06_the children of the republic

8/2/2019 06_The Children of the Republic

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First Published 2008Copyright Usman Balarabe Aliyu 2008

ISBN 978-978-088-779-7

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproducedor transmitted in any form or by any means, except for use in anyreview, without permission of the Copyright owner.

All performing rights of this play are fully protected, andpermission to perform, except for educational purposes, must beobtained in advance from Usana Publishing Company Limited, atUsana Complex Minna.

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by wayof trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwisecirculated without the publishers prior consent in any form ofbinding or cover other than that in which it is published andwithout a similar condition including this condition being imposedon the subsequent purchaser.

Published & Printed by:Usana Publishing Company Limited,Usana Complex, 39/41 Broadcasting Road,Minna Nigeria.Email: [email protected]


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The Children

Of

The Republic

By

Usman Balarabe Aliyu

Drama Series 02Usana Complex Minna 2008


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Basis for this Play

Somewhere in the republic, there are the children, whose story

is told here. These children always grow unnaturally fast. Theirlife style is always the standard. They are very unconventional inanything.The goal of this story is to portrait the character of one of them, aself-centred man who is concerned only with his own profit at theexpense of others. He is greedy and materialistic, quite miserlybut overindulgent and wasteful. It is to show how he exercisesthese vices and their horrible effects on the society. How does he

do it?He has a wife whom he trains to be mean.He has children whom he teaches to be heartless.He has friends who are like him, wicked.At the end, he makes smooth his path to misery.Always, on a certain unusual day, some stray by-products of thesechildren cause havoc to some of the republican children. Theseintruders always get nothing, it does not matter what they think

they get! They are most likely to regret what they miss, and thatis much, and what they cause, and that too is much.The news of such bad day always reaches the childrens pamperedfamily, the scheming friends, the conniving associates and theabandoned relatives.The friends of convenience always want to grab the assets of thedead. The disillusioned family always searches for the leftovers ofthe dead. The wretched relatives always come to shed tears forthe dead. But, all of them always give up after a while.Finally, among the friends, the family, the associates and therelatives, many do resolve, or are forced, to change their lifestyle,thereafter. Sometime, even the youth decide to change, to begood or to continue to be bad, always.Will the children of the republic ever learn any lesson?

Usman Aliyu 2008


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The playwright:

Usman Aliyu was born of Aliyu Mu'azu, Sarkin Yakin Minna and

Amina Usa, on Wednesday June 17, 1953 in Minna, Niger State.

His Academic quest ran thus:Elementary Education, Minna and Sokoto: 1960-66Secondary Education, Birnin Kebbi: 1967-71Higher School Certificate (HSC) in 1973, SokotoBachelors Degree (BA), (ABU) Kano: 1974-77Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) in 1982, London.

His other engagements were:Co-operatives, Abuja till June, 1972.National Youth Service (NYSC) 1977-78, Lagos.Employment with (NTA) from 1978-84, MinnaFilm Production, Usana Complex Minna 1984-96.Bricks Manufacture, 1997-2006, Minna and Funtua.

His authorial endeavour:Gone missing Adventure series 1Eye for Order Adventure series 2A Widows Dew Adventure series 3Beyond Guilt Adventure series 4Trailing Power Drama PlayThe Children of the Republic Drama Play

Usman Aliyu was a family man with children.


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His epitaph:

Allow me cry God for those who cant cry

Make me be heard for those who cant beLet me die free,Let me not live in chains,I thank you God for allowing me beAll that I had wanted to be

Dedicated to these late:Malam Na boyeGoggo DijeGPAminu Alkalin Anka

Also dedicated to these living:Hamza Na UzoDaso FaraQuddiya

Iiviiviiizingeriioooix


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List of Characters:

AUDU: THE MAN

WIFE: DELUOFFSPRING: JAMBIMANIRLEOLA

FRIENDS: JAMESBALMYKORJI

THE YOUTHS: PETER

TANKOKAYDE

ASSOCIATES: GARBANKOLO

RELATIONS: NAGARIINNO

MEDICS: DOCTORNURSE

PATIENTS: I and IINEIGHBOUR: ANDAMANSPIRITUALIST: ALARAMMA

MALAMAILocations:Alhaji Audus outer and main housePeters RoomHospitalJamess RoomOpen ground

Time Stretch: All within 24 hours: night and day


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ACT ONEScene One

[The scene opens with ALHAJI AUDU, aged sixty, as he rollshis broad back-side around the exotic furniture of a livingroom in a flat at his curtilage. His friend, BALMY, almost asbulky and of similar age, is spread on a sofa. The distantsound of clock bell counts one to seven oclock, evening.]

BALMY: What about these papers? [He lifts some sheets up.]AUDU: [He speaks deeply with short pauses for breath.] I nearlyforgot about them. [Facing Balmy] Write to the secretary, or,better still, see him in person. Let him know how important this isto me.BALMY: What position are you seeking for this fellow?AUDU: A very influential one, of course.BALMY: How much are we advancing for PR?AUDU: Not much, say, a million?BALMY: Thats much on the low side, dont you think?

AUDU: It doesnt matter. [Short pause] I have a friend in theknow.BALMY: Whats your plan, then?AUDU: You know the current governor came on medication card.We invested heavily to get him in. The dividend has been good, sofar. But, his term is nearly up. [Short pause] The guy we arepropping now is likely to lean towards education. It is only naturalthat the man at the education ministry is also ours. Unless that,

we have had it.BALMY: The post will be worth billions at the end.AUDU: Thats the idea. [There is a light tap on the door] Come in.

[A steward walks in with a tray.]

NICHOLAS: Good evening, sir.AUDU: Nicholas, the worlds chef, what have you got there?NICHOLAS: Fried chicken cuisine, sir, in lemonade. [Places the traydown] There is a man outside, sir.

AUDU: What type of man?


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NICHOLAS: One of the neighbours, sir, he insists he wants to seeyou.AUDU: Let him wait. [Short pause] Anyway, call him in.

NICHOLAS: Yes sir. [The steward walks out.]AUDU: [Picking a piece from the tray.] This is Jamess favourite.BALMY: James can eat!AUDU: I cant blame him. [He takes a bite.] One thing I dont playwith is my diet. I real love to eat well, you know.BALMY: Well, what is good in money, if you dont eat right?Voice Over: Salaam Alaikum. [A man enters and stands by thedoor.]

ANDAMAN: Good evening, Alhaji.AUDU: [Intolerantly.] What is it?ANDAMAN: We are neighbours, though you might not know me.AUDU: That is alight. [Dismissively] so, what is the problem?ANDAMAN: Alhaji, we need your help.AUDU: What is it? [Irritatedly.] You can see I am busy.ANDAMAN: Sorry, the other people of the neighbourhood had askedme to see you on their behalf.

AUDU: To see me, [impatiently] what about?ANDAMAN: We are suffering from acute water shortage, wewonderAUDU: Is it possible you are mistaking me for the water manager?ANDAMAN: No, Alhaji, we want you to allow our kids fetch fromyou.AUDU: [Immodestly] that borehole is for my consumption, Malameh, what did you say your name was?ANDAMAN: Andaman.AUDU: Well, Malam, I am not the water board, and I do not think Ican stand your kids destroying my flowers. [Boastfully] these areimported flora; let me tell you, if you do not know. It is also not aconcern of mine where you go for your water, or whatever,understand?ANDAMAN: Yes, I understand, Alhaji. Thank you for your time, and

I am sorry for the inconvenience.


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AUDU: Thats all.[ANDAMAN leaves showing no sign of resentment.]

These people expect me to solve their loads of problems.

BALMY: Its all over.AUDU: You wont believe it, when I arrived here, these peoplerefused to sell to me their land. Now, they are looking for mywater. I guess, before long, they will be after my electricity, sillypeople.BALMY: One can do only what one can. [After a brief pause] Iwonder, sometimes, why we go to this length.AUDU: We go this length to be secure, Balmy. I want to make as

much, enough to insulate my family. [A short pause] Looking back,I knew how hard it was for my parents. We lived under thatchedroofs with widening gaps of missing strands and there was little, ifanything, of anything. [A short pause] Therefore, my friend, I willdo what it takes, anything, anyhow, no matter what, just not toslip into deprivation. Therefore, lets gather what we can; thetime is ripe.BALMY: You are right. However, things are different now. With

what we already have, I dare say, no poverty can touch us, not atall.

[There is a light tap on the door]

AUDU: Come in. [A bulky person enters.] Korji, from where..?KORJI: Home, of course, I have been making that transfer.AUDU: How did it go?KORJI: It wasnt smooth initially; the procedures were rigid.

[He stands by a table browsing at some publication.]

AUDU: Sure, thats my bank. They have very effective firewalls.KORJI: [He turns to face Audu]I managed to push in three hundred.AUDU: What of the rest?KORJI: Ill do that at low traffic.AUDU: Alright.KORJI: I wished this could be done by some young energetic chap!

[His handset rings, he brings it out, looks at it.]

These people keep disturbing me. [He ignores the call.]


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BALMY: They have nothing to do but beg.AUDU: Whats the exchange rate now?KORJI: One ninety.

AUDU: When it drops to two hundred, transfer some back.KORJI: That wont be long, ours is falling fast!AUDU: That is to our advantage, though.KORJI: How is that?AUDU: When the economy is this bad, you just have to bring in fewcurrencies and convert, you then raise huge amount out of that.BALMY: We, of all people, dont need to convert, do we?AUDU: Need? No, but, we may invest.

Korji: In what, manufacturing?AUDU: What? Am I a fool? How much is the rate of return in that?KORJI: Not quite sure, but it takes years, I know.AUDU: Then, why should I bury my money in it?KORJI: Job creation?AUDU: For whom? No. I am concerned with the return, quickreturn.BALMY: It can reduce the crime rate, I think.

AUDU: In what way?BALMY: There are too many bad boys on the street, stealing and...[His handset rings, he brings it out, looks at it and decides not toanswer.] I think I better turn this off.AUDU: What are the police for? [Short pause] Let them jail thethief. Besides, I have enough experience, not quite pleasant on thatKORJI: You mean the confectioneries?AUDU: That is just one of them. I can give you a dozen.KORJI: I thought that was exceptional, just bad luck.AUDU: No, it has nothing to do with luck.KORJI: Why?AUDU: They are all alike, industrialization in this forsaken place.You set up a factory, after much delay. [Short pause] the requiredproduction materials dont come easy. The erratic power supplymaddens you. Red tape by dishonest officials overweighs you. The

labour is inefficient and fraudulent. [Short pause] You have


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difficulty selling; low purchasing power keeps your merchandizeup to the ceiling. [He walks back to the sofa.] When you sell, ifyou are that smart, the payments dont come until you wind-up.

[Short pause] I can give you a million reasons against such idea.BALMY: In what are you investing, then?AUDU: In the banks, its now the money spinner.BALMY: In the banks? Why, while most of the money in there isours!AUDU: We are depositors not the owners. We should acquire them,[short pause] to control the flow of the money.KORJI: [Finding a seat next to BALMY] Let me have a seat?

BALMY: Whos going to borrow? There are too many brokenventures.AUDU: We are not lending, we are exporting.BALMY: Exporting?AUDU: Yes, my friend, we will export foreign currencies.KORJI: This is quite interesting!AUDU: By the way, where is James?KORJI: Most likely on his way.

AUDU: Get him on the phone, please.[There is a knock on the door.]

AUDU: Come in.KORJI: That might be the man.JAMES: [He is the least bulky of the lot.]Good day, your excellences.AUDU: You took your time coming, James.James: Sorry, I have been scouting.AUDU: Please, come round the table gentlemen.

[They move to a table and sit.]

We have some thorny issue to tackle.JAMES: I thought it was over?AUDU: No, someone is holding that one up. But, there are others.KORJI: See his Highness on that one. Hes his in-law, hell oblige.BALMY: His highness is my man, Ill try him.KORJI: Go with a large goro, though. Royalty respects noemptiness!


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BALMY: We have sent him an expensive car lately, you forgot?KORJI: You are kidding; hes a big fat bag with plenty room!AUDU: Now, about this other party, what do we do?

KORJI: Buy their followers off.BALMY: They are fanatics, stuck to their leaders.JAMES: Then, buy their leaders off.BALMY: They are uncompromising, totally.KORJI: Beat them up, then, literary.AUDU: I have mind to do that.BALMY: You dont mean?AUDU: I mean that exactly.

BALMY: That is risky, is it not?AUDU: Not for me. It is easy to arrange it, if you bless it.KORJI: They need some scare, I believe.JAMES: Well, I am for it. Go ahead, get it done.KORJI: I wouldnt mind, at all. Besides, we have the resources forit.BALMY: I am still apprehensive, thats all.AUDU: Trust me, gentlemen.

ALL: Alright.[There a light tap on the door, NICHOLAS enters; he goes toAUDU, and speaks in lowered tone.]

NICHOLAS: Garba is here, sir.AUDU: If we are agreed, you will excuse me then, gentlemen.

[He heads to the other section of the room.]

JAMES: We are leaving, anyway.[The three men head for the door.] Goodnight, well see

tomorrow.AUDU: Alright.

ACT ONEScene two

[Garba walks in, accompanied by three men, each with aheavy silver case. They place the cases down and withdraw

back, some paces. The distant sound of clock bell counts


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one to eight oclock, evening.]

GARBA: Good evening sir, we are through.AUDU: Thats all right. Open them. [He points at the boxes while

addressing the stout fellow.] Let me see it.GARBA: [Signalling to the other three to leave.] Yes, sir.[He flips open the lid of one of the boxes, to reveal neatbanknotes.]Its complete, sir.AUDU: [Nodding and glancing at the other boxes.] Open theothers.GARBA: Yes, sir. [Opening the boxes] Its twenty five million each,

sir.AUDU: Alright, move them there. [Indicating the corner of theroom]

[Garba moves the cases arduously, one at a time.]

AUDU: Thats all right, send in Nkolo on your way out.GARBA: Yes, sir. [He heads for the door.] Goodnight, sir.AUDU: Good night.

[Nkolo enters. AUDU talks to him in a very low voice.]

NKOLO: Goodnight, sir. [He walks out.]AUDU: Goodnight.

[AUDU starts to drag the boxes, one after another, to acorner in a pantry. He goes to a corner lined with six-footer wooden boxes. He pulls one down. He starts totransfer the contents of the silver boxes into it with an airof elation. He pauses intermittently for breath.]

This is rather heavy work![He covers the long box with a white sheet and places aheavy pink blanket over it.]

This should do for now.[He looks very exhausted as he goes back to the sofa.]

ACT ONEScene three

[Somewhere in the shanty quarters of the city, three


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youths are in a sparsely furnished and poorly lit room.Every space is serving for a wardrobe. The distant sound ofclock bell counts one to eight oclock, evening.]

TANKO: [He is aged twenty.] [Sarcastically]You think I want tofinish my life in this poky place?PETER: [He is twenty-five.] What do you want, a palace? [Lifting aplate] You just finished Gari and youre dreamy already!TANKO: No, it is not the Gari, something without even sugar.[Short pause] Honestly, I want a change!PETER: Change? Sure, you can change your dream. Thats what is left.TANKO: In any case, a man must have hope.

PETER: Oh, yah? [Turning to Kayde] Kayde, lead this blind to light.KAYDE: [He is aged twenty-two. He moves closer to TANKO] Listento me, smart. We too have looked for some change. Dont thinkwe are wooden-heads. There is no manual wahala we have nottried here.TANKO: What happened?KAYDE: What do you think happens here?PETER: [Shooting out.] Nothing!

TANKO: Why is that?KAYDE: You see Peter there? [Pointing] He finished university, bigone, and wide one. Beside the cardboard which bore his stupidnamePETER: Kai, dont call me stupid.KAYDE: Not you, Peter, I said your name.PETER: Whatever.KAYDE: Well, you didnt get anything out of the foolish card.

[Going closer to Tanko] You see me here? I did technical, big one,long one, and I have been carrying the silly certificate since theypassed it over.TANKO: What kind of school is big one, long one?KAYDE: [Laughing] Peters university gets every kind of teacher,teaching every kind of thing in every kind of place!TANKO: That is weird.PETER: No, it is not, till you hear that students keep coming back


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to study different subjects again and again!KAYDE: And, my own is long, because you never finish it.TANKO: What!

KAYDE: It is just hard to get in and harder to get out.TANKO: Why?KAYDE: Why? The teachers are always on strike! [Laughing] PeterPETER: Yes.KAYDE: Please, show him you have been to a university.TANKO: Did I tell you I doubt it?KAYDE: No, but you should listen to Peter. He gets big ideas.TANKO: What kind of ideas?

KAYDE: Enough to rule any country, if they give him chance!TANKO: You are not serious.KAYDE: Why?TANKO: You think they call people to rule countries for theirideas?KAYDE: Ah, for what do they call them?TANKO: I dont know, but ideas dont make sense in it.KAYDE: Since you dont know, hear Peter, first. Peter, please give us.

PETER: Fine. Now listen, [He goes closer to TANKO] you thick head.TANKO: All right, Mr. big idea, go on.PETER: You are not paying me for this, so, dont push me.TANKO: Pay you? What I am going to do with your ideas, anyway?KAYDE: I told you, if you become a ruler, you can use them.TANKO: I also told you rulers dont bother about ideas. So if Ibecome a ruler, I wont need any of his ideas!KAYDE: Peter, please leave Tanko alone, just say the ideas.PETER: You guys are hopeless.TANKO: Why do you say that?PETER: You dont know what can get you out of trouble.TANKO: So, what is this precious idea?PETER: Look here, a government is there to regulate work so asnot to waste the resources. [He walks around imitating a lecturer.]It is to direct the citizens to certain works, and that makes them

valuable.


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TANKO: You see me going close to any stupid government?PETER: No, but before you select one to go close to, you need this.TANKO: [Turning to KAYDE] Did he study government?

KAYDE: Theirs was a wide university; they studied everything!PETER: [He brushes off their comments.] Therefore, a reasonablegovernment does not embark on projects that are irrelevant to thework structure of its people. No doubt, citizens are enriched bytheir own work, not by white-elephants.TANKO: So, where do we fit into all this?PETER: In conclusion to this free lecture, I say, the way I see it,you are eternally condemned to permanent joblessness!

TANKO: You guys are just a bunch of pessimists!KAYDE: Whats that pass thing?TANKO: Wet blanket, you blot head, you get no confidence!PETER: Confident or not, unless your father has stolen already,you get no ladder.TANKO: Stolen what?PETER: Anything: money, name, fame, and the way it is, [Shortpause] youre doomed before you were born.

TANKO: Kai, come on, dont give me that crab.PETER: He must have stolen real big even to secure your future.TANKO: My father never stole anything.PETER: Not because he was bishop, Imam or any of those clean titles.KAYDE: He was just weak, I think, or not lucky.TANKO: Kai, why is my father a topic for you?PETER: Because, he made mistake.TANKO: Ah, what mistake?PETER: He bore you without seeing the future.TANKO: Is that his fault? Who sees the future?PETER: Yes, the children of the republic.TANKO: Who are the children of the republic again?PETER: [Bursting into laughter.] You dont know the children ofthe republic? [TANKO nods.] Shame on you.TANKO: Why?

PETER: Because every junk knows them.


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TANKO: Well, I dont.KAYDE: Well, me ma, I dont know, Peter.PETER: Haba, I thought I told you.

KAYDE: No, you never told me.PETER: May be, but you are a forgettable bundle.TANKO: Then, tell it again.PETER: No problem, I will tell you. My father was an oracle man.TANKO: Oracle man, where?PETER: In our village down south. He taught me a lot about them.He said, Peter my son, beware of the children of the republic. Ithought they were the sons and daughters of our wicked neighbour.

TANKO: You had a wicked neighbour?PETER: Yes, the man had one eye, one hand, one ear and one leg!TANKO: That is ghostly. What happened to the rest?PETER: Buried, waiting for him to join them! [He laughs, theothers join in.] Anyway, my father said, no, not that kind. Theseones are worst. They shall come at the end of times.PETER: Now, you know them?TANKO: No, I dont.

PETER: My dad said, no one can figure them out in one sitting.TANKO: Why?PETER: They are chameleons. But, my father had figured themout. They are calorific and greedy, acerbic and selfish, famed andlonely!TANKO: Haba, what kind of people is that?PETER: My oracle father said, you shall know them by theirnature. They are bulky and sulky, stingy and wasteful, fearful andscaring.TANKO: [Addressing Kayde.]You make any sense out of this mixture?KAYDE: I told you, Peter is a riddle man.PETER: Kai, my father was no riddle man, and if you think of himas one, his spectre will haunt you.TANKO: I dont believe that.PETER: You dont have to believe it, but you feel it.

KAYDE: Um, Peter, leave Tanko with his belief, just tell us about


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this your fathers tale.PETER: Ah, are you mad?KAYDE: Why?

PETER: My father was no tale-teller either.KAYDE: All right, whatever he is, continue.PETER: You see, before my father gave upTANKO: Your father is dead?PETER: Yes, I thought I told you that, no? [Tanko shakes his head.]Well, my father died.TANKO: Sorry.PETER: No problem. Every father dies. Anyway, before he passed

away, he called me inside his room. It was a creepy room, I tell you.TANKO: Why?PETER: Too many weird looking items in there: spooky, squeaky,eerie things. Anyway, he asked everyone to leave. Some leftinstantly, because they knew the man never joked.TANKO: Your father never joked?PETER: Never!KADYE: That is wicked.

PETER: Kai, dont abuse my father.KAYDE: No be abuse, man, that one is commendation.PETER: When his ghost visits you, you tell him that.KADYE: Stop it, please, Peter.PETER: All right, but mind your language about the old spirit.KAYDE: May his soul, I guess he gets a soul, may it rest put.PETER: Amen. At any rate, some visitors in the room thought hehad some money, or something to give me, so they tarried. Helooked at them and said, anyone who disobeys a dying man willdie with him.TANKO: [Busting out in laughter] what did they do?PETER: They all scuffled out, nearly jamming at the door. Iwanted to laugh, but my father stared at me, dying man stare,that is. He asked me to move closer to him, and he said what Itell you now is not for sale. I said, not for sale? he said, yes,

and if you sale it, you will die with your legs up and your head


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stuck. I eagerly said, all right.TANKO: How old were you then?PETER: I was jogging to college, then.

KAYDE: Oh Tanko, let him tell us something, please.PETER: So, he told me what I have just told you and more.TANKO: What is that more?PETER: My father said in predictions, some noblemen shallnurture those children with Elizabethan concern. Then, there shallbe clique tumult. From the ashes of the emancipated nobles, menmaddened shall cry, separate. Issuing confusion will cause tosprout, in defiance of scheming restraints, these tripartite

children, bicoloured desperate multitudes. They shall counterthose wilting, the pampered children, whose supremacy shallcome to nought. I wanted to ask a question, but my father justcocked his left eye, and I shivered.TANKO: Why?PETER: Each time he did that, it was like a bullet ready to comeout. You would feel the pain without being hit.KAYDE: Sure, Peter, your dad was wicked.

PETER: Kai, I told you not to curse my father.KAYDE: It was not a curse.PETER: Alright, but my dad was a sweet old man, only that he wasfrightening even to me, sometime.TANKO: Continue with these horrific children, I am sure you dontmind if we curse them that way.PETER: No problem, but watch how you do it.KAYDE: Why, where do you see them here?PETER: They are like crab with many grabbing hands.TANKO: Okay. so what did your father say?

[There is a knock on the door]

KAYDE: Ah, I wonder who that is. Come in, the deliverer.[Nkolo walks in with a parcel in hand.]

Ah, Nkolo, the caretaker!PETER: Eh man, from where?NKOLO: Making delivery, Mr. Peter.


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TANKO: Whose baby?NKOLO: Money! You idiot, you see any woman here?TANKO: Money..?

NKOLO: Yes, the sight of which would drive all of you crazy.PETER: How much was that?NKOLO: Lots of it, over seventy million, fresh from the bank, crisp!PETER, TANKO and KAYDE: [In disbelief] what?[They all move toward NKOLO.]To whom?NKOLO: [Coolly] to that magnet, of course.PETER: [Deflated] you mean to the bank?NKOLO: [Negating by shaking his head]No, to that bull of a man.

PETER: What is it for?NKOLO: It was his, all of it!TANKO: [In disbelief]From where can you get all that kind of money?PETER: From the mother republic, of course. [Addressing NKOLO]Give us some details, man, let us wet our appetite.NKOLO: [Sitting.] The man awarded himself a big contract.TANKO: For what?NKOLO: I

PETER: Does that matter to you?KAYDE: I wonderNKOLO: Actually, it was for generators and drugs to the hospitals.TANKO: It is not his money then, is it?NKOLO: It is, because he wont deliver anything.TANKO: That is strange.NKOLO: The way it goes is this, you raise a memo. You prop up acompany, you award a contract, and you pay all the moneyupfront, of course, to yourself. No work, no wahala!TANKO: Thats all?NKOLO: Thats all, plain and simple.PETER: That is the children for you; I love to hate these guys!KAYDE: Is that your share?NKOLO: This! [Raising the parcel up and shaking it] No!KAYDE: How much you get for all that shuttle then?

NKOLO: Nothing.


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TANKO: Nothing?NKOLO: They dont give anything.KAYDE: We must go see this man for your share.

NKOLO: There is a lot of it there for you too.PETER: What do you mean?NKOLO: Nothing comes for nothing!PETER: Yes.NKOLO: There is work to be done for it.PETER: That sounds prosperous, I want to know more!KAYDE: We all want to know more.PETER: Nkolo, be blessed for this good news. Our day has come.

Arise!

ACT ONEScene Four

[AUDU is facing his two spiritual mentors in the inner sideof the room, as they conduct some inaudible incantations.The distant sound of clock bell counts one to nine oclock,

evening.]ALARAMMA: I have a special prayer for you, Alhaji Audu. With it,counted in millions, you will be stamped out. In every one ofthem, you will be unique. This special prayer of mine isunmatched.MALAM: Your life is in the service of the lord. You are charitable tothe weak and the helpless. No one has the right to the front but you.ALARAMMA: You are a zealous builder of places of worship, and the

caretaker of all, a sponsor of all rituals. Therefore, we must safeguardyou against all enemies. We must cleanse you. We must sanctify you.

AUDU: What is required, Malam, for all this?ALARAMMA: Not much, Alhaji, just the slaughter of nine black cows,seven green rams, five blue chickens, three living eyes and onemosquito nose and one fish tongue. We will need eleven fresh graves,nine white bones and seven ear sockets to confuse your enemies.

AUDU: That is easy, Malam. It should be done, swiftly. [He pulls out

bundles of bank notes which he places in front of them.] Here it is.


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ALARAMMA: We will also include your family in this issue.[There is a knock on the door.]

AUDU: Who is there?

NKOLO: It is me, sir.AUDU: Who?NKOLO: Nkolo, sir.AUDU: Alright, wait for me.

[Audu excuses himself from his mentors. He goes to theother section of the room to meet Nkolo.]

AUDU: And, who are these? [Pointing at Nkolos companions]NKOLO: The men, sir, they are my team mates.

AUDU: All right, let them wait outside. [Nkolo moves closer to Peter.]NKOLO: Hey guys, you hold on for me outside. [The three move out.]AUDU: You know what to do, dont you?NKOLO: Yes, sir.AUDU: You should have no mercy on them. Beat them up hard.Scare the hell out of them. But, make it discreet.NKOLO: Yes sir. I have a very good team; they are professionals.AUDU: There is enough money for all of you, in here.

NKOLO: Thank you, sir.AUDU: Get on with it. You dont come back to me till you finish.

[Nkolo goes out to join the others.]

AUDU: I will teach those rogues a lesson!

ACT ONEScene Five

[Nkolo and his mates are back to their room. The distantsound of clock bell counts one to nine thirty.]

TANKO: I cant do this kind of work, Nkolo.NKOLO: You dont want the money?TANKO: I want the money, of course, but not this way.PETER: You are right, Tanko.NKOLO: Why?PETER: The man has containers of money for doing nothing, and he

wants us to do his duty work, for what?


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KAYDE: What kind man is he, self?NKOLO: He was my fathers neighbour, and also his old mate.PETER: How come he is that stinking rich and your dad is still

stroking?NKOLO: The man studied something foreign financing or moneything. He became a member in some inner committee, or other.Before long, he was altered all through; he turned into a cityfather, grabbing any thing: fleet of cars, array of houses, rows ofwomen and the like.PETER: You mean it was that easy?NKOLO: By cutting corners, you could gather much more.

TANKO: No one checked anyone..?NKOLO: Of course, your conscienceKAYDE: What is that caution?PETER: Knowing the right from the wrong, you dippy.NKOLO: My dad, at one time, raised some doubts; he was hisfriend. But, the man was accustomed to subterfuges, so hecontinued.TANKO: He must be daft!

KAYDE: You call rich man daft?TANKO: Why not, when he gets no head!NKOLO: One day, though, something snapped. He had some heatunder him. Nevertheless, he placed his fate with some oracle man.KAYDE: Was that Peters father?PETER: Kai, dont call my dad here. He never came to this drydesert.NKOLO: The man and his mentor got busy spitting chicken blood.TANKO: What abomination!NKOLO: That was the tip. Soon, it got nastier. He was introducedto disembowelling dead remains, to silence any smouldering cry.KAYDE: That was real wicked.NKOLO: But, the fetish man soon built his trade on raw human flesh.ALL THREE: What?NKOLO: Yes, human flesh, and helpless kids started to pay the bill.

His neighbours built suspicion; they finally fled in fright. He


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acquired their lands and built his city. That was how we too lostour house.TANKO: What of the authorities, then?

NKOLO: He has them in his pocket! The man has grasped so muchmoney, enough to reorder the law. He wrestles away so muchpower, sufficient to break the law. Oga na big government, is hisnickname.PETER: Man. This is incredible!KAYDE: How can you bring this kind man to us, Nkolo, this bad man?NKOLO: We want his money, dont we?TANKO: What would we do with the money of that kind evil man?

NKOLO: There is nothing wrong with the money, if we get it.TANKO: It is still bad, to take money from dead-meat eatingpeople!NKOLO: He does his thing, we do our thing.KAYDE: If he does that, he might end up eating us all, Mr. Peter.NKOLO: What do you mean?KAYDE: The man is no good to anybody or for anything.NKOLO: The man can make us rich; we will be glittering and

fashionable, eating and travelling with bulging pockets full ofmoney.PETER: You want us to kill others for him?NKOLO: No need to kill anyone, just to scare them off.TANKO: What have we got to do with those people, anyway? It ismoney we want. Now, you are planning to do killings?NKOLO: No, all we have to do is to burn the places down.PETER: Initially, you said the man had money for work. Now, youwant us to burn houses for him. I dont like this.

[Everyone scratches head for a solution.]

TANKO: Give up the crazy idea. If this man is a republican child, orwhatever, I dont like anything to do with him or his rottenmoney.PETER: Give up what? [Resolutely] We are not giving anything up. Ifthat money is there, we must get it, children of the republic or not.

NKOLO: We have to go back, then, tonight.


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TANKO: You must be mad!NKOLO: What do you mean?TANKO: I am not killing anybody, I told you.

NKOLO: I told you, we are killing no one. We go back and tell himthat we have done what he wanted, and then we get our payment.PETER: You think he will agree?NKOLO: Why not?TANKO: I told you, the man is daft.KAYDE: Tanko, you still surprise how you call rich man daft.TANKO: He may have money, but the man no get brains, I tell you.KAYDE: Well, I will rather have his money than my stupid brain!

PETER: Well then, lets go get the money for your silly brains!TANKO: Peter, you too are for it?PETER: Yes, but, we need a solid plan.TANKO: I guess you can count me in, then.NKOLO: Alright, [they form a circle] let us do it. We just go, trickthe man, get the money and leave him with his wahala.KAYDE: I sure will like to know how it feels to be rich.NKOLO: That is easy, man. Just follow me.

ACT TWOScene One

[AUDU is with DELU, his wife, an overweight in her midforties. They are seated in the outer house with their

children, Jambi, Manir and Leola. The distant sound ofclock bell counts one to nine thirty, evening.]

DELU: [Stroking Leolas hair] Jambi, take Leola upstairs, Ill meetyou later. [The three kids walk out, sluggishly.]DELU: [After a short pause.] You remember our first meeting,darling?AUDU: Of course, it was at a dance, my promotion party, I think.DELU: That was a recluse place, like those cute places inmagazines.AUDU: You were quite noticeable, I think.


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DELU: Yes, and when you chose me for that dance, I felt elated,really. The other girls were envious, you know. [A short pause]Somehow, that swept my dreams away.

AUDU: But, the marriage..?DELU: Well, it was good, but, I had to leave school, you know.AUDU: I have been a good caretaker since then, have I not?DELU: I supposed so.AUDU: I hope you have no regrets.DELU: I was really apprehensive, initially. But, that waned off as Ibecame fascinated, enjoying every bit of it, really.AUDU: That is great.

DELU: Yes. [A short pause.] Even so, I now have some lurking fear.AUDU: Fear of what?DELU: I dont know.AUDU: Well, dont worry.DELU: What about the future?AUDU: The future?DELU: Yes.AUDU: No problem. I have a big plan for the future.

DELU: You know my friend Sharma?AUDU: Yes.DELU: She was wiped out clean when her husband died.AUDU: How?DELU: His husbands closest friends scrambled away his legacy.They left her scavenging for remnants.AUDU: That wont ever happen to you, my dear. I am not athoughtless spendthrift. [A short pause] Since my last check-up,and the doctors remark, Ive given a lot of attention to makingfirst-rate provisions for you people.DELU: The Doctors remark, what did he say?AUDU: Nothing much, just about my blood high pressure jargons.DELU: Nothing serious, I hope.AUDU: No. But, whatever happens, my friends are the best youcan find anywhere. Youll never be in need of anything. I assure you.

DELU: [VOICE of Leola calling for Delu.] Let me see these kids.


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[She leaves. A brief pause, then a knock on the door]

AUDU: Come in. [NICHOLAS enters with a food tray.]NICHOLAS: Good evening, sir.

AUDU: Nicholas, what is it?NICHOLAS: It is potato puree with fish, sir. [He places the fooddown.] There is a woman outside, sir.AUDU: Woman?NICHOLAS: Yes sir, she insists she must see you.AUDU: What type of woman?NICHOLAS: Elderly sir, she said her name is Hajiya Inno.AUDU: Let her wait. [Short pause] Call her in.

NICHOLAS: Yes sir. [The steward walks out.][Audu measures himself the fish pulp and starts sipping.]

VOICE OVER: Salaam Alaikum. [An elderly woman enters with a babyon her back and a toddler by her side. INNO squats by the door.]

INNO: Good evening Alhaji.AUDU: [With irritation.] What is the problem?INNO: [Diffidently] we came to greet you.AUDU: That is alight. [Dismissingly] Meet Delu.

INNO: Yes Alhaji, [a short pause] we need your help, Alhaji.AUDU: [Irritatedly] What is it again?INNO: We are very hard pressedAUDU: What else? I have paid for your hajj, had I not?INNO: You did, Alhaji, but it isAUDU: What else do you want?INNO: Sorry, AlhajiAUDU: I paid for the wedding of your daughters, recently, have I not?

INNO: You did, Alhaji, butAUDU: I also paid for the schools of your kids, is it not?INNO: Yes, AlhajiAUDU: Then, what else do you want, what else?INNO: We are grateful, Alhaji. It is just that we have nothing to eat.AUDU: Ask your husband to go out and work, instead of lying inbed, yawning and making babies.

INNO: Please, bear with us, Alhaji.


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AUDU: Thats all.INNO: Please, help us, Alhaji.AUDU: Please, go. Dont bother me; I have my affairs to look after.

[INNO leaves totally disappointed. AUDU is exhausted. Hecoughs as he staggers to the sofa while pressing his chest.He is dizzy and gasping for breath as he stumbles outthrough the back door. He trips and falls down. He lapsesinto unconsciousness.]

ACT TWOScene Two

[In a hospital ward, two nurses are knitting and chattingaway in the anteroom. Murmurs of patients can be heard.The distant sound of clock bell counts one to ten oclock,evening. AUDU is rushed in on a gurney]

ANDAMAN: Nurse, hurry up, please, the man is real sick.NURSE: What is wrong with him?ANDAMAN: He is stiff, immobile.NURSE: [Sluggishly] I hope you come with money.

ANDAMAN: What are we paying for?NURSE: His medicine, his bed, his consultation hisANDAMAN: Please, hurry up this is an emergency!NURSE: If you want any treatment, you pay now.ANDAMAN: How much?NURSE: Any reasonable advance.ANDAMAN: Here, start with this.

[The NURSES lifts Audu from the gurney to the floor.]

ANDAMAN: How can you put him on the floor?NURSE: Well, this small amount is just for the floor. Pay all thefees to secure him a bed.ANDAMAN: [Paying] Here.

[They move to a patient, picking him off the bed.]

PATIENT: Hey, what is wrong? Where are you taking me to?NURSE: Here. [They place him down onto the floor.]

PATIENT: But, I have paid for a bed.


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NURSE: His money is bigger. [They walk away.][AUDU is screened, awaiting the Doctor. ANDAMANwithdraws as JAMES and NKOLO walk in ostentatiously.]

JAMES: Hello, old pal [Audus eyes are transfixed.] can you hear me?AUDU: [Not even his lips move. Off stage voice depicts histhoughts.] Of course, I can hear you.KORJI: The guy has a stroke. He is as good as dead.AUDU: [Voice Over.] What a pity, this wish from your friends.JAMES: How do we get the dumb to speak, then?KORJI: He doesnt seem to even hear you.JAMES: All we need from him are those codes?

AUDU: [Voice Over.] Ah, thats all what you people care about?KORJI: He is now just a fat good-for-nothing bag of shit.JAMES: It will be a mess if we dont get those codes, though.KORJI: A mess, no a disaster, really. I have moved out a lot ofmoney for the idiot. Yet, being a stinking miser, all he did was totip me.AUDU: [Voice Over.] You thought I was stupid, eh?JAMES: Audu, if you can hear me

KORJI: I told you he cant hear. He is stone-deaf.JAMES: How are we going to get anything out of him, then?AUDU: [Voice Over.] Be cursed, James, you dishonest rat.JAMES: If he cant hear, I guess his bulging eyes can see. Use yourpen; see if you can extract it out of the idiot.AUDU: [Voice Over.] No way, selfish fellows; I am now more thanconvinced you are a useless pair. Delu was right, then.

[KORJI scribbles something on a piece of paper]

JAMES: What have you written?KORJI: Nod your head to confirm.JAMES: Nod?KORJI: yes.JAMES: He is a piece of wood. [James touches Audu.] He cantmove anything. He cant say anything. He cant even thinkanything!AUDU: [Voice Over.] Curse you, James; if I get out of this, I will


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knock out your head, you cheat.KORJI: Then, the situation is hopeless. There is no way to extractany codes from this fat mummy!

JAMES: If you had not done splits, we had had it![JAMES and KORJI walk out as ANDAMAN enters.]ANDAMAN: Sorry Alhaji Audu, May God give you relief.AUDU: [Voice Over.] Amen, Malam Andaman. What a wreck I havebeen, all this while. The man I had scarcely noticed is now myconsoler. How I wish I can show him my sincere gratitude.

[DELU and Jambi walk in as ANDAMAN walks out.]

DELU: Oh darling. [She embraces Audu.] How do you feel?

AUDU: [Voice Over.] Very bad, very terrible, indeed, Delu.DELU: [Examining him] Talk to me, dear. Say something.JAMBI: Why is he staring up like that, mum? [He moves close to hisfather.] Dad, whats wrong with you?AUDU: [Voice Over.] Oh son, oh Jambi, Im just in a fix.JAMBI: Mum, whats wrong with dad?DELU: I dont know. I really dont know. [She breaks down.]JAMBI: So mum, whats going to happen to us, now?

AUDU: [Voice Over.] I too dont know, Jambi. I have lived such aclustered life, driven by fear of poverty; now, I can see otherthings more important than that. [He lapses into unconsciousness.]

[The family walks out of the screen to meet Audusrelatives prevented from entering the ward. DELU is takenaback, seeing the appearances of these folks.]

NAGARI: [Audus Uncle] Hajiya, this is a very sad event for us!DELU: Yes, it is, Alhaji.

INNO: [Audus Aunt] Oh Hajiya, we pray for his swift upturn.DELU: Amen, Hajiya.COUSINS: Sannu Hajiya.DELU: Sannu. [Delus children just look on quite puzzled.]MANIR: [Whispering to his mother.] Who are these people?DELU: They are your relatives, Manir.JAMBI: Who? These! [Pointing at them disgustingly] no!DELU: These are your dads uncle and aunt, and your cousins.


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JAMBI: [To Manir] do you believe that? These people in rags areour relatives? How come we never met them before?MANIR: I dont know.

JAMBI: They just surfaced up to get some money. Thats whatbeggars do. [He gets hold of Manir.] Come on, lets go.DELU: [A little embarrassed.] Dont mind them, please.[Delu goes after her kids. The relatives look on in dismay.]INNO: They certainly hold low estimate of us all.NAGARI: We are here to greet them; that is all.INNO: We should not have come here at all.NAGARI: He is our nephew, is he not?

INNO: Yes.NAGARI: His kids are ours, are they not?INNO: But, I was there this evening and he was eager to get rid of me.NAGARI: Still, blood is thicker than water, is it not?INNO: That blood with them is thinner, you should know.NAGARI: Who in this town is closest to him than we are?INNO: He has then honoured us for that, has he?NAGARI: We are not their only concern.

INNO: Does that justify our relegation?NAGARI: But, relegation is not negation.INNO: Is it not?NAGARI: The poor has much time with no means. While the richhas much means with no time.INNO: I dont understand this twisty thing.NAGARI: Well, when they visit you, they lose both; but, when youvisit them, you lose none.INNO: I still dont get this thing.NAGARI: Then, tell me, who paid for our trip years back?INNO: Is that all to it?NAGARI: That was much.INNO: The titles of Hajiya and Alhaji...?NAGARI: We have fulfilled our duty to God, is that not?INNO: Would you call that done for God?

NAGARI: How would I know his intent?


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INNO: Still, I have the right now to complain, so I will.[The Doctor comes in, with nurses, to Audus bed.]

DOCTOR: This takes over the functions of the heart and lungs. [He

is explaining to the Nurses] well try to get his blood circulatingagain.NURSE: Yes, Doctor.DOCTOR: We will shunt the blood from the venous system throughthe oxygenator back to the artery circulation.

[Suddenly, the lights go out, the theatre is in darkness.]

NURSE: Trouble, oh.DOCTOR: Everyone should remain where they are, as usual.

NURSE: Yes, Doctor.DOCTOR: Make sure nothing is broken.[The DOCTOR lights his way out with a pen-touch.]

NURSE: Yes, sir.AUDU: [Voice Over.] Why is this life in a body I cant control?Vibrant a while ago, now I am a drift into retarded destiny. Whybe, if at the end, I be not? [Audus breathing is cranking.]ANDAMAN: Please, turn the generators on.

NURSE: We cant.ANDAMAN: Why not?NURSE: That generator has been down since last year, sir.

[AUDU is gasping for breath.]

ANDAMAN: Please, do something, Doctor.NURSE: The Doctor has left.ANDAMAN: Left to where? How could he leave? Please get him back.NURSE: There is nothing we can do without the resuscitator.

ANDAMAN: [Pacing uneasily in the dark.] So, what happens now?NURSE: We wait for the lights.

[AUDU is gasping for breath.]

AUDU: [Voice Over.] Am I in a dream or is this the end, the endwhich man reaches, at the end?

[AUDU gives up a sharp cry of anguish.]

NURSE: [Groping in the dark] Ah, the man has given up!ANDAMAN: What?


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NURSE: He has died.ANDAMAN: You have just killed him!NURSE: Ah, dont blame us, Oga.

ANDAMAN: Whom do I blame, then?NURSE: We are doing our best.ANDAMAN: You people are just careless.NURSE: Dont curse us, oh. We too get heart! We have beencomplaining for years about this generator. No one cared.

[The lights come on. The DOCTOR enters. He examinesAudu and certifies him dead. He turns to ANDAMAN.]

DOCTOR: Its tragic.

ANDAMAN: Thats disastrous!DOCTOR: There was nothing we could have done better in thecurrent circumstance, Malam. We have not seen the standbygenerator ordered for. Even the drugs delivered to us wereexpired. When we said it should be destroyed, this same man justphoned the medical director. No problem they said, and they gotthe harmful drugs into the store. Of course, those who dont knowthis will still blame us.

ANDAMAN: [After a short reflection.] I probably can understandyour predicament now, Doctor.DOCTOR: There were worst moments, let me tell you, when aftermaking incision, we grope in the dark to stitch up a patient. Yourmans is a case of heart attack resultant from obesity.ANDAMAN: This is really sad.DOCTOR: We will release the body to you now.ANDAMAN: To me?

DOCTOR: Yes.ANDAMAN: But, he is, he was just my neighbour.DOCTOR: No a big deal. You brought him here when it wasnecessary.

[Audus body is rolled out from the operating theatre. Themen fall silent, as a sign of respect for the dead.]


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ACT TWOScene Three

[Two men are by AUDUS corpse, at the outer house,conducting the rituals for the dead. The distant sound ofclock bell counts one to eleven oclock, evening.]

MALAM: To think we were here just this evening. Who would havethought that was the last meeting with the great? Bring the waterhere, let us start.MALAM II: Alright.

[He places the bowl by the shoulders of the corpse.]

MALAM: Start with purification [The lower part is cleaned.] Washyour hands. [He washes his.] Hands. [The corpses hands arewashed.] Face. [The bodys face is washed.] Head. [The corpseshead is washed.] Legs. [The legs are washed.] Perfume.MALAM II: How the great are fallen.

[He sprinkles the perfume on the corpse.]

MALAM: The burial cloth, bring the cloth.MALAM II: Here, I hope it is measured right.

MALAM: Well, it is not, apparently.[He tries to cover the body but the sheet is too short.]I thought I told you to ensure correctness.MALAM II: I tried to, but the body was late for the measurement.MALAM: Get a blanket or something. That will suffice tilltomorrow.

[Malam II goes and returns with a pink blanket. They wrapit round the body. There is a light tap on the door]

ALARAMMA: Salaam Alaikum.MALAM II: Wa- Alaikumus salaam.ALARAMMA: [Entering] I can see you have finished, why the hurry?MALAM II: We thought you would not be chanced.ALARAMMA: Why would I not be chanced? Was anyone closer toAlhaji Audu than me? Who has suffered a greater loss in this than me?

MALAM: We are sorry.ALARAMMA: You should have waited for me. I had prepared a

special supplication for his eternal salvation.


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MALAM: We did the great mans prayer for him.ALARAMMA: That was not enough as an exclusive prayer. Anyway, Iam concerned about these bad times; there are night crawlers

seeking sanctified human remains. We must safeguard his grave.MALAM II: We can use a box to put him in for safety. After prayers,people should be prevented from the site, to deter scavengers.ALARAMMA: Now, what is the familys response to this?MALAM: We have not seen any of them yet.ALARAMMA: What of his friends and associates?MALAM: They too have not turned up.ALARAMMA: Be sure you involve them in this. Saddened by this

event, they are likely to be forgettable of our precious due.MALAM: I will send to them a reminder.

ACT TWOScene Four

[JAMES, BALMY and KORJI are in Jamess living room.It is elaborately furnished. The distant sound of clock

bell counts one to eleven oclock, evening.]JAMES: Those memorable moments are now gone.KORJI: It is shocking to die just like that. Audu was a dear friend.BALMY: To think we were together just this night.KORJI: I suggest we say a fitting prayer for him, before anybusiness.JAMES: What kind of prayer is it, Muslim or Christian or any other?KORJI: What difference does it make? The man is deadJAMES: Even the dead need their own prayers, I suppose.KORJI: He had no leaning before. What religion do we give him now?BALMY: If anything, money was his religion, if you ask me.KORJI: Well then, why stick him with a tag now?BALMY: I wonder. Prayer is a prayer. I would suggest everyone saystheir own within; we probably nurse competing interests, in this.JAMES: Whats yours, houses, money or the dame?

KORJI: For what I know, hell go for all of them.


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BALMY: That would be quite selfish of me. What about you, Jamey?JAMES: [After a pause.] You mean beside the money? I like the karats.BALMY: What about you? [Turning to KORJI]

KORJI: Same story, but include the raw diamonds.JAMES: Balmy can have the brood, and I go for the houses.KORJI: Which of them?JAMES: The one by the river and the duplets by the lake.KORJI: No objection. Ill take the Toronto Account.BALMY: Thats filled to brim.KORJI: No, it is not. The last entry was two twenty million.BALMY: The Dubai Account will be mine, then.

JAMES: What was the last deposit?KORJI: Not too sure, but its above one fifty million.JAMES: Fair enough, the Paris Account has one ninety, Ill take it.BALMY: It seems to me the dame is too costly. Who wants her?KORJI: Take her, she needs a caretaker.BALMY: Its a big liability, with three brats.JAMES: Do that for a dead friend; accompany the burden with Tokyo.BALMY: When last did we lodge anything there?

KORJI: The last airport contract, by the Japanese.BALMY: How much was trimmed?JAMES: One hundred million upfront, I lodged it via Kuala Lumpur.BALMY: That is settled.JAMES: Not quite.BALMY: What else?JAMES: What of those other coded accounts: Swiss on call,Barclays Short term, Caribbean Deposits and Brunei Quick Call,and the others?BALMY: Thats Korjis sphere.KORJI: [Shaking his head.] Unfortunately, he restricted access.BALMY: You mean you dont have the codes?KORJI: Not a single one of them.BALMY: Kai, those are the juicy part of the lot.JAMES: Im sure we can find them at his place.

KORJI: Which of the places? He has too many hideouts, you know.


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JAMES: He spends most of his time at the outer house. Bydeduction, he would keep them near by. Therefore, we go therefirst to check.

KORJI: When?BALMY: Now, of course. Otherwise, the place will be swarmed.

ACT TWOScene Five

[JAMBI and MANIR are upstairs. The distant sound orclock bell counts one to eleven oclock, evening.]

JAMBI: Come here [His junior goes to him] Sit down.MANIR: Whats it?JAMBI: Tell me, what kind of person you think dad was?MANIR: Cool.JAMBI: What do you mean cool?MANIR: Well, I like him.JAMBI: Everybody liked him, stupid.MANIR: What do you mean, then?

JAMBI: If its an exam, is that what youre going to write?MANIR: Ill know what to write, if they ask me. They wont comehere to find out, will they?JAMBI: Seems to me you dont know anything about him.MANIR: Well, it seems no one knows anything about dad, at all.JAMBI: Why?MANIR: Course, he wasnt around most of the time.JAMBI: Well, I do, and I can write a book on him, if I want to.MANIR: Oh yah, I bet that book will be blank.JAMBI: Well, listen to me, boy, I spent some time with dad, duringour last trip. He came to my room, next to his in the chalet at theNiagara resort. He was cheerful, that day. [JAMBI stands up todemonstrate.] He said, Jambi, you know what wealth is? I saidno, dad.MANIR: You dont know what wealth is?

JAMBI: Course, I knew, you daft!


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MANIR: Why did you lie, then?JAMBI: It wasnt a lie, just to hear what he has got to say.MANIR: That was still a lie, plain and square.

JAMBI: You want to hear this, or not?MANIR: Course, but make sure its straight, this time.JAMBI: Anyway, [JAMBI demonstrates.] he stared at the falls,whose waters dropped like a tablecloth blurred by steam, andsaid, wealth is like a periscope. [A short pause] It gives youcapacity. You know more, you do more. I said yes, dad. It wasrare for dad to be that close. I didnt want him to stop. You mustexplore your talents and develop them, he said. At the end, you

are responsible for yourself. [A short pause] I became thoughtful,dad never visited sites like this, waste of time he called them.He preferred the concrete banks of busy streets. Was he tellingme all this because I forced him, literary, to be here? I watchedthe bottomless drop of the torrent. I felt overwhelmed andrealized my smallness. I thought that was what he wanted me tofeel. I said the water makes me feel small, dad. He said, small?No, it should make you feel strong. It should stir you to greatness.

See the endless capacity you can tap. Size the challenge in frontof you. Seize the opportunity available, and turn everything toyour advantage. That is what life is all about, not smallness.MANIR: That was quite smart of dad.JAMBI: Yes, too smart, I couldnt make sense of it then.MANIR: Now, you do?JAMBI: Somehow. He later told me how poor his parents were.There was little, if anything, to eat. [A short pause] We werefrom Toronto, then, to New York. He said we ate scraps of thebottom of the pots.MANIR: Come on, how can anyone live on that?JAMBI: Dad said they did.MANIR: It was a yarn, was it not?JAMBI: He didnt have to. Hard times, he said, every one trekked.MANIR: No taxis?

JAMBI: None, there were nothing but donkeys and camels!


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MANIR: Thats quite a time. It feels great we were not there. JAMBI: Their medicine was cow shit, bug maggots and lizards.MANIR: How disgusting! Please stop it.

JAMBI: I nearly threw up, yet he continued, we were shoe-less,lice-infested and scantly clothed. [A short pause] He said, weslept in crowds on loose earth-floors with shred from salt sacks forbedcover.MANIR: Please, stop it.JAMBI: Why?MANIR: You are making me sick.JAMBI: So was I. He continued to say worse things till I screamed.

You're making me sick, dad. He looked at me and said, well, bealert. No matter what, dont slip into poverty. I noddedagreement.MANIR: Why would he say that?JAMBI: I didnt know thenMANIR: Until when?JAMBI: Later, at the Grand Canyon, looking down the seeminglyendless drop, he said, poverty is like a pit, you drop in easy and

fast, but climbing out requires more than good luck, you needmore effort.MANIR: Thats scary.JAMBI: Yes, it was. He said, holding my hand and staring into myface [JAMBI demonstrates.] dont you ever go near that pit, lestyou fall in! I just looked on shaken. Do you understand? Yesdad, I said.MANIR: And, now dad is dead, what's the you like what he told you?JAMBI: Not quite actually.MANIR: What do you mean?JAMBI: I think its his advice. Its kind of, difficult.MANIR: Why?JAMBI: Its like seeing the world as utensils only, as if nothing elsemattered. [A short pause] Sometime, I wondered if we were notmissing something. I dont know what that is, but it feels like a void.

MANIR: Is it his death?


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JAMBI: May be, may be not, I am not so sure, really. [After a littlereflective pause] There is this chap in my class. He has richparents like ours, but he doesnt seem to care. Hes more

concerned with an idea, of a kind of life beyond or something.[DELU walks in. He stands up to face his mother.] So mom, whatsgoing to happen now?DELU: I dont know yet, Jambi, but well manage somehow.JAMBI: How about our schooling?DELU: Well think of something. Your dad has not left me anymoney. He used to say money was a danger in the house, with allthese jobless kids roaming about. He always said we didnt have to worry.

JAMBI: Who's going to pay for our air tickets, then?DELU: I have no idea of your passage, now.JAMBI: We are behind this semester, you know.DELU: Yes, Jambi, but your father has just passed away this night.JAMBI: The more reason for us to know. He always said, [JAMBIdemonstrates] be certain of your tomorrow. Therefore, wellransack this place until we are sure. [They start searching the room.]JAMBI: I am sure dad has lots of money abroad. Those flats at

Kensington and Palm Beach dont come cheap. [He pauses and turnsto face his mother.] What is his account number in Europe, mom?DELU: [Shaking her head] I have no idea, Jambi.JAMBI: How about the BCI or BC something, in Vegas?DELU: Nothing.JAMBI: How can you say nothing? You were always up in the air,weekdays, London, Paris or Zurich, weekends, Tokyo or Munich?DELU: I wasnt the one paying for all that.JAMBI: It matters not to us who did it.DELU: Your father has just died, why is your mind set on hisaccounts?JAMBI: I know mom, and I am sad. But weve got a plane to catch.DELU: Share your preoccupation; there is time also for the dead.JAMBI: Dad has had his share. We, the living, must have our fare.You said, dad was secretive, so lets open now what he had

hidden.


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DELU: He still deserves more from his heir.JAMBI: Alright, Ill stop. But assure me of our passage.DELU: Well somehow find a way to get you there.

JAMBI: I just want to be this sure. If Europes is untouchable, wego Far East, via Manila. [DELU shakes negative] or by Dubai?MANIR: How about Azores or Bahamas? I saw him make depositsthere.DELU: Do you know any of those numbers?MANIR: No.JAMBI: How can he know, someone in a cot? Yet, you on futonpretend not to know?

DELU: Look, I have no numbers of any accounts, whether inLondon, Paris or anywhere.JAMBI: Thats not possible. Youve enjoyed your time fully. Howcan you say there is none left for us here? [He breaks into light sobs.]DELU: Listen to me young man; your father was generous, that Iknow. But he was not the best of any company. He was secretiveand exclusive, with lips as tight as his closets.JAMBI: Well sell any saleable; no stopping now that hes late.

DELU: Just take it easy, Jambi. We may have an opening by hismates. They are with those numbers, I am sure.

ACT THREEScene One

[JAMES, BALMY and KORJI are at Audus house. The clockbell counts one to eleven thirty oclock, evening.]

JAMES: Where do you normally keep the books, Balmy?BALMY: Dont ask me, because I dont know.JAMES: You dont know?BALMY: Of course, you know him; he was quite enigmatic.JAMES: I wish we had asked for the documents this evening.BALMY: How would we know he would park up, just like that?JAMES: Well, I didnt and now he is dead, lets search every nook.

[They shift drawers, and KORJI kicks something.]


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KORJI: Ah! What the devil is this?JAMES: Where? [They come close together.]ALL: Its the body, the dead body.

BALMY: This is bad, lets go.JAMES: Come on, dead bodies dont bite, do they. Just pull thatbox there. Lets shove him in.BALMY: You want to put him in a box?JAMES: Whats wrong with that? Box him in and cover it. He wontdisturb us, will he?KORJI: I guess not. [They drag in a long wooden box.]BALMY: Put some papers under.

JAMES: You think dead bodies need cushion or what?[They shove some papers into the box, and then squeezeAudus body in. They cover it with a blanket. As theysearch, they inadvertently drop papers all around.]

JAMES: Its like this guy had ditched us, really.KORJI: Might be he kept those codes in the main house.BALMY: Most likely, for this place does not look secure even to me.KORJI: We meet his wife then, tomorrow. I dont feel comfortable

hiking this place with the guy lying there, wood-like.BALMY: Thats fine with me, what do you suggest, Jamey?JAMES: Cover the box. [He places a lid on top] Lets go.

[They switch off the lights and move out.]

ACT THREEScene Two

[Nkolo, Peter, Tanko and Kayde walk to Audus door. Nkoloknocks lightly. There is no answer. The distant sound ofclock bell counts one to twelve, midnight.]

TANKO: Its late. Lets go back.KAYDE: Nkolo, where is the man?NKOLO: I dont know.PETER: You said the man has money; all we have to do is trick him.NKOLO: Yes.

KAYDE: If ever there is any money?


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NKOLO: Of course there is money, lots of it, I told you. Wedelivered it this evening, and it is in here.PETER: So, what do we do, now?

TANKO: Lets just withdraw quietly home.NKOLO: What?TANKO: We should go back.NKOLO: What are you afraid of?KAYDE: Any dog in this house?NKOLO: I cant say.PETER: The man is not a Christian, is he?NKOLO: No.

PETER: Then, he cant keep dogs.NKOLO: Who told you that?PETER: Tanko.NKOLO: Thats a lie.TANKO: Its true. Muslims dont keep dogs.NKOLO: Its the poor Muslims who dont keep dogs.PETER: Muslim dogs or Christian dogs that is not the issue now.When they gather that money they dont ask its religion.

NKOLO: What's more, these people dont care about any religion.This Audu is like you, beside the name nothing is Moslem aboutyou two. So is that Balmy his friend. James is like Peter here, hecant tell where church door is, self. And, that Korji, I think theman is animist.KAYDE: What is animist?NKOLO: People like you.KAYDE: What do you mean?NKOLO: Those who worship cats and bird feathers.KAYDE: Who told you I worship cats?NKOLO: You dont go to church, you dont go to mosque, so whatis it you worship?KAYDE: Is that your problem?PETER: Stop it you two. Our concern now is to get this republicanmoney. You can worship what you want to worship after youve

got it.


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KAYDE: That is true, Mr. Peter.NKOLO: In any case, we neutralize any dog that comes here.KAYDE: What's neutral or whatever?

NKOLO: Disarm, you dumb.KAYDE: You are fond of speaking big.NKOLO: You have got any problem with that?TANKO: Come on, please, dont play cats and dogs.PETER: How about the security men?NKOLO: There are two at that gate there. They dont come here.KAYDE: You said the money is heavy?NKOLO: Yes.

KAYDE: Lets go look for wheelbarrows, then.NKOLO: What! You think this is a construction site?PETER: Heavy or not, we pick it and cart it away. Any question?TANKO: How about if we are caught?KAYDE: Curse you!TANKO: Why?KAYDE: Why do you bring bad luck here?TANKO: Who is bringing bad luck?

KAYDE: You.TANKO: I thought we were discussing all angles?KAYDE: Why do you favour the prison pitch?NKOLO: Hes right. We must plan for the contingencies.KAYDE: What is that, again?NKOLO: The unexpected. Hey, whats wrong with you?KAYDE: Well, no body is napkin me, I swear.PETER: We go with one name. No one reveals the other, agreed?ALL: Agreed! [They place their palms together.]

[They walk back to the door, open it slightly and sneak in.They hesitantly search the rooms, initially, as they findmuch paper and books on the floor. They move into acloset and one of them kicks something metallic. He lifts itup. It is empty. He hands it over to someone behind him.He lifts another that too is empty. Then, he lifts the third,which he passes to that same person. Finally, he feels a

large long box. He lifts the lid and grubs hurriedly inside,


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feeling some papers. He signals to the others to come.They lift the box up to their heads and sneak out, quietly.]

ACT THREEScene Three

[The four walk into Peters room carrying the long box. Thedistant sound of clock bell counts one, morning.]

NKOLO: I told you, there was a fortune waiting for us.PETER: Call it a treasure, man!KAYDE: [Jumping about] From now on, my life is changed, forever.I feel cool, I feel republican, already!TANKO: I cant believe my luck. To think I had nothing thismorning!PETER: I nearly thought we had botched it, though.TANKO: I too, with those empty boxes you were passing over to me!NKOLO: The man was smart, you know. Money in wooden-box?KAYDE: What about all those people?NKOLO: Which people?

KAYDE: Those almajiris around the other house!TANKO: Yes, they gave me a scare at a time.KAYDE: You said there were only two guards?NKOLO: I dont know, but they were not there initially, were they?TANKO: They gather almajiris to ask God for something.PETER: [Gulping cool drink] Leave the almajiris alone. Lets settledown for what concerns us here.KAYDE: Boy, I have to get a car now, now.

TANKO: You wait till you see me, transformed, [acting as if in newgarment] in new gowns, new shoes, and new fancy hats!KAYDE: I will beat you to that. I need change, completely: a car, ahouse, a wife. God knows what else!PETER: If only you people can hear me!KAYDE and TANKO: Sure, chief!KAYDE: Go on, chief planner, your oracle father was right.I doff my cap for you and for your dead father, self.


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PETER: What are we to do now, with all this money?KAYDE: Divide it, of course.TANKO: Share it up and start spending.

NKOLO: [Very thoughtfully and emphatic.] We cant do that.KAYDE: [Amazed] Why not?NKOLO: Its too soon.TANKO: What do you mean too soon? You think it is our pension? PETER: [Thoughtfully] Nkolo has a point.TANKO: What point?NKOLO: They will be looking for it.KAYDE: Who will be looking?

NKOLO: What is wrong with you? Who do you think look forthieves?TANKO: Kai, why are you calling us thieves?PETER: What do you think you arethe police?KAYDE: All right, so you think theyll knock on our door?NKOLO: No.KAYDE: Then, what?NKOLO: The notes are new; they can trace them back to us.

KAYDE: You mean the man will report to the police?NKOLO: What do you think hell do; allow you go with his money?KAYDE: If they asked him, where he got all that money? Whatwould he tell them?PETER: Is that your problem, how they interrogate him?KAYDE: I will like to see him behind counter explaining that.NKOLO: Your trouble starts when they ask you how you got money.Besides, the police dont ask rich people questions.TANKO: Why not?NKOLO: Rich people dont look suspicious, you idiot!TANKO: So, with all these threats from you, what do we do?PETER: I suggest we hide the money.KAYDE: Hide?TANKO: Hide what, where?KAYDE: For how long?

NKOLO: Long enough to lose the trail.


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TANKO: Whose trail?NKOLO: Ours, you daft!KAYDE: Kai, you think we smell, or what?

NKOLO: Look, stealing is stealing. Thieves no be tribe, it is an act.You steal, you leave trail. They follow it, they catch you, easy.TANKO: I dont like the way you talk, Nkolo. You make me sick.KAYDE: I too, [disappointedly] so how long do we wait?PETER: Say, a month or so.KAYDE: What, a month..?NKOLO: That is right.TANKO: I say Peter is like a magician; now you get him, now you

dont. Well die waiting for a month.PETER: No, we wont. After all, you have been waiting since birth.KAYDE: Waiting without money, that is not nice.NKOLO: I will get us some loan.KAYDE: It better be a fat one then.TANKO: It is all absurd, sitting on millions yet living on loans!NKOLO: What is odd is being in jail without any money.PETER: I suggest we wait till morning; we count it and then repack it.

ACT THREEScene Four

[In the morning, people gather in front of Audus house forthe funeral. ANDAMAN passes by James, Korji and Balmy,he gives them an unfussy salute to which they do notbother to response. The distant sound of clock bell counts

one to eight oclock, morning.]JAMES: [To Balmy.] Have you contacted the woman yet?BALMY: Yes, but casually, it was rowdy in there.JAMES: Get those numbers fast; its bad to lose those accounts.KORJI: Its your first trial, how you handle the woman and her babies.BALMY: Wait a minute. The kids werent part of the deal.KORJI: Of course, they are!BALMY: I have a second thought, then. How about James?


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JAMES: I am a Christian.BALMY: You are a Christian now, eh? When last did you pass by anychurch, let alone to think of being in it?

KORJI: Must be too many years to remember.JAMES: Come on, Im represented by my donations. You think thateccentric priest would let me go free?BALMY: All the same, you can take care of them.JAMES: That boy, the senior one, is dislikeable. I cant stand him[Reflectively] Look here, take their mother, take them. Handthem over to their beggarly relatives. Thats all. Give them somemoney, theyll be more than happy to nurse them.

[GARBA approaches them.]GARBA: Good day, sir, sorry, may his soul rest in peace.BALMY: Sure.JAMES: What happened in this last deal, Garba?GARBA: Nothing unusual, sir, and we made the delivery as always.BALMY: Can you remember anything being amiss?GARBA: No sir, he collected the boxes and we left. I learnt he diedof a heart attack, nothing violent, sir.

JAMES: All right.[GARBA takes his cue and walks away.]

KORJI: I should have asked the fellowJAMES: About the accounts?KORJI: No, on their delivery, last night.BALMY: Its true. Was it in that room, when we searched theplace?JAMES: No, I doubt if he would leave it there.

BALMY: How much was it, anyway?KORJI: About a hundred million, or so.JAMES: May be the guy exhausted himself to death trying to hide it.BALMY: Come on, that wasnt worth it.KORJI: Well, what are we waiting for now?BALMY: The funeral prayer, of course.KORJI: How do we fit into it?BALMY: Just stand as others stand; nod as others nod.


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KORJI: You say your prayers, what am I to say?BALMY: Murmur as others do, thats all.KORJI: Even though we are not Muslims?

JAMES: They dont take census in here. I have been to quite a few,nothing complicated. None of those guys ever bothered to pray whilethey breathed, I wonder why others pray for them at all, at death!

BALMY: You would be surprised to hear that Audus grandpa was asheik or something, but there was nothing Muslim about thegrandson!

[A long rectangular box, covered with a pink blanket, islaid out, to the left. People move in to form long linesbehind the box. To the right of stage, JAMBI and MANIR areat the front of the house with their mother.]

JAMBI: Leave us alone, mom, we are not going.DELU: You are not praying for your father?JAMBI: Dont make a fuss, mom. Daddy never prayed before!DELU: Cant you see the people are praying?JAMBI: That is their choice. Besides, what do you want me to say?DELU: Anything you want, but pray.

JAMBI: You want us to say we miss him or what?DELU: Your father was very affectionate to you, Jambi.JAMBI: Much of that was to his image, mom.DELU: Dont say that.JAMBI: We were just part of his possessions, I guess. And now thathe has left us, I feel totally betrayed.DELU: Go on, go to the prayers, and say a farewell to your dad.

[She walks away into the house with Leola. The boys

remain still. The prayer is finished, and the people start todisperse. The box is carried high up to be buried by somepeople. James, Korji and Balmy walk to the entrance of themain house.]

JAMES: Lets see the woman to sort things up as quickly aspossible.

[They beckon to the boys, JAMBI and MANIR]

JAMBI: Good morning, sir.

JAMES: Get your mother.


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JAMBI: Manir [sending him] go get mom.JAMES: How is your schooling going?JAMBI: Not too good, sir. Now, we arent even sure.

JAMES: Why is that?JAMBI: Were not sure of the financing, sir. Mom is looking fordads account details. We wonder whether you have them.JAMES: Did your father tell you we have them?JAMBI: No sir, we are just hopingJAMES: We dont converse such matters with boys. [A little cross]Just get your mother for us. [JAMBI walks away.] You heard whatthe boy was saying? [BALMY and KORJI complete the triad.]

KORJI: That seems to spell trouble, man.BALMY: Big trouble!KORJI: Its like the guy has popped off to ruin us all. [He brings outa cell phone to do some calculations.] Lets see. It looks like weare in for a big shock: Swiss, account on call, 350 million Euros,Short term Account 250 million dollars, Long term 550 millionEuros, Caribbean Deposits 650 million dollars, Brunei Quick Call150 trillion yen.

BALMY: How much is that?KORJI: A minute, [A short pause] this daft has robbed us of nearlyone and a half billion dollars!JAMES: What?

[DELU comes out. She stays while the men are busy withtheir calculations. She waits, but they do not turn to her oreven noticed her.]

KORJI: You heard it! He has made the white men his inheritors, idiot!

JAMES: To think we have worked hard for this money. He has justburied himself with it. [A short pause] What a lousy fat fool!

[MANIR stays behind his mother, at a little distance.]

KORJI: He was a stinking secretive junk!JAMES: To hell with him [A pause] fat for nothing idiot!BALMY: Come on, lets go. Ive nothing to do with his lousy jenny.

[They walk away as DELU gives out a wail.]

MANIR: Come in, mom. [The boy leads her away.]


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ACT THREEScene Five

[JAMBI is very cross as he pulls out drawer after drawerfrom cabinets, tables and closets. Each time he brings outa paper, he pauses to examine the content, each timeregistering disappointment. The distant sound of clock bellcounts one to nine oclock, morning.]

JAMBI: How can you be so callous, dad? [He continues] Why?DELU: [Now, with interest in the search.] Have you foundanything?JAMBI: No.DELU: What are all these papers for?JAMBI: Just on contracts or something. Nothing on banking.DELU: Keep looking, we might be lucky.JAMBI: Help me check the top lockers, mom. [A short pause] Manir.MANIR: [Off stage] Coming.JAMBI: Go upstairs, look in all drawers. Bring down anythingcheque.

MANIR: All right.JAMBI: Our air ticket depends on it, so search well. [To hismother] Any luck, mom..?DELU: No, it might take some time. I used to think that my lifewas secure. It never occurred to me it would fizzle out, just likethat.JAMBI: I too thought dad was great, so eminent that we wouldnever go poor, never had to need anything or anybody.

DELU: I remember when things went sluggish, that was long beforeyou were born. Your father was consolable. He used to say he hadfriends, good friends who would care, always.JAMBI: Our dad said he had good friends?DELU: Yes, even yesterday, he said so, with so much confidence.JAMBI: Is that Jamey among them?DELU: Very much so, James was his closest friend, most trusted.JAMBI: I wouldnt call those devils friends let alone good ones. Dad


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must be nave to keep them close company.DELU: They were his long time colleagues andJAMBI: I am sure they know where dads accounts are, and they

are just eager to claim them. [After a pause] Did you ask themabout the numbers, mom?DELU: No.JAMBI: No?DELU: There was no need.JAMBI: No need, why mom?DELU: That is not what I meant. [A short pause] they were veryinsulting, yet hoping to get the numbers from me.

JAMBI: But, I told them we havent got them.DELU: That was why they turned nasty. They dont need usanymore.JAMBI: These people are all the same. They believe in nothing butthemselves. [Philosophically] When they need you, you arepampered; after usage, they repulse you. [He stops searching. Hemoves close to his mother.] Come on, mom, it doesnt matteranymore. Manir [He calls out. MANIR responds off stage.] Leave it.

Come down.[DELU calmly submits, but she is bewildered.]

MANIR: Have you found it?JAMBI: No.MANIR: Why did you call me back then?JAMBI: Because, its not here and well never find it.MANIR: How do you know that?JAMBI: Premonition or something! Poor dad, he must have beenburied with his secrets!DELU: What are we going to do then?JAMBI: We will endure, mom.MANIR: What about our air tickets?JAMBI: We dont need any ticket.MANIR: What?JAMBI: We are going no where.

MANIR: What about school?


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JAMBI: Well school here.MANIR: Here?JAMBI: Yes, here! Just like all the rest of our people.

MANIR: How?JAMBI: Dad did his schooling here, is that not?MANIR: yes.JAMBI: If he was successful here, so will we be!MANIR: You are sure?JAMBI: Quite positive! [Short pause] Im sure, much more than Ihad ever been before. Dad thought we wouldnt be great if westudied here, but well be. [A short pause] Besides, how would it

be if we qualified, came back and found this place bare, with noequally qualified colleagues, with no facilities or amenities or anyappropriate atmosphere? Our disillusionment would be suicidal; wewouldnt be able to stand it. So, we will manage as everyone doesaround here.DELU: [She breaks down into light sobs which broaden,] Oh God,forgive us our mistakes.JAMBI and MANIR: Amen.

[Leola joins her senior brothers and mother.]DELU: Oh God, bless my children with your light.JAMBI, MANIR and LEOLA: Amen.DELU: Oh God, the merciful, the lord of heavens and earth,protect us with your might. You are the owner of all wealth;provide us sustenance, clean and pure.JAMBI, MANIR and LEOLA: Amen.

[DELU forms a cosy nest for her children.]

ACT THREEScene Six

[Meanwhile, NKOLO, KAYDE and TANKO are dragging thelarge long box to the centre of the room. The distant soundof clock bell counts one to nine oclock, morning.]

KAYDE: This box is heavy.


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NKOLO: Seventy five million is no lightweight!KAYDE: I itch to see what million looks like. Open it up.PETER: Push it here. [He sits on the bed, opening his legs wide open.]

TANKO: Dont we need a prayer?PETER: What do you want a prayer for?NKOLO: Whatever you ever prayed for is here in front of you. Whatare you going to ask for again?KAYDE: How do these people feel, with these lots of money?NKOLO: Nothing! They are habituated, man.KAYDE: No wonder they walk steep-necked.PETER: Push the box here, my friend. Dont go mad with

excitement.KAYDE: Its not every day we see something like this, Mr. Peter.PETER: Before long youll be infected.TANKO: Infected, what with?PETER: The republican disease.

[He lifts the lid up and pulls out the first thick sheet.]

KAYDE: Why all these bed sheets, self?NKOLO: I told you the man is smart. He made it look like packed

books or something.PETER: [He pulls out the second sheet.] Wait!NKOLO: What?PETER: Something is wrong.KAYDE: What's it? [They all move closer.]PETER: Like there isALL: Dead body!!!

[They all slammed down in utter disbelieve!]

KAYDE: [The first to recover] Ah, Ah, Ah, we are dead!NKOLO: Ooh!PETER: I would be sunk.TANKO: Oh God! We are dead!

[They begin to pace up and down in total disarray.]

NKOLO: Now, weve got disaster!KAYDE: We..?NKOLO: Yes.


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KAYDE: What do you mean we? Youve got a disaster!TANKO: You just surfaced up and got us mingled with the dead!NKOLO: I didnt get you involved with the dead.

PETER: What do you call this?NKOLO: Something has gone wrong, really.PETER: You are damned right something was wrong, and its you!TANKO: Nkolo, you just got us entangled in and out.NKOLO: This is all not expected, guys.KAYDE: Even so, you are no good, you lousy puppy!NKOLO: I can explain.PETER: Explain what? I have no words for you, guy. We were poor

all right, but we were no thieves.TANKO: Boy, you just twisted us into creepy body stealers!NKOLO: Come on, guys, it was a mistake.PETER: What was the mistake?NKOLO: This dead body thing. But Im sure of the money wedelivered to that man. That money is still there now.PETER: Then, whose body is here?NKOLO: I dont know. May be he got someone killed. I told you

that is what they do to keep their secrets, secret.PETER: And you tricked us to do the evacuation for him?NKOLO: No.KAYDE: Well, lets see whose body it is, anyway.

[PETER goes to the box and removes the last cloth.]

KAYDE: Who is he?NKOLO: Ah, ah, ah.TANKO, PETER and KAYDE: What is it?

NKOLO: Its the man!TANKO, PETER and KAYDE: The man..?PETER: What man?NKOLO: The man with the money!PETER: Ill be crucified.KAYDE: This is the worst day I ever had!!TANKO: Nkolo, I think youre real bad luck!

KAYDE: [After a long pause.] Now, what do we do with this?


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TANKO: Return it.NKOLO, PETER: and KAYDE: Return it..? To where?TANKO: Well, what do you suggest we do?

NKOLO: Bury it.TANKO, PETER: and KAYDE: Bury it? Where?NKOLO: Anywhere.TANKO, PETER and KAYDE: Are you mad?NKOLO: If we cant return him, we have to bury him!PETER: What a real snare you are. You republican Lucifer!NKOLO: Listen.TANKO, PETER and KAYDE: Yes.

NKOLO: [Reflectively] lets throw it into the latrine.TANKO, PETER and KAYDE: Latrine..?NKOLO: What is wrong with that?KAYDE: Man, on top of everything, you no get heart!NKOLO: The man is dead. He is bound to smell, anyway. So, whatis the trouble if he does it in the latrine?PETER: [Thoughtfully] you may have a point there. [A little pause]But, do dead bodies and shit smell the same?

NKOLO: How would I know?TANKO: That is your idea, you crab.NKOLO: It doesnt matter whether they smell the same or not.KAYDE: How the man died, self?NKOLO: Who do you ask? You see Doctor here?KAYDE: I just want to know.PETER: What concerns you? The man died, how he died is not yourproblem. What to do with him is the trouble.TANKO: [Peeping inside the box.] What of these papers?NKOLO: Which papers?TANKO: The ones they make cushion for him.NKOLO: Let me see them.KAYDE: What concerns you with the mans papers? You made ushaul the poor man here. And you want to dig up his secrets, again?NKOLO: It does no harm to the dead man to see them. [He picks

some of the papers and has a glance.] They look like bank books.


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TANKO: Nkolo, you are wicked, besides money, nothing elsebothers you. No wonder God turns you into briefcase carrier.PETER: [Peeping at the papers.] What are all these long numbers for?

NKOLO: Seems like bank account numbers.TANKO: Which bank?KAYDE: You be daft. You couldnt steal from the man, you wantsteal from his bank?TANKO: No body is stealing anything here again. Leave the deadmans papers alone.NKOLO: What do you suggest we do with them?PETER: Bury them with him. Let him go to heaven with his papers.

KAYDE: You call latrine heaven?PETER: Heaven is heaven. When you die you go to heaven,whether they drop you into toilet or anywhere.KAYDE: You think the man will go to heaven?TANKO: You no get heart. You want him go to hell?KAYDE: With all that money?PETER: You think heaven no get room for rich people?KAYDE: Who killed him, then?

PETER: Is that your concern? He tells you they kill him?TANKO: I wonder, police or judge, which are you?PETER: The man died, the man died. Whether he killed himselfKAYDE: How he go kill himself when he gets so much money?PETER: O.K. May be his wife killed him.TANKO: Why should his wife kill him?PETER: To carry his money.NKOLO: Or, may be his friends killed him.KAYDE: Why his fiends go kill him?PETER: To carry his wife.KAYDE: Who will kill anybody for woman, something way plenty?NKOLO: Woman plenty, how many you get?KAYDE: Is that your problem?TANKO: [Detaching away] whether they kill him or he kills himself,one thing I know, though [Reflectively] I hope God forgives me. As

from today, Ill be miles away from anything resembling this mess.


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KAYDE: Peter, what did your father say about this kind situation?PETER: Kai, dont drag my father into this chaos.KAYDE: He is the oracle man, is he not?

PETER: My father gets no words for this kind confused situation.KAYDE: Put me in your prayers then, Tanko.PETER: You two think I dont need saving?NKOLO: What about me?PETER: Therefore, lets have an earnest prayer together.TANKO, PETER, KAYDE and NKOLO: Oh God, our lord, have mercyon us, forgive us our trespasses, Oh God, give us patience andprovide for us clean and pure! Amen.

[The distant sound of clock bell counts one to ten oc

06_the children of the republic

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