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SCENE ONE
EFX:
BLEATING GOAT, CHIRPING BIRD, BARKING DOG
ETC. SOUND OF SWEEPING
PAPA:
I’m ready o.
MAMA:
So soon?
PAPA:
Yes.
MAMA:
Must it be today? I would have preferred we went to the
farm today. You can go to Abuja tomorrow.
PAPA:
I have to go today. The longer I delay, the longer it takes
for this pension money to be paid.
MAMA:
Na wa o! How many times do they want you to go to
Abuja before this pension money thing is settled?
1
PAPA:
My dear wife, I don’t know o. You need to see the old men
that come to work their money out. Tired, hungry, weak
old men. The last time I went, about six of my fellow
pensioners fainted and died. Only one of them came
around after he was given food.
MAMA:
Food! That means it was hunger that made him faint.
PAPA:
Yes o.
MAMA:
This country eh!
PAPA:
What can we say? What can we do? The rich get richer
and the poor get poorer. You work and at the end of the
month your take-home pay can’t take you home.
MAMA:
And the prices of things keep going higher and higher
every day.2
PAPA:
Not to mention the unstable price of petrol. Maybe at the
park, we’ll be asked to pay more than we paid the last
time I travelled. We don’t have enough to eat but I must
use the little we have to travel to Abuja.
MAMA:
Na wa o! After putting in so much time in serving our
country, this is what you get. No appreciation. No pity. No
compensation. Must we suffer and shed our blood before
the government even gets the hint that we’re human
beings? Can’t you protest?
PAPA:
That’s the worst of all. Who’ll listen to you? Even when
you complain, nobody cares. They just make noise but
nothing is done.
MAMA:
Angela is still preparing. Must she go with you?
PAPA:
If she doesn’t go with me, how do I take care of myself
there? I can’t always cross the road to buy food. Who will
be on the cue for me? She’s still young. She can
3
withstand the heat of the sun more that I can. I don’t
want to faint like those pensioners I told you about.
MAMA:
But that will be extra money. Feeding and transportation.
Shey you said you sleep outside.
PAPA:
Yes. On the corridors.
MAMA:
I think it’s better she goes with you. After all, there’s no
money for her to continue her education. No money for
SSCE. If she goes with you, you can stay in Abuja for as
long as those pension people want.
PAPA:
If they like, five months o, we’ll stay. Kpatakpata, we’ll
start begging.
MAMA:
God forbid! You will not beg.
4
PAPA:
Let’s pray so that our God will go ahead of us and touch
the hearts of the pension people.
MAMA:
What is this girl still doing in the room now? Angela, what
are you still doing in the room now? Your father is waiting
o. Shey you know Abuja is very far from here.
SCENE TWO
Noisy background
KINGSLEY:
Oooooooooooo! You these old men, behave yourselves
now. Just see the way you’re acting. Like children.
PAPA:
5
My son, please, talk to us gently. We’re old enough to be
your father. Some of us are even older than your father.
KINGSLEY:
Mr. Man, did I mention your name? Er? Did I mention
anybody’s name? I don’t know why you won’t respect
yourselves.
PAPA:
Young man, mind your tongue.
KINGSLEY:
Ah ah! Oga, what is your own now? Are you the only
person here? And for your information, this is my office.
PAPA:
And so you should treat us as if we’re pigs?
KINGSLEY:
Oga, when you were in office, didn’t you do more? This is
my time. Moreover, I’m only doing my job. And if you’re
not comfortable, you may go hit your head against that
stone.
PAPA:6
How dare you insult me? I don’t blame you. If the
government had paid me my pension, I wouldn’t be
standing in front of you. Small boy.
KINGSLEY:
Hm! Old age is really a curse.
PAPA:
May you never grow old since you say old age is a
curse.
KINGSLEY:
Mr. Man, are you cursing me? See. Your file will remain on
this table until you come back next time. And for those of
you who met me yesterday, you know what to do for your
file to move fast. Abeg Oya, you, where is your file? Old
man, you over there, I said where is your file?
SCENE THREE
Village setting. 7
Phone rings. Click.
MAMA:
Hello?
POLICE:
Good day. Am I speaking with Mrs. Ambrose Ameh?
MAMA:
Who are you?
POLICE:
I’m Inspector Ade Shola. Is this Mrs. Ambrose Ameh?
MAMA:
Yes? How may I help you?
POLICE:
Do you know any Mr. Ambrose Ameh?
MAMA:
Yes. He’s my husband. What is it?
POLICE:
Where is he now?
MAMA:
8
He travelled with my daughter last week. They should be
on their way to the village by now. What is it? Why are
you asking?
POLICE:
I … I’m … Listen to me, Mrs. Ambrose Ameh, you have to
come to Apex Care General Hospital tomorrow.
MAMA:
Why? What is it? What happened to my husband and
daughter? Are they all right?
POLICE:
You must calm down, please. The said people were
involved in an accident two hours ago.
MAMA:
What?! What do you mean? Are they all right?
POLICE:
I’m really sorry to say this. But madam, you have to come
to the morgue to identify the bodies of your people by
morning tomorrow. You‘ll have to come with …
{Mama only laments out of shock}
SCENE FOUR9
(Morning)
PAULINE:
Darling, you’ve already picked your bag. Are you not
taking breakfast?
KINGSLEY:
No, I don’t want to eat this morning.
PAULINE:
Why? You woke up this morning complaining of hunger.
Now you won’t eat?
KINGSLEY:
I said I don’t want to eat this morning?
PAULINE:
And I ask why?
KINGSLEY:
Who are you to question me about my actions?
PAULINE:
Oo! I’m sorry o. No problem. What about the money for
that wrapper?
10
KINGSLEY:
I don’t have any money for any wrapper.
PAULINE:
What do you mean by that? Every other woman in my
family meeting has bought her own. I’m the only one left.
And I’ve been singing it into your ears for the past three
weeks now.
KINGSLEY:
I’ve told you that I don’t have any money right now.
When I get some, you’ll buy your own wrapper.
PAULINE:
I’m not going to wait for ever o. Do you want people to
laugh at me?
KINGSLEY:
Why won’t people laugh at you when all you do is spend
money on unnecessary things?
PAULINE:
Unnecessary things?
KINGSLEY:
11
Unnecessary things. Everyday I make sure I come back to
this house with money. Do you know how I get it? You
don’t even want to know if I’m spending my salary! But
what do you do? You sit down at home and spend it like
water drawn from a well.
PAULINE:
Is it my fault that I spend money? What do I buy, anyway?
Is it not what will keep me healthy? Is it my fault that I’m
always visiting the hospital? You never allowed me do
family planning. Mary was three months old when I got
pregnant. What did you do?
FLASHBACK EFFECT.
KINGSLEY:
{Heated argument} Pauline, you must abort this
pregnancy.
PAULINE:
No, I won’t. This is my baby and I’m going to have him
whether you like or not. Period.
KINGSLEY:
12
You have to abort it. My colleagues will laugh at me.
Gosh! How can I have two babies in one year?
PAULINE:
And how can you sleep with your wife more than once in
one year?
KINGSLEY:
Listen to me, Pauline. You must abort this thing you’re
carrying.
PAULINE:
Don’t you dare call my baby this thing. How dare you?
You’re concerned about your reputation. Have you
stopped to think about what could happen to me?
KINGSLEY:
Nothing will happen to you. You won’t be the first to
commit an abortion. And you won’t be the last. And if you
choose to have this baby, you’re OYO. O….Y….O. On your
own.
FLASHBACK EFFECT
PAULINE:
13
I aborted it and since then, I’ve not been able to have
another baby.
KINGSLEY:
Is it my fault that you can’t have another baby?
PAULINE:
No. It’s because something happened. Because YOU
pushed me into it. Because God is angry with me for
killing … no … slaughtering my own baby.
KINGSLEY:
It’s enough!
PAULINE:
No, it’s not enough. I spend that money on a monthly
basis because I want to have more children. If you hadn’t
forced me to do it, I would have two, or maybe four,
children now. Kinsley, give me the money I need now or
you’re not leaving this house today.
SCENE FIVE
MAMA:14
{Crying} God, what is this that you have done to me?
How can I survive without my husband? How could you
take two souls from me in one day? What have I done to
deserve this from you?
{Cries bitterly}
There’s no food in the house. The children have been
sent home because they haven’t paid their school fees.
My husband’s farmland has been taken away from me by
his brother. And Reuben can’t go to the university
because there’s no money. He passed his JAMB. God, my
son passed his JAMB after writing it for the third time.
Even the little business I was doing has died down
completely. Where would I get the money to start afresh?
Where? Where? If only my husband hadn’t left me! If only
…
DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES. FOOTSTEPS COME ON
MIC.
REUBEN:
Mama, are you crying? Is it because Christmas is coming
and there’s no money to celebrate it? Is that why you’re
crying?
MAMA:
15
No. I’m not crying. Why would I cry now? Reuben, your
food is in the kitchen.
REUBEN:
Mama, you’ve been crying again. What is it now? Do you
want to die and leave us too? Is it not enough that papa
and …………………. Are no longer with us? What is it now?
MAMA:
Reuben, I’m sorry. It’s just that the problems are so many
I don’t know where to start. Reuben, where are you
going? Reuben!
FOOTSTEPS GO OFF MIC. DOOR OPENS AND
CLOSES.
MAMA:
Ah! God, please, help me.
16
SCENE SIX
KINGSLEY:
This meal was delicious. Who prepared it?
MARY:
I did, dad.
KINGSLEY:
Mary, my Sweety, you did?
PAULINE:
It’s a lie. She only helped me do some things.
MARY:
Mum, it’s not fair. I cooked this meal.
KINGSLEY:
17
Okay, you did, honey. Yes, you said you wanted to tell us
something.
MARY:
Yes. Dad, mum, I … you see… I want you to meet
someone.
KINGSLEY:
My baby’s in love. I can feel it.
MARY:
Dad! Don’t jump the gun, please.
KINGSLEY:
Okay.
PAULINE:
Who’s the lucky guy?
MARY:
He’s name is Reuben. He’s a nice guy. Very caring. His
father is dead but his mother is alive. He has three
younger ones.
KINGSLEY:
18
What does he do for a living?
PAULINE:
Is he rich?
MARY:
Ahm… Well … Not really. But he’s a very bright guy. He
got admission into the university but …
KINGSLEY:
But what?
MARY:
He couldn’t continue his education because there was no
money. But he intends to. He’s trying to get a job now
with his diploma result and he intends to further his
studies later.
KINGSLEY:
God forbid!
MARY:
What?
PAULINE:
God forbid! Mary, how could you ever think that?
19
KINGSLEY:
Mary, how long have you known each other?
MARY:
Four months now.
KINGSLEY:
You will stop seeing that church rat immediately.
MARY:
Dad!
PAULINE:
Yes. If I ever see you with any beggar, I will cut his head
off.
MARY:
Mum, why do you hate him so? You don’t even know him.
KINGSLEY:
I don’t need to know him to know he’s not good for you.
MARY:
Why?
20
KINGSLEY:
Because he’s a pauper. A beggar. A nobody. A riffraff.
PAULINE:
He doesn’t even have a job.
MARY:
Dad, that was why I wanted you to meet him now. You
could connect him with your friends who can get him a
decent job. Please, dad. Mum, please.
KINGSLEY:
No, Mary.
PAULINE:
Never. Ah ah!
KINGSLEY:
My daughter must marry an already established man. A
man who will give her the life that she deserves. You
must not stoop so low, Mary.
MARY:
But dad …
21
KINGSLEY:
That’s final. And don’t ever bring this topic up again.
PAULINE:
Mary, I know what I suffered marrying a man who was
trying to start life from the scratch. You will not go
through the same thing.
KINGSLEY:
Pauline, what do you mean by that?
PAULINE:
Kingsley, you know exactly what I mean. Excuse me.
FOOTSTEPS GOING OFF MIC.
KINGSLEY:
{Going off mic} Pauline, you won’t walk out on me until
you tell me what exactly you meant by that statement.
Come back here.
DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES
MARY:
22
My God! What do I do now? I love Reuben so much I
would rather die than live without him. His mother has
been nice to me. Please God, tell me what to do. I have to
call Reuben.
PHONE BUTTONS BEING PRESSED. DIALING TONE.
CLICK.
REUBEN:
Hello. Mary, how are you? Is the road clear?
MARY:
No. It’s very crooked. I’ll see you at 7.00 O’clock this
evening. I’ll come to your house.
SCENE SEVEN
Loud music. Music under voice.
23
RAMBO:
Reuben, you can’t continue like this. You’ll destroy
yourself.
REUBEN:
Rambo, we’re suffering. My family is dying. We don’t
have anything to eat. My mother used all her savings to
bury my father when he died last year. Since then she’s
not been able to bounce back. My younger ones are out
of school. And worst of all, my only sister is dying in the
hospital. The doctors have refused to treat her because
there’s no money. They want us to deposit money first.
RAMBO:
Then do something. Remember that Christmas is around
the corner.
REUBEN:
Rambo, what do I do. I can’t live to see my family suffer
like this.
RAMBO:
Guy, you see why you must join us? I’ve tried to make
you understand that we love you. We want the best for
you.
24
REUBEN:
My mother would die if she finds out that I’m …
RAMBO:
Then she must not know. My people only know that I work
in the city. Nobody knows what I do for a living. It’s a dent
on your manhood if your people continue to suffer while
you live. Your father would never want that for then, you
know.
REUBEN:
If only they had paid my father his money the way they
pay those in the new pension scheme! My father wouldn’t
be dead. My sister would be alive. And we’d all be in
school. Dam the old pension scheme! Dam it!
RAMBO:
So what do you say to my proposal? Are you in or out?
REUBEN:
When do I meet your friends?
RAMBO:
Good boy!
25
SCENE EIGHT
Hospital
MAMA:
{Crying}
STELLA:
Mama, I’m sorry. I never intended for it to turn out like
this.
MAMA:
But why, Stella? Why?
STELLA:
Mama, I wanted to help. I needed to help. I really wanted
to write my SSCE. And there was no money. What could I
do? All my friends had paid their fees but I hadn’t.
MAMA:
26
Stella, you’ve not told me who did this to you. Who got
you pregnant?
STELLA:
One of my teachers. No, three of them.
MAMA:
Three?
My English, Maths and Literature teachers. Each of them
promised to give me the money I needed. I also wanted
them to tutor me privately in those subjects so I would
pass them in my SSCE. I didn’t want to sit for any exams
the second time.
MAMA:
But during weekends you washed clothes and cleaned the
houses of three families.
STELLA:
How much did they pay me? They only used me because
they knew I was desperate. All those times I said I was
going to work, I didn’t go to them. I went to my teachers’
houses. And the little change I get from my boyfriend is
what I bring home.
27
MAMA:
So you don’t even know who got you pregnant.
STELLA:
No, Mama. And a quack performed the abortion on me.
MAMA:
My God, the God of heaven, will surely punish all those
teachers and that quack doctor. Our children are given to
teachers to train and all some of them do is destroy them
for us. These tears that I shed er, hm, their people, their
loved ones, will shed tears because of them too.
STELLA:
Mama, please, take it easy. Don’t cry.
MAMA:
Hm! The problem now is, how do we get the money to
treat you? The doctor said I should take you out of the
hospital on Friday if we still can’t get the money.
STELLA:
Don’t worry. Reuben said he would come with the money
on Monday. I’ll be fine. You’ll see.
MAMA:28
God, I’ve lost my husband and first daughter. Please,
don’t let anything happen to Stella, I beg You in the name
of your Son.
SCENE NINE
Night. Clanging plates and spoons.
Laughter.
KINGSLEY:
So much food in this house I don’t even know what to do
with it.29
PAULINE:
Just make sure you finish it. Both of you told me you were
very hungry and I prepared so much food. Now you won’t
eat much.
MARY:
Mum, it’s not our fault now. The food took so long to
come. So we drank some juice before it came. Now we
can’t even eat anything.
PAULINE:
Just make sure you finish it.
DOGS BARK OFF MIC.
MARY:
Why is Puffy barking?
KINGSLEY:
Let me check.
DOOR OPENS FORCEFULLY AND SHUTS.
FOOTSTEPS.
RAMBO:
Everybody down.
30
{Confusion}
KINGSLEY:
What do you want? Please, don’t touch us. Take whatever
you want and go.
REUBEN:
Not so fast. You Kingsley, do you recognize me?
KINGSLEY:
No, sir.
REUBEN:
Come on, look at me. Look at my face, stupid man.
KINGSLEY:
My son, I can’t. Please, go to the bedroom on your right,
there are three bundles of one hundred thousand naira
just beside the bed. Take it and go, please.
RAMBO:
Heh girl, your face down.
MARY:
Reuben, please, don’t do this to us. Don’t do this to me.31
REUBEN:
Gosh! Mary, what are you doing here?
MARY:
This is our house. Please, don’t hurt my parents.
RAMBO:
Nonsense! Guy, this girl knows you.
REUBEN:
No, she doesn’t. I don’t know her. She’s only …
RAMBO:
We can’t let her live.
GUNSHOTS. SHOUTS FROM PAULINE AND
KINGSLEY.
REUBEN:
Noooooo! Guy, why did you do that? I didn’t ask you to
shoot her.
RAMBO:
She’s a threat to us.
32
REUBEN:
Kingsley, all this is your fault. You refused to pay my dad
and many other pensioners their monies except they
bribed you. My father and sister are dead because of you.
My younger sister had to sleep with men to make ends
meet. All my siblings are out of school. And now I’m like
this. Struggling to make ends meet. See what you’ve
done to me? See what you’ve done to yourself? Madam,
I’m sorry your daughter is dead.
POLICE SIREN
REUBEN:
Kingsley, you called the police on me? My God! You’re
using your phone. You sent a text! How dare you?
GUNSHOTS.
{Pauline shouts}
POLICE:
This is the Nigeria police. This house is surrounded. You
have no option but to surrender and come out now with
your hands on you heads. Come out now.
RAMBO:
33
My guy, this is the end of the line. See you in hell.
REUBEN:
My mother! My mother! God, Mama!
POLICE:
Come out now. Your hands on your heads. All of you.
34
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