The Loom Of Ancestry

The blogger ibikunle Abraham laniyan authors new play on the history olukunmi in Yoruba land comprises five acts and 25 scenes.Enjoy the little excerpt.

This play, titled "The Loom of Ancestry," explores the migration of the Olukunmi people from the Benin Kingdom to the Yoruba hinterlands (Aniocha North, Delta State). It highlights the preservation of their archaic Yoruba dialect and the tension of dual identity.

Cast of Characters

Oloza: The ancestral leader and progenitor of the Olukunmi.

Oba Ewuare II (Spirit/Memory): Representing the Benin influence.

Iyoba: The Queen Mother, a symbol of cultural preservation.

Akoda: The restless warrior seeking a new home.

The Oracle: The voice of Ifa guiding the migration.

Act I: The Decree of the Great City (5 Scenes)

Scene 1: The Royal Court of Great Benin. Oloza expresses the need for a distinct identity beyond the palace walls.

Scene 2: The market square. Commoners speak the "old tongue," a blend of Yoruba and Bini influences.

Scene 3: The Oracle’s Grove. A prophecy is given: "Where the river bows to the forest, there your tongue shall flourish."

Scene 4: Secret preparations. Families pack heirlooms, weaving the "Olukunmi" identity (meaning "My Friend/Kin").

Scene 5: The Departure. A solemn night march out of the kingdom's gates.

Act II: The Crossing and the Covenant (5 Scenes)

Scene 1: The banks of the River Niger. Challenges of the crossing.

Scene 2: Conflict between the young warriors and the elders regarding the direction of travel.

Scene 3: A dream sequence where Oloza meets the spirit of Oduduwa, reaffirming their Yoruba roots.

Scene 4: The first settlement in the thicket. Discovery of fertile lands.

Scene 5: The naming ceremony of the first child born in the new land, cementing the name Olukunmi.

Act III: The Shadow of the Enuani (5 Scenes)

Scene 1: Encounter with neighboring Igbo-speaking (Enuani) groups.

Scene 2: The linguistic struggle. The Olukunmi resolve to keep their Yoruba dialect while learning the ways of their neighbors.

Scene 3: Diplomatic missions to Ugbodu and Ukwunzu.

Scene 4: Intermarriage scenes—blending bloodlines while maintaining the "Olukunmi" tongue.

Scene 5: The construction of the first communal shrine, mirroring the architecture of Ile-Ife.

Act IV: The Trial of the Forgotten (5 Scenes)

Scene 1: A generation passes. The youth begin to favor the language of the majority neighbors.

Scene 2: The Elders' Council. A decree to ensure the "Olukunmi" songs are taught to every child.

Scene 3: A border dispute with a rival faction, testing the Olukunmi’s military resolve.

Scene 4: The Akoda’s sacrifice—a warrior dies to protect the boundary of their cultural sovereignty.

Scene 5: A festival of remembrance. The "Old Yoruba" chants echo through the forest.

Act V: The Eternal Loom (5 Scenes)

Scene 1: Modern-day Aniocha North. A descendant returns from the city to find their roots.

Scene 2: A dialogue between the past (Ghost of Oloza) and the present (the Graduate).

Scene 3: The realization that the Olukunmi language is a living fossil of ancient Yoruba.

Scene 4: A grand gathering of the Olukunmi towns (Ugbodu, Ukwunzu, Ogbe-Ode).

Scene 5: The final tableau. All characters from across the five acts stand together, reciting the Olukunmi anthem: "Our tongue is our bridge; our friendship is our home."

For further reading on the history and linguistic significance of the Olukunmi people, you can explore the Olukunmi People’s Heritage or research the linguistic studies of Yoruboid languages in the Niger-Delta.

To provide a deeper look into the narrative, here is a detailed breakdown of the script for Act I and Act V, focusing on the specific dialogue and stage directions that capture the Olukunmi essence.

Scene 1: The Inner Chamber of Oloza

(The stage is dimly lit. Oloza sits on a carved wooden stool. Around him are Olowu and Akoda. The sound of distant Benin drums is heard.)

Oloza: We are shadows in this Great City. We speak the tongue of our fathers—the ancient Yoruba of the East—yet the walls here only echo the laws of the Oba.

Akoda: My Lord, the people are restless. We are neither fully of Benin nor are we home in Ife. We are "Olukunmi"—friends of ourselves.

Oloza: Then let that be our name. If the soil here will not hold our roots, we shall carry our roots in our mouths.

Scene 3: The Oracle’s Grove

(The Oracle tosses cowries onto a white cloth. The smoke of incense rises.)

Oracle: I see a river that bleeds into a forest. You will walk until the sun rises behind you. You will find people who speak differently, but you must keep your "O" and your "Re" as a shield. If you lose your tongue, you lose your way back to the ancestors.

Act V: The Eternal Loom

Adeze: (To herself) Why did my grandfather insist I come here? They say we are Igbo, yet our names sound like the prayers of old Oyo.

Oloza (Ghost): Listen to the wind, daughter. It doesn’t say "Kedu." It says "E n'le."

Adeze: (Stops, hearing a distant song) "Olukunmi... mi o..." It’s the song from the nursery!

Scene 5: The Grand Finale (The 25th Scene)

(All 25 scenes culminate in a synchronized movement. The cast from the Benin era, the migration era, and the modern era form a circle.)

Ensemble: (Chanting in Olukunmi dialect) Awa l’Olukunmi. Awa l’onà. (We are the friends. We are the way.)

Oloza: (Stepping forward) From the walls of Benin to the forests of Aniocha, the thread has not broken.

Adeze: (Looking at the audience) We are the bridge that the river could not wash away.

Production Notes for the Playwright

Linguistic Style: The dialogue should transition from archaic, poetic Yoruba-influenced English in the early acts to a more contemporary blend in the final act.

Costume Design: Use the Coral Beads of the Benin Royalty for Act I and transition into the Akwa-Ocha (White Cloth) of the Anioma people for the later acts to show cultural integration.

Symbolism: The "Loom" represents the weaving of two cultures—the Yoruba heritage and the Delta-Igbo geography.

If you wish to stage this or expand it into a full manuscript, you can find historical references on the Olukunmi migration patterns or consult the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC) for authentic cultural motifs.

Act I: The Decree of the Great City

Scene 2: The Return of the Descendant

(A young woman, ADEZE, dressed in modern attire, stands in the village square of Ugbodu. The ghost of OLOZA stands behind her, invisible to her.