The Professor ) is arrested and taken away...

TO BE CONTINUE

[left][/left] SCENE 2

Light breaks...At the background, a palm wine bar, groups of men are scattered in smaller discussion units exchanging banter over different sizes of jugs and cups of palmwine. Iya Jide, the palmwine seller, occasionally goes round the tables to fill empty cups.

DAUDA: Why 9JA palmie no dey taste strong these days?

ALUKO: (After a long draw,pulls from his cup, bursts into laughing) see this man o.after how many cups? you dey here dey shack since morning. na now 9JA palmie no go come strong.

DAUDA: (A careless laughter dancing around his lips) I no blame you, you don shack, I blame myself, If I no buy you palmie, you for get Moni buy am?

ALUKO: (Laughing) which Moni? No be because them quick pay you your retrenchment benefit? For where you for see Moni come shack?

DAUDA: Na you know, at least, I see Moni carry come shack. wet your own? you get any? (His cellphone rings and he responds) Hallo! Hallo!! who is you on the line? Can I knows who is you or who you is? oh David? pocket Moni! you said what? you need what? pocket watin? calls back network no good.,(cuts the call and puts the phone in his breast pocket)

ALUKO: (Laughing loudly) Ha, just because your cousin asked you for pocket Moni, na im you tell am say network no good?

DAUDA: How I for do now? how Dem take know sey Dem pay me sef? how? All this relatives and their wahala!

ALUKO: (Distracted) Ha, see! see!! see Cornelius (pointing) wey tin cornie come do for palmie joint? He wan come shack?

DAUDA: (Turning to face the direction ALUKO points at, recognizing Cornelius,he hails) Cornie Baba, Cornie Baba ( extending his hands to him)

CORNELIUS: (Taking Dauda's hand as he sits down) how una dey?

ALUKO: I hope we're safe o?

CORNELIUS: No Shaking, I say make I come join una shack.

DAUDA: (Expressing surprise) You! come shack? which day that one start?

CORNELIUS: Wetin man go do now,na 9JA cause am o.

ALUKO: (Excited) Wetin you mean?

CORNELIUS: ( Grabbing a cup of palmwine, drowning it) This palmie na male type o. E strong well well.

ALUKO: You neva answer my question.

CORNELIUS: Wetin carry you come shack palmie too?

DAUDA: (Laughing) 9JA,na question dem dey take answer question, tell us about ur own first.

CORNELIUS: I don talk am now,na the country o. when you don think and think on how to survive and hope no dey,, wetin you go do?

ALUKO: (Sober) man no die, man no rotten, my brother na to shack away ur sorrow..

CORNELIUS: (Frowning) I don search for job tire, me and my brother. na so-so, no vacancy. I no dey grow young anymore. E remain small make I nack forty. no wife, no job.

DAUDA: (In a tune of mutual sympathy) we don enter hot soup for 9JA O.

ALUKO: No be soup alone, we don enter hot water join, see me now, for how many months Dem don lay us off. no retrenchment benefits. I no fit pay my children school fees.

DAUDA: We we Dem pay, how much be the moni? no be chicken change? I don distribute am finish tey tey. na the small change we remain. na im I dey carry shack.

ALUKOLooking at the direction of Iya Jide, the palm wine seller, as if he is just seeing her) women, Kai, na devil Dem be o..

CORNELIUS: Mba o .( Turning at Iya Jide's direction) How devil go come dey serve una palmie and u no go run?

ALUKO: Na my woman o. for moni we dem neva pay me, she don dey calculate how she go buy wrapper and bag.

DAUDASurprised) she no know sey na the last salary be the benefits wey dem wan pay u?

ALUKO: I wonder o. I never pay my children school fees, pay house rent, my woman say she wan buy fashion.

CORNELIUS: Country hard o. na because woman say she wants buy wetin she go put for body na im come become offence?

ALUKO: (Sober) no be me now. na 9JA! Kai, 9JA na hell on Earth o..( his voice trails off)

Their attention shifts to an "intruder" who happens to be a rag-tag lone itinerant singer with an archaic guitar slung across his shoulder, The fellow approaches some tables in a familiar manner. He seems well-known by the bar as he is hailed by the peyhe approaches. On sighting Dauda's table, he greets and Dauda beckons him to come...

DAUDA: (Beckoning) Pajahmo, come and sing for us ... sing us Happy songs. Times are bad. Times are bad, poet, sing for us.

ALUKO: (Joining Dauda) play us Happy tunes .... our loads are heavy.

PAJAHMO: (Easing off his guitar from his shoulder and with practiced fingers strikes the chords to a reggae like tune)

DO THEY WANT US TO DIE?
DO THEY WANT US TO DIE?
DO THEY WANT US TO DECAY?

DO THEY KNOW THAT WE ARE DYING?
DO THEY KNOW THAT WE ARE DYING?

POOR MAN NO KNOW HAPPINESS
POOR MAN NO KNOW HAPPINESS....

Other men at the bar join Dauda and his friends to gather around Pajahmo as he strikes at his guitar and in spite of their varying degrees of drunkenness, they all seem touched by the message of the music, it is like the summary of their travail...


to be continue...
pls drop a comment
thanks

Happy Sunday to u guys. here we go again.

HELLO EVERYONE
i feel like dropping my own write ups here and I want u guys to comment while reading
N:B => am not a writer,so pls dnt over xcify me pls..If u can endure reading the first three scene,then u will be glad of reading this piece..thanks

PROLOGUE
I WEEP FOR MY COUNTRY is a theatrical presentation of the consequences of socio-economic trauma suffered by people from the oppression of a maladjusted system.
It ponders with regrets on how small we have become and how cheap our choices and conscience are,.It suggests, although very subtly,a quest for an authentic solution on the path of an envisioned journey to uproot whatever that is wrong in our very foundation in 9JA.

This piece of work is not to condemn anybody or cause any trouble what so ever..it's totally the writers assumptions.

FOR E WORDS
When the blind man carries banner, woe to those who follow.

Don't curse the Darkness- put on the light


CHARACTERS
All members of the intellectual group
PROF. ANJONNU
THOMAS
ENGINEER BADEJO
PLATO
CLARK
MUSA
BARRISTER NKECHI

party for alliance Congress people (A.C.P) members
CHIEF ABERUAGBA
DR.ADEJOH
CHIEF LARRY
ALHAJA LADI
COUNCILOR AHMED
COUNCILOR JOE

students of 9JA University
CHICHI
LOUISE
BECKIE
VICKIE
JACKIE
CURTIS
BRAIN BOX

market women
MAMA RISIKAT
MAMA LADIJA

men at palmwine Bar
ALUKO
CORNELIUS
DAUDA

palmwine seller
IYA JIDE

A lone itinerant singer
PAJAHMO

The umpire at the debate between Intellectual Group (I .G) and alliance Congress people (A.C.P)


SCENE 1
Light breaks. revealing a gathering of intellectuals at Prof. Anjonnu's sparsely furnished living room consisting three plain chairs and one long wooding sofa on which most of the visitors are seated. A wall side miniature bookshelf stacked with all manners of books, newspapers and journals protrudes from an angle in the living room. In the same angle, there is an electronic stand having a 14inches T.V and a transistor radio..

Prof. ANJONNU : ( Occupying a vantage point of the living room, pontificates in a manner reminiscent of the speech of the usual eggs head) We have been searching for the elusive WORD all this while. we have not been able to get it. I am very unhappy that the WORD is yet to be found...

THOMAS: (A short and balding elderly man with Indira Ghandi's type of glasses,responds before the professor could finish his talk) I have been perusing the official master plan of our geographical entity close to 48 months.I couldn't put a finger on the location of the WORD....

ENGINEER BADEJO: (A man with a sanguine disposition) I have x-rayed, using the satellite connected computer device,the foundation of 9JA community. The miracle device revealed the original scaffold of every building but refusing to locate the place of the WORD...

MUSA: (An historian with grey hair) I have gone down the historical lane, observing archives, turning over legends,still I am unable to locate the WORD....

PROF ANJONNU: ( Turning to Clark the poet) Did you in your frequent astral musings get connected to the source or even the shadow of the WORD?

CLARKStanding, looking through the window as if by act,he will link some unseen forces. Suddenly,he turns,faces the rest)I have eloped with all the four itinerant winds of 9JA. I have probed the airy intestines of their soul and unearthed the metaphor of their energies. I have queried the oblong alphabet of the beginning,yet the WORD,the object of our search,develops wings and flies away no matter how hard I try to catch it...

PLATOA philosopher, heavily bearded and willowy in stature,talks in voice that sounds guttural) Friends,I have established the premise and validity for this objective mission locating the WORD and I have subjected the quest to the scrutiny of rational thinking, seeking empirical confirmation of its existence but the truth is,up till now,no success has been recorded.the WORD is simply elusive....

PRO ANJONNU: rises up to signifying the end of the meeting...

what WORD are the searching for?
can they ever get the WORD?

to be continued

Nice one centino

Great write up you are indeed a genius