Example Play: The King's Affliction (Based on an Odù narrative)
Characters:
OLUFE: The King of Ifè.
ORÚNMÌLÀ: The Deity of Wisdom and Divination (speaks through his priests).
BÀBÁLÁWO: The Chief Priest of Ifá.
ÈṢÙ: The Messenger Deity, a trickster and enforcer of Ebo (sacrifice).
ỌBÀTÁLÁ: The Deity of Creation and Purity.
ATTENDANTS, GUARDS, TOWNSPEOPLE.
Setting: A clearing within the royal palace grounds in Ancient Ifè. A great storm rages. Thunder and lightning, in the style of King Lear or Macbeth.
(Enter OLUFE, agitated, with his ATTENDANTS.)
OLUFE
The Heavens weep, and with their potent tears
Do wash the face of our distressèd realm!
This tempest shakes the very palace stones,
As 'twere the great Olódùmarè's wrath
Did seek to tear the kingdom from its roots!
What sin, what foul transgression have we wrought
That thus the sky doth rage with such a might?
Go forth, attend the Bábáláwo's call,
Let Ifá speak! Let Ọrúnmìlà's voice
Disclose the cause of this most dire affliction.
ATTENDANT
My Liege, his chain of Opèlè is cast,
Upon the Opón Ifá the signs are read.
He waits without, his visage fraught with gloom,
As one who's seen the future's darkest tomb.
OLUFE
Then bid him enter, haste! For every moment lost
Doth add more weight to Ifè's bitter cost.
(Exit ATTENDANT. Re-enter ATTENDANT with BÀBÁLÁWO, carrying his divination tray and chain. The BÀBÁLÁWO is blind, guided by a youth, in the manner of Teiresias in Greek tragedy which influenced Rotimi's plays).
BÀBÁLÁWO
(His voice is low, measured, and profound)
Hail, King Olúfè, witness of all fate.
The storm without is but a mirrored image
Of the great sickness in thy soul and state.
The deep springs of wisdom have been consulted,
The sacred Odù have reveal'd their truths.
OLUFE
Speak, holy man! Unveil the gods' decree!
What ill confronts our land, our kin, and me?
BÀBÁLÁWO
The Odù speaks of a forgotten bond,
A broken oath, a debt unpaid, long past.
The fault lies in the palace, near the throne,
A consequence that thou didst fail to own.
The signs I read—Òwọ́nrín Ṣọgbè, they say—
"The rat's disease, it thinks it hath departed,
But still it lingers." Thus the gods declare,
Unhealthy habits in the royal air
Prevent the blessings, trap the soul in struggle.
OLUFE
"Unhealthy habits"? "Broken oath"? What riddle
Dost thou present in this, our time of peril?
No debt have been ignored, no oath foresworn.
My reign is just, since first my crown was borne!
BÀBÁLÁWO
The gods demand a sacrifice, Ebo.
A humble heart, the wisdom to let go
Of prideful ways, and face the hidden truth.
Else, ruin waits on age as well as youth.
OLUFE
(To the audience, in a brief soliloquy)
Ebo! Always Ebo! These priests demand
The very heart of what defines the land.
But if the truth be hid in cryptic rhyme,
How can a mortal 'scape the sands of time?
The own strong Orí (destiny) shall guide where one goes!
(To BÀBÁLÁWO)
Your words are wind, good Bábáláwo. Action follows
As kingly wisdom dictates, with swift tact!
The mind is set. The storm shall pass, you'll see.
No sacrifice demands itself!
BÀBÁLÁWO
(Shakes his head sadly)
The gods are not to blame when men are deaf.
To wisdom's call, the soul is but a leaf
Upon the wind of fate, its course unknown.
Ifá has spoken. What is sown is grown.
(OLUFE dismisses him with a wave of his hand and exits in anger. The storms
Act I, Scene II
Setting: A lonely crossroads at the edge of the palace compound, marked by a rough-hewn stone figure of Èṣù. It is still storming.
(Enter ÈṢÙ, not in a conventional costume, but perhaps a figure that seems to shift and shimmer, with red and black accents, moving with chaotic energy. He observes the area as a TOWNSPERSON rushes past, dropping a small parcel in haste.)
ÈṢÙ
Ho, mortal man! Art thou so quick to flee
The righteous anger of the storm, yet leave
A simple packet at the crossing-place?
(He picks it up, weighs it in his hand, and chuckles.)
A kernel, palm oil, and a humble yam. Small offerings,
But honest ones, for those who choose to give.
The King, proud Olúfè, doth disdain the Ebo,
Calls Bábáláwo's warning "wind" and "riddle."
Alas, poor King, whose ears are stopped with pride!
The path to wisdom oft demands a toll,
A humble payment for a haughty soul.
I am the messenger, the crossroads' keeper.
Communication's spirit, wide awake
When men, in sleep of arrogance, mistake
Effect for cause, and shun the Natural Law.
If he'll not give what's due, then I shall make
The cost more plain, for justice' sake!
(ÈṢÙ disappears into the shadows as the thunder cracks violently. The storm worsens.)
Act II, Scene I
Setting: The King’s inner council chamber. The storm is audible but distant. OLUFE sits on his throne, with his CHIEFS and GUARDS.
OLUFE
The rain abates not, nor the wind's harsh breath.
Our farmers' fields are drowning in the flood;
Our marketplace, a pool of mire and mud.
What say you now, my lords? What counsel comes
From those whose wisdom fills the kingdom's rooms?
FIRST CHIEF
My Liege, the Bábáláwo's words still ring,
Of Odù signs and things past due to bring
Disruption. 'Tis Èṣù who brings the plight,
The great enforcer of Olódùmarè's right.
He asks an Ebo, small yet freely given,
A sign of humble heart, to be forgiven.
OLUFE
(Striking his hand upon the arm of the throne)
Forgiven! We have wrought no conscious ill!
Shall Ifè's King be made to bow his will
To every priestly whisper, every sign
Of cosmic fancy? No, this head is mine
To rule with logic, not with mystic fear!
I ask for action, not for holy tear!
SECOND CHIEF
Great King, the Orishas, they demand respect.
Obàtálá, the source of all our peace and purity,
He governs mind and head. Perhaps the storm
Reflects the chaos in your soul's true form.
His peace is sought through humility and white,
Not kingly force, nor arguments of might.
OLUFE
(Scoffs)
Obàtálá's pure justice? He that once
Did err with palm wine, in creation's throes?
All gods have flaws, if e'en the myths hold true!
My force is needed now, my iron will,
To make the world obey, to make it still!
Summon my Captain of the Guard! Let strength
Be our response to this tempestuous length!
CAPTAIN (Entering)
My Lord, the roads are blocked, the smiths have stopped!
Ogun, the god of iron, is enraged, they say!
Their tools are hot, their hammers will not strike.
No iron works the land, no path is cleared.
They fear his might, the pathfinder is here,
To test our metal, challenge human fear.
OLUFE
A plague on all your gods and all your fears!
My will is iron, stronger than their own!
I'll face this Ogun, if he dare appear!
Go, clear the path with force, break every stone!
(The Chiefs exchange worried glances. OLUFE exits in a rage, followed by the Captain and Guards.)
(Curtain)
The King's Affliction (Continued)
Act III, Scene I
Setting: The same crossroads from Act I, Scene II. The scene is one of complete devastation. The storm has passed, leaving uprooted trees, mud, and debris. The path is impassable. A small group of TOWNSPEOPLE are attempting to clear the debris with inadequate wooden tools.
(Enter OLUFE, the CAPTAIN, and GUARDS. OLUFE is weary but still proud.)
OLUFE
This chaos shows nature's displeasure,
Not divine justice! Where are my iron tools?
Where are the smiths as I told you to bring them?
These wooden sticks are for children!
CAPTAIN
My Liege, the smiths refused, citing Ogun's wrath.
They fear their tools would turn against them.
They say Èṣù guards this flooded, broken path,
Demanding sacrifice from all the lands.
We cannot force a man to use a hammer
When fear of iron makes him hesitant.
OLUFE
(To the townsfolk)
You there! Why do you stand and stare?
Clear this passage, for the King's own line!
TOWNSWOMAN
We try, great King, but all our work is useless.
The mud sucks down what we try to tread.
The Ebo was demanded, truth was taught,
But you turned away your royal head.
The crossroads waits; the messenger is eager.
Until the debt is paid, no path is clean.
OLUFE
(A dawning realization, mixed with defiance)
The debt... the Bábáláwo spoke of a debt.
An oath forgotten, a transgression long ago.
My father's time, perhaps? A promise unmet?
A mystery, in riddles yet untold.
(Enter ÈṢÙ, dressed as a simple traveler, perhaps a farmer, observing the scene with a wry smile. He carries the small parcel dropped earlier.)
ÈṢÙ
Good fortune, folk! A sorry state is here.
Perhaps your King could benefit from some cheer,
A wisdom greater than his mighty hand.
OLUFE
(Turning to ÈṢÙ, dismissively)
Be gone, you vagrant! We have work to do,
No time for beggars, nor their simple view.
ÈṢÙ
(Approaching OLUFE, holding out the parcel)
No beggar, sire, but one who knows the way.
The path is blocked, the gods demand their pay.
I found this Ebo, lost upon the ground,
A simple gift, where true humility is found.
(He indicates the contents: palm oil, kernels, yam.)
A humble offering for the crossing god,
Demanding little, yet respecting law.
You in your pride reject the unseen truth,
That power lies in yielding, even in youth.
OLUFE
(Snatching the parcel, angered by the man's familiarity)
Impudence! Your life is forfeit for this cheek!
A common farmer dares to speak
To Ifè's sovereign! Guards, remove this pest!
(The GUARDS move to seize ÈṢÙ. ÈṢÙ merely smiles and vanishes in a puff of smoke, leaving the parcel in OLUFE’s hand.)
CAPTAIN
By Ogun's might! The messenger himself!
We touch the spirit realm, not mortal pelf!
(OLUFE stares at the spot where ÈṢÙ was, then looks at the simple offering in his hand. The reality of his situation begins to sink in.)
OLUFE
(To the audience, in a moment of true introspection)
He vanishes as mist before the sun.
A god in farmer's guise, his message done.
A humble Ebo holds more power, it seems,
Than all the iron forged by humankind.
My pride has caused this ruin, made me blind.
The Bábáláwo spoke the truth, kind man.
The error lies not in the stars, but in the man.
(He looks at the muddy, impassable path and back at the small parcel.)
(Curtain)
Act IV, Scene I
Setting: The King’s council chamber, several days later. The storm has ceased. OLUFE is alone, looking weary and humbled. His attire is simpler, white, reflecting a change in heart, associated with Ọbàtálá.
(Enter BÀBÁLÁWO, guided by the youth.)
OLUFE
(Rising to greet the priest with respect)
Good Bábáláwo, you are welcome here.
My ears are open now, my vision clear.
The prideful film has fallen from my eyes;
I see the truth in all your prophecies.
The messenger, Èṣù, appeared in form,
A farmer, who dissolved amidst the storm,
Leaving a simple gift I had despised.
I am prepared to offer Ebo, wise man.
To cleanse the land, restore the proper plan.
What must be done?
BÀBÁLÁWO
The Odù, when consulted yet again,
Revealed the source of all this mortal pain.
The forgotten debt was to Ọbàtálá, the Weaver of Forms.
A sacred grove, promised to his name,
Was cleared by your late father, in his quest for palace land and fame.
A simple oversight, a broken vow,
Which asks its payment in the here and now.
The land remembers, and the gods require
A cleansing heart, a spirit purged by fire.
OLUFE
(Sighs deeply, acknowledging the ancestral burden)
My father's fault becomes my heavy cross.
To right this wrong, whatever be the loss.
The grove shall be restored, and more besides.
A shrine built high, where purity resides.
But tell me, priest, what sacrifice is needed
To satisfy the gods, whose calls I’ve heeded?
BÀBÁLÁWO
A humble offering, not of wealth, nor gold,
But simple things, as Èṣù did behold.
White cloth, kola nuts, the things of peace and mind.
And crucially, a promise, firm to bind:
That pride shall yield to wisdom's gentle sway,
And Ifá's word guides Ifè’s future way.
The greatest Ebo that the gods desire
Is not the beast for altar and for fire,
But the stubborn self that learns its place below
The grand design, where all things ebb and flow.
OLUFE
Then it is done. My self I sacrifice,
Upon the altar of eternal life.
This King shall learn to listen, not command,
And peace shall flow once more upon our land.
Act V, Scene I
Setting: The newly dedicated shrine of Ọbàtálá at the former crossroads. It is bright, clean, and peaceful. The path is now clear and passable. TOWNSPEOPLE mingle happily.
(Enter OLUFE, BÀBÁLÁWO, CHIEFS, and ATTENDANTS. OLUFE is now fully in white garments, a picture of peace and restored leadership.)
OLUFE
The sun doth shine upon our Ifè once more!
The floods recede, the fields begin to green.
The storm is past, a memory of war,
A peaceful kingdom, a tranquility serene.
By heeding wisdom, by the Ebo made,
The debt is settled, the imbalance paid.
Let every ruler learn from this day's trial:
That strength in silence, patience, and denial
Of haughty pride, doth build a lasting state.
We are but servants of a greater fate.
Let Ọrúnmìlà's wisdom guide each path,
And save us from Olódùmarè's wrath.
(Enter ÈṢÙ in his original shifting, shimmering attire, but less menacingly now, leaning against a post, a knowing look on his face. He is unnoticed by most, save the BÀBÁLÁWO who smiles slightly.)
ÈṢÙ
(To the audience, in a final monologue)
And so the King did learn what must be learned.
The wheel of fortune, how it turns and turns!
I am but messenger, the test, the trial,
Ensuring balance, punishing denial.
The Law is kept, the Ebo now is done,
The kingdom’s wisdom has been newly won.
Remember this, ye mortals, proud and strong:
To heed the signs, where true peace doth belong.
All's well that ends well, in the cosmic play,
Until the next time pride doth hold its sway!
(He winks at the audience.)
(OLUFE joins the celebration with his people. The BÀBÁLÁWO nods sagely.)
**(The End of The King's Affliction)
(OLUFE gestures for his attendants. He prepares the simple items. The atmosphere
No comments:
Post a Comment