©Temi Halim.

2009

Broken ivory
A Historical Tragedy

Written By

Temi Halim

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 ©Temi Halim. 2009

Cast of Characters

Narrator

Awole Alaafin of Oyo

Afonja Aare Ona Kakanfo, Field Marshal of the empire

Bashorun Prime Minister and head of the Council of State, the Oyo Mesi

Lagelu State Ambassador and member of the Oyo Mesi

Samu Oyo Senator and Member of the Oyo Mesi

Alapini Oyo Senator and member of the Oyo Mesi

Agbaakin Oyo Senator and member of the Oyo Mesi

Asipa Oyo Senator and Member of the Oyo Mesi

Akiniku Oyo Senator and Member of the Oyo Mesi

Yeyeoba Queen Mother

Magaji Iyajin King’s Official Brother

Ona Isokun King’s official father

Onikoyi Powerful Vassal of the Alaafin

Akinyungba Royal Drummer and Praise singer

Ayaba Royal Wives

Ilaris Eunuch and King’s Bodyguards

Esos Warrior Class

Singers, drummers, etc

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Synopsis

The Broken ivory is a historical Play that gives voice to a tragic but resonant period, in the
annals of our history.

The Play is based on 18th century Yoruba land, in Oyo Empire to be precise. It is a narrative of
sorts that pits its principal actors in a compelling but tragic power play, that even today; the
consequences are still being felt.

The principal actors, Awole and Afonja represent entrenched interests but one of them, must
buckle under the pressure of new forces that would precipitate a crisis amongst the Yoruba,
who as at 18th century, were yet to fully experience slave trade.

The final days of the Oyo empire and Alaafin Awole’s famous curse on the Yoruba race, forms
the stage for this epic struggle between the crown, the councilors of state and the warlords of
the provinces that all spiral into the eventual disintegration of the empire and dissemination of
its people by slavery.

The Broken ivory is a forceful and masterful rendition of events that would have a positive
impact on the psyche of the viewer, given the rich cultural interpretations it enunciates time
and again.

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PROLOGUE
Narrator: It is tale bearing that kills the slave

Curses kill the thief

It is betrayal that kills friendship

It is a common heritage that kills children of the same mother

So the oracle declared to the 401 divinities, quarrelling on the way to Olodumare.

The calabash is broken. The world is torn away from its axis. We are now all plunged into darkness that
we know not which way out. Hah!!!!

Song: Oro la le da etc

Citizens being dragged away as slaves, horse whipped and prodded, others running away in fear.

Narrator: But we run before ourselves. We are too much in a hurry. Let us go right back and see exactly
what happened. This is the end of my story not the beginning. So we shall go back. Get comfortable in
your chairs, arm yourselves with some good nectar of the palm tree and listen and enjoy

City Centre Scene: blank background; Women superbly dressed, stroll up and down. Dance drama for the
good life.

Song: Aji sebi Oyo, lari, Oyo o sebi Baba anybody

Narrator: It was just before dusk. The Sun had been glorious. We feasted. We ruled. We reigned
supreme. The world was our oyster. We nested in the bosom of the great Niger in the north and the east
and in the west; The Alaafin was overlord all the way to the land of the Popos .And beyond. 6,600 kings
and vassals paid tribute to His Imperial Majesty. From farm grown cotton, we spun threads into rich
alaaris at Akoko, smelt iron from ferrous rocks at Oke-Mesi and unparalleled works of art did we cast in
bronze at Ife Ile. Thus we flourished, noble in culture, full of grace, obedient to our laws, painting our
past in lyric lore.

Narrator: O for the days of Abiodun the good. In your days we spread mats under the tree and told
stories long into the night. Even the fields sprang out in joy and pleasure celebrating the goodness and
peace in the land. But Durojaiye is the name we gave to joy, just so it can tarry awhile with us, but true
to her nature, she comes and goes in her eternal cycles, always too soon, the cycle, always too short.
Adesina, Aremo yeye, put an end to Abiodun’s life and an end to ours too.

Song: Sebi Duro jaiye l’aso Ayolabi tele, sugbon ko durojaiye, o lon, o bo, bo ti she lati igba lailai

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Stay and Enjoy the world is the name we gave to Joy-is-the-child-we-birthed, but true to her nature, she
comes and goes, as always too soon, in her eternal cycles.

Narrator: We deliberated and took counsel and elected Awole in his stead. Alas our deliberations were
not sanctioned by Orunmila because now, evil like the hungry hyena, prowls the land and we are at the
dangerous precipice. One false move and all is lost. Already, the bloodthirsty odales rules the forest
kingdoms. Already, they have started selling their kith and kin into slavery, Abomination! The land will
surely not forgive us for this. It is this evil trade that Awole stands against which has made him the
enemy of the vagabonds that only think of their own throats and forget tomorrow. They forget that they
have offspring too and the rain of doom is indiscriminate in its destruction. It carries both the owner of
the house and the guest. Now the land is no longer at ease. Chaos rules supreme and we are now finally
at the last frontier. Whosoever wins this battle will determine the future; but I fear that all shall be
losers in this epic battle to the end.

Tyranny, lawlessness and slavery have already taken over the forest and now approach the centre. We
do not run on the road to calamity, our elders say, we tread softly, softly that the messenger Olodumare
sends will be able to catch up with us before we go too far down the road of perfidy. But the players
have forgotten this and now race down the finish line as hordes of the host of the army raced toward
Dahomey to discipline Agadja.

Apomu has refused to be taken into slavery. To save his beloved town, Bale Adeniyonu has swallowed
the deadly seeds of the poison tree and his head handed over to the Aare to appease the bloodthirsty
nature of him and his overlord Awole. But nevertheless the hungry host demands an expedition because
without war they do not have articles to feed their trade of horror and curses. So from Awole, they
demand an expedition.

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ACT I
Scene I
Throne Room in Oyo Ile: Huge room with colourful mats hung all about. The throne sits majestic in the
centre, covered with rich aso oke. There are rich mats on the floor. Akinyungba sits at the corner by the
entrance so he can see all that are coming in. Drummers sit by him. Musical instruments are arranged on
one side of the throne for the wives of the King.

Akinyungba: Erin de o!!!! Awole, Alaafin, Iku Baba Yeye, Igbakeji Orisha, my father that holds the sacred
sword of Oranyan, priest of the whole nation, the elephant that holds all power over all, be ye man or
beast, Ajani Ogun, mercy in one hand, ruthless justice in the other. Majestic are his steps, tall enough,
he finishes all the strips of cloth and leaves none to even sew trousers for a new born. The footsteps
that befit a king are called Jenlenke. Awole, tread softly, softly.

Awole strides in impatiently with 3 Oyo Mesi and entourage, amidst drumming and praise chants. He sits
on the throne. Obviously agitated.

Akinyungba: Afonja nii o. Akin de. His strides are rude and as unpleasant as his nature. My father always
said that that particular line of royal blood was cursed. Only we did not know it was this cursed.
Anyway,he has come with his message of doom. Awole, up, up you get, approach the state room as
Afonja must not catch you sleeping, for then all is lost. Up, up you get.

Afonja hurries in, impatient and bristling. Akinyungba cautions him

Akinyungba: Rora, ah, rora jare. It is not your new wife you are going in to mount, it is His Royal
Highness you have come to see and whatever may be the matter, he is still your Lord and this is still the
palace of our forefathers, valiant kings second only to the gods. Respect, now.

Afonja, visibly upset, alters his steps and is much more respectful as he approaches the throne.He Sets
down the calabash he is carrying and with obvious reluctance, prostates before the King

Samu: Afonja, Kabo. Welcome home. Eso of Esos, you have not let your forefathers down. Welcome
home. Sweeter than honey the journey may be, there is no place like home. Ka’abo omo Eso, Kabiyesi
will receive your message now.

Afonja: Kabiyesi, Kade pe lori, ki bata pe lese. Kabiyesi, the termites only try and try, no termite can eat
a rock. The message you send a slave is different from that of a true born. We have accomplished the
task you sent us although not as satisfactorily as we would have liked. Adeniyonu knew the fire that was
about to engulf him so he chose to allow the fire to consume only him. Here….. (He holds out the
calabash and tilts the cover slightly so Awole can see what is inside, Awole shivers in distaste) Hah, you

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shiver, why, Our Alaafin, does His Imperial Majesty, like a whiny little child have no stomach for blood,
even that of chickens?

Awole makes to retort but the voice of Akinyungba drowns him out.

Akinyungba: Eso Kpele do wo Isokun. Eso kpele do woe e. Proverb and praise chant

Bashorun makes a sign to Afonja who now unwillingly prostrates again before Awole,

Afonja: Iku Baba Yeye, please forgive me, my mouth has diarrhea today. I use Alajobi to plead my case. I
must take my leave; the boys are still restless on the field and need a strong hand to keep them in check.
I beg your leave to depart.

Awole nods and waves his hand, his face still full of distaste. Afonja exits.

Samu: The world is turning on its axis and you are sitting there and nodding like a stupid frog that has
just swallowed a snake not knowing it has swallowed its death. Bashorun, how have you allowed Afonja
such powers? We have all just been delivered from Oloriburuku Bashorun Gaa and you want to install
another one in form of Afonja. This fire that he wants to start and which you are helping him to fan the
embers, if it erupts will not leave anything in its path. All of us will be consumed entirely and Bashorun,
let me assure you that you will be the first to go. The sword does not know which head belongs to the
blacksmith that forged it. It severs all heads alike. And let me remind you, if you are bold, be wicked but
remember the death of Bashorun Gaa and repent.

Bashorun: why are you accusing me? What have I done now that you are accusing me? You better have
evidence before you open your stupid mouth to start saying rubbish!

Awole: What is the world turning to? Abi Akinyungba, did you call me to witness a play? Bashorun,
Afonja, and Samu, are you now so broke that you have taken up acting to buttress your incomes? What
manner of madness is this? Disrespect!!! Hmmm, all shall be dealt with. In the meantime, we shall
proceed with other more burning issues. But as an aside, Bashorun, note the last statement Samu made.
Very important, very important indeed. It is only half a word we say to the child, when it gets inside him,
it becomes whole. Hold that in your left hand for now.

Lagelu: Kabiyesi, Ero, gently, gently, o. The Empire is at a precipice. Court politics is what has brought
down the greatest empires. Afonja wants to go to war, you want a peaceful reign. The two are opposing
views. For the health of the empire, we must find a peaceful resolution to this issue so we can move
forward with other matters of state.

Yeyeoba: If only Agonglo would do something to provoke His Majesty. Then we will have cause to send
Afonja far, far away, at least for now. In the meantime, let us put heads together and come up with a
strategy to solve the brewing crisis and keep Afonja and his cronies in check. We cannot be selling our
brothers and sisters for money. We did not sell our children to build this great empire we have inherited
and we will not do it to keep it together.

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Awole: You have spoken well, Elder brother and sister. May my fathers bless you both. So what is to be
done now? What is your wise counsel? Our elders say that He who asks the way will not lose his way.
The full Oyo Mesi will soon be here. They have been prodded by Afonja to ask for a new expedition. I
can see you are in shock, Bashorun, but remember, it is not for nothing I am sitting on the throne of my
fathers and it is not for nothing that I am King. I know all. For your sake, I urge you to be careful.

Asipa makes to talk. Bashorun hurriedly forestalls him.

Bashorun: All heads are still currently hot. I think we should all go home for now and come and see
Kabiyesi in the evening, after we have allowed some cool air to blow into our brains and given the
matter some thought. I will tell the Oyo Mesi to come back then also.

Awole: Strangely, I agree with Bashorun. Very well then, I break court. See you in the evening promptly.
I shall not tolerate any laggards. And remember, caution, caution. Our elders say that the calabash of
the gentle does not break, neither does the china plate of the gentle crack. Kpele, kpele d’owo gbogbo
wa o.

Gets up and goes inside. Lights out

Scene II
Same Day: Full Court in session; the usual process of Akinyungba welcoming the King with drumming and
praise chants.

Bashorun: Kabiyesi o. Kade kpelori, ki bata kpelese. As the Oyo Mesi in council, we have been sent by
the people and the Aare to ask what is the next expedition we are to send the host to. As you well know,
the Esos are restless. They have gone too long without a campaign and the people in the provinces are
beginning to thumb their noses at the spineless throne.

Awole: God forbid that such words should emit from your mouth. Croaking in relays is the mark of frogs.
I can now hear the echo of the noise you merely repeat. Very well then, I shall not be the Alaafin who
shies away from controversy. I wish for a peaceful reign and peace to reign in the land of these people
with a spineless throne. Peace is what I chose at Bara when I opened the calabashes from Ile Ife and
peace shall reign in my domain.

Bashorun: In the times we live in, it is a strong king that is required. Brute strength is what is necessary
to establish the supremacy of the throne and not allow opportunist especially at the coast to think
because they are making money from the white man they can now capture Oyo citizens at will. Peace is
not the words we want to hear from our king at this time. The now lily livered Popos can speak such
words, they have been defeated time and time again when Alaafins reigned. They are minions and not
Oyos. I ask you again, who is your Majesty’s enemy and let the host of the army go and obliterate them
off the face of the earth?

Awole: Very well then, my enemy is too strong for me, besides we are kith and kin.

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A smile passes over Afonja’s face and he looks at Bashorun and winks.

Bashorun: another taboo, Kabiyesi. There is none that is too strong for the elephant in the savannah,
there is none that is too strong for the buffalo in the fields, and there is none that can stand before His
Majesty, iku baba yeye, igbakeji orisha. Name this person and let us go and da seria fun.

Afonja: Kabiyesi, apologies, all this talk up and down since morning like women gossiping in the market.
We are men and not market women. Oyo did not become strong and mighty by folding our hands and
watching the world pass us by and minions become trading lords. Our fathers controlled the world by
might and conquest. Hence we have inherited this mighty empire. And it will not be in my time as Aare
that I will now be jobless. So what Aare am I of? By tradition, Alaafin sends out an expedition. Apomu
has capitulated without a single battle. The Eso hounds have smelt blood and will not be appeased until
they have tasted it. They must be satisfied.

Awole: Afonja, Afonja, Afonja! Sit down. Stop foaming at the mouth. First, we are grouping yams in
heaps and suddenly the fruit of the melon tree drops among them; a complement or gratuity? (Eleni abi
eni) What is your position in this council? You should be on the field waiting for my orders. Now leave
our presence immediately. We shall send you word at the appropriate time.

(Afonja leaves with thunder on his face)

Awole: What is this manner of turning the world on its head that is now happening? Because you have
the Bashorun under your thumb you think you have rendered me powerless. But it is not so. There is a
reason I am Alaafin and I will show it to you. Is it not because you want to engage in the horrible trade of
selling your brothers and sisters that you are hell bent on a war? Aares before you have reigned that did
not go into any major battle and the empire did not collapse because of that. Go and ask your father for
your history before you come here like a spoilt child that does not know how to eat soup that now pours
it all over his clothes. This is conduct unbecoming of an elder and an Akeyo at that. You have royal blood
flowing in your veins. Behave like one and not like one of these hungry, rootless bastards that have no
kith or kin, vagabonds roaming the wilds that will do anything for money including sleeping with their
own mothers.

As for you, Bashorun... You have now become Afonja’s tool. He is now your husband. In the days of my
father Abiodun, does an Aare dare sit in council with the Oyo Mesi? Even an Akeyo Aare. Because of
your long- throat, you have turned tradition on its head, just remember that he who betrays the earth
shall surely go with the earth.

Lagelu: Kabiyesi, do not let Afonja provoke you. This is what he wants. He wants to deter you from the
path you have chosen. Drink the water of patience. It is the water of elders. The woman abused Iroko
and turned away, she does not know that it is not in one day Iroko will strike. BE calm your highness.

He sits back on the throne

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Bashorun (after clearing his throat): Forgive my insistence, you have touched on a number of other
issues but we still don’t have an answer. Your Imperial Majesty, I would like an answer so we can
disperse the fruit of the melon tree and calm frayed nerves.

Awole: Bashorun, why do you insist so? He who mistakes stealth of the Lion for cowardice is ready to
serve as Kiniun’s next meal. We do not run on the way to perfidy. We walk gently, gently so that there
will still be time for Olodumare’s messenger to catch up with us and draw us back to safety but like the
dog that will lose its way, you do not want to hear the whistle of the hunter. Very well then. Go now. In
two weeks I will give you an answer. Or, is that still too long for your restless feet that cannot wait for
the loot?

Yeyeoba: Why are you all behaving like children? Anyway, too many hot words have been exchanged
here today. It is enough, before we set the farm hut alight because of our hatred of the bush rat.
Kabiyesi, please give us leave to disperse now before things get out of hand.

Awole: In the meantime, let me warn, that if we are not careful, this fire shall engulf us all. It is the path
of peace that I choose and I would advise all to join hands together to see how we can steer this ancient
kingdom away from this precipice of madness and put the world back in its rightful place if not, there
shall be two generals in the field and we shall see who is supreme.

Scene III
In Onikoyi’s House: Bashorun, Afonja, Onikoyi are seated.

Bashorun: I welcome you all. I hope you took the necessary precautions on your way. This must be kept
top secret otherwise the trap that was set for the squirrel will instead catch the trap-setter. But where
are Akiniku and Owota? They should have been here a long time ago. Oh here they come, the laggards.
Hope they will not be our weak link in this strategy.

Akiniku: We are sorry we are late but we had to be circumspect so that the king’s spies will not notice all
our disappearance at the same time and warn our enemies. Hope we meet you well. Have you started
without us?

Bashorun: No, we were waiting for you. Now all eyes are here we shall start.

Afonja: Wait before we start any discussions we shall all swear a covenant of secrecy. I shall not be
stabbed in the back by some wily, lily livered coward. (Brings out a sword) Now all swear by Ogun who is
the owner of our instrument of war and is the god of war that all that we say here shall not be let out to
anybody outside this circle and we shall stick with our plan till we are successful.

Akiniku: Is all this really necessary? We haven’t even heard what is to be said and we are already
swearing. Let us talk first and if all are in agreement, we shall then swear.

Afonja: No I want all to swear first. Everybody here already has a joint enemy that we want to destroy
and we all know the reason for our meeting so we swear now before too much is said.

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Bashorun: I think Afonja is right, besides we are wasting time. Bring your sword, I will swear.

He swears. All swear after him

Bashorun: We are all here for one reason, to rid the land of Awole. When we, the Oyo Mesi chose him,
we thought he was the weakest of all the Akeyos and we would be able to manipulate him as we
wanted. Abiodun lived and lived and refused to die. He also refused to allow slave trade. That is the
trade of the future. All the small, small kings of the provinces are already building fortunes selling their
kith and kin. All they need is the fact that your wife looked strangely at mine in the market and they
manufacture a war between the two villages and all the captives are sold to them in Badagry.

Onikoyi: My first son ,who usually goes to do my trade for me at Apomu, says that he saw the Onisabe,
sporting a silk umbrella bigger than mine and says he laughed at him saying: You self-righteous men in
the capital, you think you are rich, you are only reflecting old glory. See the new glory and riches and the
source of future powers. It is only a matter of time before all power will shift to the south. It is rich that
the world recognizes.

Afonja: Hmmm, hmmm. I have heard that this is the new money making method. The old king and his
stupid successor which you the Oyo Mesi stupidly elected, keeps mouthing that “No body shall sell a
citizen of the Oyo Empire”. Is it not trading in Gambari and Nupe slaves that earned the capital its great
fortune? Or without the huge yearly tribute from Dahomey, does Awole think he will be able to afford
his new kobi not to talk of the excesses of his Aremo Oye? And where does Dahomey get all this money
from, is it not from the sale of slaves at the coast?

Akiniku: The problem is that the throne is too royal and noble for the times. If we do not get into this
trade we shall very soon be paupers in comparison to the provincial kings and then what will be the
source of our boasts or powers?

Bashorun: I have tried times without number to convince Awole of this path of the future but he
remains stubborn as a goat and so…..

Afonja: And so the person that will not let us eat we shall have to move aside so we can pass. All this
talk is beginning to tire me. You know I am a man of action and of a few words. So how shall we remove
the thorn in our flesh.

Bashorun: Hah, Afonja, softly, the walls have ears. This is just our first meeting. Besides, removing an
Iroko is not the work of feeble minds or of two days. It takes time and there is tradition to follow. If only
I had known this was to be the case, I would have told him his sacrifices were rejected at the Orun
festival. This is the talk of Awo but as we have all become Awo, I guess I can tell it to you. Now it is too
late. We have to bide our time and wait.

Afonja: Time waits for no one and who pays the bills while we are waiting? We have to act quickly. Is it
not just a matter of presenting him with the calabash and we will be off with the bugger while we
choose a weak and silly Akeyo to replace him?

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Bashorun: It is impatience that usually spoils the most perfect plans. It is not as easy as that. The full
Oyo Mesi and the Priestess must be in council before this decision is taken. You forget that one of us has
to go with him and we don’t have all of the Oyo Mesi on our side.

Afonja: But you are the head of the Oyo Mesi and it is what you say, that the knife will cut. Whatever
you say is what counts. Besides, did Samu not insult you in the palace the other day? Well he can go
with his master!!

Bashorun: Patience, Afonja. Opportunity will present itself soon enough. In the meantime, all should go
about their normal duties and keep ears and eyes open, ready for the rebellion. I shall go again and
pressure him for an expedition. He must give me an answer one way or the other, if the answer is still
no, we shall impeach him for putting the empire in danger. If the answer is yes, at least we shall be away
from the capital legitimately and we can plot better and freely and we shall at least have some
unfortunate souls to batter to keep the stomach warm till time is ripe to fully execute our plans.

Afonja: Ok. All to his house now and keep your traps shut. Remember, we are now Awo and anybody
that breaks it will himself be broken. When eyes can no longer meet with eye, let the throats not forget
Ogun. To!

Akiniku: Have we not actually broken earlier covenants; that to our fathers and our people by this act of
betrayal in the first place and Bashorun, have you not broken a much higher convent. Anyway, I am still
young and I don’t know anything. This particular covenant shall not be broken by me. I go now.

Exits. Lights out

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ACT II
Scene I
The Throne Room: With Courtiers; Jesters and drummers are performing for Awole to put him in better
humour, Chiefs seated.

Samu: The world is really going to the dogs. In the old days, would Afonja have had the temerity to
assemble an army of his own without the king’s approval? Fine, he calls it the army of the empire but we
all know they only obey their leader. Same thing with the armies of his cohorts, the Onikoyi and Owota.
Because they are Esos and all the Esos are under them and the Aare, they feel they can do and undo.

Lagelu: To avoid serious injury, it is slowly from the outside that we eat hot soup; we don’t just pour it
down our throats. This matter must be handled with the patience and wisdom of the elders.
Confrontation will not work in this instance o! Besides I shall tell you as an elder brother that the Akeyos
and Ajeles have committed too much wickedness in the provinces. We cannot even count on their
support at this time.

Agbaakin: All this is as well. Things are spiraling out of control and we don’t have time to waste. The
idler Afonja is, the more time he has to plot mischief. We must find an expedition for him and very
quickly too.

Awole: Agbaakin, ku akin, it is word that you have spoken. The matter must be settled one way or
another. Afonja must be dealt with and stripped of his powers if not he will surely take over the empire
and plunge this land into horrible wars. He is desperately hungry for the money he wants to make from
selling his brothers and sisters; he can’t think straight anymore and so also his cohorts, the Onikoyi and
Bashorun. There can only be one supreme leader in an empire and it is the Alaafin in this case. It is not in
my time that the empire shall be plunged into civil war. I really cannot understand why my father, the
Good King Abiodun, may he sleep well with his own fathers, agreed that Alaafins should no longer go
into battle. If I took the field myself, then no Aare will dare look the Lion in the face. In the days of my
father Sango, who dared stand in the way of the all conquering fire?

Samu: I did tell him then he could have changed the law. I told him, you have to reduce the powers of
the Oyo Mesi, especially that of the Bashorun because another Bashorun Gaa will totally crumble the
empire. I told him that he had to take control of the army and let them know who was in charge. Leaving
the Esos with so much power and the Aare with nobody to control him is not healthy for the Alaafin. I
told him, Kabiyesi; you have to connect and interact more with the people. The people don’t know you.
Some actually believe you are a myth because as it is said, ears only hear of the Alaafin, eyes never see
him. The general populace has nothing to connect to. No loyalty, because it is when “eye meets eye”
that two can communicate. The throne is too far from the ruled. But he did not know how to overturn a
thousand years of tradition. So here we are now. I fold my hands.

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Lagelu: Kabiyesi, Obani, koti baje. It is the water that is lost, the calabash is still whole. There is still a
way but far reaching changes have to be made as soon as we are delivered from the jaws of this
particular hyena

Awole: if we are delivered….

Agbaakin: You must have faith Kabiyesi, or else we should all go to our houses now and forget all.

Awole: hmmm, be calm, Chief, We were just joking. We are still Kabiyesi and we have heard all that you
have said. So what do we do now?

Yeyeoba: There is a way but…….

Awole: We don’t want to hear any buts, Iya, please show us this way, we beg you because quite frankly
we are at our wits end. Our elders say no matter how many clothes we have, we cannot have as many
rags as the elders. Please help us and show us the way, wise mother.

All the chiefs nod vigorously

Yeyeoba: Well, it is a way fraught with grave danger and there is no guarantee which way it will go but if
it goes well, it will have killed two birds with one stone. But the danger is great.

Awole: Please tell us, Iya, or does anybody has any other suggestion. Let us hear it first at least and then
we can decide after wards what to do.

Yeyeoba: Send Afonja and his host against Iwere.

Silence and shock on all faces.

Samu: But….

Agbaakin: Impossible….

Lagelu: It is an abomination…….

Awole: QUIET!!, Iwere… interesting…Iwere. But my mother, it is forbidden for us to send an expedition
and besides it is impreg……..hahhah!!!!! Well-done, our mother, Thank you for your wisdom. Hmmm,
hmmm, hmmm. The battle may still be won after all. Impregnable is the whole point, abi ,… Jamiu!!!!
Fetch the Royal Party.

Lagelu: Let us not act in haste. If you stir elubo in haste, you will surely eat a meal full of lumps.

Samu: Our elders say that we must confirm the strength of the rope before we climb the palm tree. Let
us think this idea through before we act in error.

Agbaakin: Hehnhehn

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Awole: Well, you have been thinking since and of what use has it been to us? Do you have better
advice? The plan is brilliant… Absolutely brilliant! Afonja must win in 3 months or perforce he must
commit suicide. A siege in Iwere will easily run into 6 months, a brilliant idea, our mother, simply
brilliant. We let the hyena devour himself. He is the one that insists on an expedition anyway. Not every
battle goes to the strong, most go to the cunning. We must win this battle by cunning.

Royal Party enters

Awole: Oba ki o, Ajaka, go now, but proceed with extreme caution. Remember be very careful. Afonja is
very temperamental o! Watch your backs and trust no one. Iyajin, Afonja will not dare touch you so you
will lead the party. Tell Afonja that it is our pleasure that the host of the Imperial army should raze down
Iwere.

Al the members of The Royal Party look at him in shock.

Awole: what are you still doing here? Go!

They scramble out with looks of horror on their faces.

Lagelu: Ahh Kabiyesi, I fear you have set the bush on fire and this fire will surely consume us all. I
suspect we shall bite the finger of “if I had known” on this matter.

Awole: The sky is coming down; it is not on one person alone. Any action is better than this
helplessness. Stop panicking. It will all go well. The spirits of our fathers will not allow this plan to go
wrong. Except our sin is much greater than we know or it is already destined, And if it is destiny,
absolutely nothing we can do, is there?

Samu: Well said, Kabiyesi. . I better go home now. I fear there is much preparation to be done.

Yeyeoba: I go to sit with the gods and make sacrifices and beg them on our behalf

Awole: May they, the ancestors and my fathers hear our prayers.

All leave in confusion except Yeyeoba and Awole. Lights out

Scene II
At the camp

Afonja: I see your King has finally developed some backbone. It is the Royal Party that I see approaching
with no less a personality as the Magaji Iyajin himself leading the party. Let them through. Let us hear
what the oniyeye has to say.

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Iyajin: Greetings Afonja. Ha-ha, has it come to this that you will not even say welcome to your old friend.
Ha-ha, no matter how bad things become the eyes that used to recognize one cannot say they no longer
recognize one. Greetings, Afonja, let us repair and rest from our travels.

Afonja: Greetings to you too but times have changed and the tension is too high for squatting. I have
also discovered a flaw in my character, impatience. I have not cured it yet so please hurry up and deliver
your message.

Iyajin: It is like that then, no matter. All is destiny. His Majesty says to tell you that it is his pleasure that
the ancient town of Iwere be destroyed.

Afonja: (in shock) Iw…..Iwere Ke…… (He burst out laughing), see the cunning bastard…… (Laughs some
more)…….but you have to give it to him anyway….brilliant concept…..flawless plan if only he had been
dealing with the son of a lesser god. But does he not know me, Afonja…….. (Turns to Iyajin) So this is
how Awole wants it, abi……hmmmm…….but even if they tell you to go and deliver a message fit for only
a slave , you either deliver it like a true born or you become a fugitive. Ahhhh, so between you and your
brother, you have hatched out a plan to kill me!!!! It won’t work. My fathers will not allow it to work.

Onikoyi: Slow down for me o!!! I don’t understand, which Iwere? Same Iwere?! with Kobis in the Queen
Mother’s Palace? But that is against the law.

Afonja: Sometimes you can be very slow. All you know is brute force. Don’t you know a true general
must have brains to back up his brawn?

Bashorun: Forget Law, Onikoyi. He is Alaafin, the owner of the law until the people, represented by my
very self, say otherwise. And he knows it is impregnable and fortified. No commander has ever taken it
successfully anyway so law or no law, it is an impossible task.

Afonja: Onikoyi, you still don’t get it?!!!! (Stamps the floor)Awole wants me to kill myself after I have
laid siege at Iwere for 3 months and it is still standing. It is immutable law that no Aare Ona Kakanfo
must return to the Eternal City; Oyo Ile without being successful. Failure means certain suicide. So Awole
sends me on an impossible voyage and what do we do to someone that sends us on an impossible
errand, we send him an impossible reply. Gbonkas!!!!! Seize them!!!! These messengers will be the first
to go (they attempt to seize the royal party but Iyajin brushes them off. He stands before the Bashorun
who promptly brings out his sword and kills him. The Ilaris draw out their swords but are outnumbered.
In a short while, all the royal party lie dead on the ground). (Afonja looks round, sad, then shrugs)

Afonja: And then on to the capital. We shall see who will perish in this fire. Onikoyi roust the host, to the
capital we march. This is the time for our revolution. Whoever dares Ajanaku dares death, whoever
dares the machete-carrying masquerade desires a free invitation to heaven. Oya!!!! It is time to throw
off the heavy yoke of an Alaafin who does nothing for us and wants to stop us from doing business and
making money. Does he put money in my pocket to feed my family. No. Esos, lets go!!!!!!

Scene III
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Awole pacing with the chiefs.

Agbaakin: It has happened o!!! The impossible has happened. Bashorun and Afonja have brought war to
the capital!!! They are camped at 16 of the 17 city gates with the host of the army. What do we do now?
I said it, that this thing will not end well. I knew we should have waited, taken better counsel, and
involved the kings in the provinces. Now we have left our pots unwatched and the soup boils over. Hah!!
The empire is finished. Hah

Awole: Agbaakin, stop that awful noise. Are you not a man? It is in the heat of a battle that we see
Akinkanju; it is in the times of trouble that true heroes are made. Stop that whining. Stop your noise.
There is no cause to panic. As mad as Afonja is, even he will not dare attack the city of Peace, of his
forefathers. He is mad yes, but he is still clothed. We shall be calm. Did he send any message? Has he
raised the flag? No. So we wait and see who blinks first. It is the battle of the rat and the squirrel. We
shall see who will go first into the snake hole. We wait.

Agbaakin: Your highness, we do not put fire on the rooftops and go to sleep. This matter has reached
boiling point and the furnace will surely engulf us all. We must do something….anything because I fear
all will be lost and the sun will set on the Oyo Empire.

Awole: The sun did not set in my father’s time. It has not set for 700 years. It is not in my time that this
sun will suddenly rush across the sky and set.

Yeyeoba: It has been inching towards the west, to sleep for a while now; we have just not paid
attention. At times like this, it will take the joining together of all our arms to set it back or at least hold
it in one place till the danger passes but instead we bicker amongst ourselves and fight petty fights that
is not even worthy of badly behaved children. Hence we call each other names; you are Egba, You are
Igbomina, you are Owu, You are Ijebu, You are Ekiti, You are Ibarapa, you are Igbonas, as if it is not
Oduduwa that is fathered us all. The Gambaris are threatening us from the North, the hordes of the
coast are looking for our brothers and sisters to sell as slaves and instead of joining hands together to
fight off the enemy without and drive them back, we instead pick up the stick of destruction and start to
beat ourselves with it in the name of false independence and power struggles. Does one hand carry the
basket to the head, is it not united we stand and divided we fall? We have left our pots unwatched and
have became distracted over who owns the power; we shall have to deal with the consequences. As it is
now, Like His Majesty has said, we don’t have a choice. The small illness has become the sickness.
Medicine will no longer work, nor will prayers or sacrifice, We will just have to wait calmly for the end.
Nothing else is dignified.

Awole: My mother, you have spoken the truth. You have been warning us since but we like brutes did
not heed the warning. Mothers are the ones with the repository for the continuation of the race. We,
men are just destroyers. It is now too late. But even so, like she said, we shall go with dignity.

Agbaakin: but your Highness, it is to the head that they want to inflict the mortal injury, we can still save
this head. He who fights and runs away will live to fight another day.

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Awole: Hmm, hmm. So where exactly do you want to run to Agbaakin? How do you want us to run o!!!
In disguise so that when you are caught, Afonja will have the final victory and Alaafin will suffer the
indignity of being stripped naked and paraded on the streets, the Alaafin that the citizens don’t see? Is
that the kind of legacy you want to leave behind? Oh no, not me Awole (praise chant begins). I shall sit
here and wait. Anybody that wants to run away can go. I release you from your duties although I am not
sure Oyo and the earth will do the same. Pack your measly cowries, better not take your horse or they
will surely catch you, scurry away like a dishonorable bastard slave that has no history and no pedigree.

Agbaakin: Your highness, it is not at times like this that we joke o. Besides is it history and pedigree that
will ensure life. When there is life, there is hope. We can always come back to claim said history and
pedigree later.

Awole: Be gone, Agbaakin and stop disturbing us with you whining. The King does not flee like a
headless chicken without even seeing what is chasing you. Has Afonja declared war yet? Akinyungba,
please start your art, or shall we no longer dance?

Lights out.

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ACT III
Scene I
The Palace

Samu: Kabiyesi, it is now eight market days since the oloriburuku rebels camped at the gates of the
eternal city like vultures circling the carnage. What is to be done?

Awole: hmmm. Fetch Ona-Isokun for me. Surely, they will no harm him so close to Oyo. Like I said,
Afonja may be mad but even madness has its limits.

Ona-Isokun enters

Awole: Baba, well come. The crown greets you. When a message is too heavy for the unformed mouth
of a child, it is to the elders that we turn for assistance. Baba, go to Afonja. Tell him his Alaafin greets
him and welcomes him home. Tell him we do not understand the manner of this homecoming. Tell him
he is taking too long to wash the blood of battle off his clothes in order to look presentable to us in
court. In any case, these are a whole set of royal clothes as befitting a mighty General. We understand
he does not want to appear in court disheveled and offend our sensibilities. Tell him our sensibilities are
not so easily offended. Tell him I await him in court. He should come give us the response of the errand
the whole of Oyo sent him; whether successful or not, we do not know. Anyhow, his Alaafin summons
him to court to give report. Go, Baba and may your going be good.

Ona-Isokun: Ashe, Kabiyesi. I shall do my best. Excuse me.

Lights out

Scene II
Evening of the same day: Awole in full Court; Ona-Isokun enters, attempts to prostrate.

Awole: Get up, get up, Baba. No time for niceties. The message you carry is too hot and our ears are too
impatient to hear it. Get up and deliver your message

Ona-Isokun: Your highness, it is a difficult message you sent me. With the help of my ancestors, I had
the wisdom to deliver it well. But the reply from Afonja is heavy in my mouth!! I do not know how to say
it.

Awole: The word cannot be so heavy or thick that it is a knife we shall use to cut. No matter how bad
the news, it is still the mouth that must say it. Now say your piece and be at peace.

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Ona-Isokun: Forgive me and remember I am only the messenger, Kabiyesi. Emm, Afonja says that the
Royal Party you sent offended him with their message and the result was unfortunate.

Awole: Henhen, hmmm (deep in thought with a furtive look at the mother of his brother who was
amongst the killed) hmmm. So Afonja will raise his sword and kill an Iyajin. Hmmmm. And I thought he
was holding them hostage and wanted a ransom. Hmmmm. Very well then. In any case, forgive that we
send you again into the nest of snakes as this treachery is beneath the dignity of Lions, tell him we have
heard. We hope that for his sake, he fulfilled tradition and the dead were given a burial that befits
Royalty dying on the field of battle. In any case, tell Afonja to come anyhow and give his report.

Ona-Isokun: I go now my lord

Scene III
Praise Singing and Lamentation in the background: At the City gates; Afonja, Bashorun, Alapini, Onikoyi
are in a tent relaxing.

Afonja: We are now here. 8 market days have passed and we sit around like children that are learning to
crawl playing in the backyard. Bashorun, I thought you had a plan. I have done my part and brought the
army here. The next step is not in my power. It is now up to you or have you developed cold feet now
that we are within shouting distance of “His Majesty”. Does the pomp and pageantry of the office now
overwhelm you?

Bashorun: No, it is not so, Afonja and you know it… I have actually been giving you time to think deeply
about what we are about to do and its far reaching repercussions. It is a heavy responsibility you have
out on my head and it must not be done lightly otherwise all is lost and the fabric of our race will be torn
forever.

Afonja: Maybe the responsibility is really too much for you. If it was in the days of Bashorun of
Bashoruns, Gaa, himself, such pathetic words will not be coming from his mouth. Maybe you and your
Alaafin are of the same cloth. She-men. Oyo needs a strong man at this time and I am that strong man.
Besides it is now too late for second thoughts. You should have been mindful of “the fabric of the race”
when you were putting the sword to Ijayin’s neck. Let us act as men.

Bashorun: Afonja, you don’t think we should apply caution and get the populace on our side before we
do this?

Afonja: Which populace? The led are like headless chickens, wherever their leaders direct they will
follow. What did they do to save the Alaafins in the time of Bashorun Gaa? Please. No one dares stand
in the way of Ogun. The people will scamper to safety when they hear the fearsome noise of ten
thousands Esos.

Bashorun: Very well then. I have already sent to the house of ancestors and the rest of the Oyo Mesi.
We cannot move forward without them and they will come with all that is needed.

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Enter the rest of the Oyo Mesi with soldiers guarding them.

Bashorun: Hah you have come my brothers. You all know what is required to be done. Let us move in
council and avow with one voice our wishes

Samu: whose wishes Bashorun? In your thirst for power, loot and the shedding of the blood of the
children of Orunmila of which you are one, you and your friend Afonja, the bloodthirsty, wish to divert
tradition to your wishes. I shall not be part of any of it. Or do you think your vagabonds who have only
muscles and no brains which you sent to bring us here at gunpoint is the reason I am here? No, I came
to have my say. That is all.

Lagelu: Bashorun, we do not hurry to kill the rat that perches on the drinking water pot because we
want to drink water. If we do, the rat will die but so also will the pot be broken. I wish to advise you to
think deeply and reverse this monstrous path you have embarked upon.

Bashorun: Obviously, you two are in a hurry to go and meet your ancestors. Seeing that the grey of your
hair is overwhelming, I would say it is ripe time too. Where is Akiniku? Oh well, we can do very well
without him. I only called you here as a matter of courtesy. As this same tradition prescribes, you know I
only have to ask for your advice. The decision is mine and mine alone and it is worth more that all of
your decisions put together. You want me to hasten your journey but I will not. You are not important
enough. But you will be our guests till all is done. Now where is the calabash of doom?

Samu hands over the calabash to Bashorun. They turn to walk away.

Afonja: Where are you going? Did you not hear Bashorun? You will be our guest till all is done. Gbonka,
lead them away and keep a tight watch over them. They want to go and warn their king. Pitiable human
beings. All they do is talk, talk, talk. When it is time for action they hide behind the wrappers of their
wives. Shio. Lead them away.

Lights out

Scene IV
Split stage: On one side, the Palace; On the other, the camp. Bashorun makes his uncertain way to the
Palace with the calabash. Lights follow him as he goes.

Awole sits on throne. Singers and Dancers perform. The sound of the Oranyan drums is loud, beaten
solemnly by the King’s wives.

Awole: Ahh, Bashorun. It is you that is the messenger. Welcome, welcome. Wait there. Do not approach
any further. I am coming. (Turns to his family: Hugs them one by one; He hands them over to his
courtiers and Ona wefa. They go out. He is alone with Akinyungba, Akiniku, Ayangbalu, Ilaris and Ayaba
who all refused to leave)

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Awole: Hen hen, Bashorun, I said it is you that dares the Lion’s den. Hmmm… No need to waste more
words. Say your message and be done. Your soul is damned anyway. Do what you must.

Song; “Okete, bayi ni wa re” in the background, Bashorun is now trembling violently). Why do you
tremble so? Approach (Stretches out his hands with a smile on his face. Bashorun comes forward, raising
the calabash to hand to Awole)

Bashorun: Awole, you have done evil in the land and so the mandate of heaven is hereby withdrawn.
The balance of all things must be maintained at all times and you have threatened the fragile balance
between the heaven and the earth and so therefore, the gods reject you, the earth rejects you and the
people reject you.

Awole grasps his hand with the calabash and holds on tightly. Bashorun tries to release his grip but
cannot

Awole: Cascading fire at high noon, mounting the roof, flame engulfs the whole. The murderous weight
that strikes the ground with a resounding force, the terrible murmuring one, the leopard that devours
the liar. And soo Baami, avenge me. My ancestral father, Avenge this land. They have had their way for
now but avenge me!!!!!

Sound s of thunder and lightning: Lights on both Palace and Camp simultaneously; Bashorun is struck
and he falls to the ground dead. The five generals with Afonja also fall dead in the camp. Afonja looks
around bewildered. Awole nods; pushes Bashorun aside with his feet.

Awole: Bami, Oshe. Afonja, Omo Iyekan, our fathers cannot harm you but I can. (places the calabash
slowly on the throne and collects the royal bow and arrows from Akinyungba. He shoots one to the
North, South and West respectively, chanting all the while). And so I send out my curse; on you and your
offspring. On all your collaborators, at home in the savannah or in the forest, and their offspring. For
your treachery and disobedience, so will your children disobey you. As you send them on any errand,
may they never return to you to deliver the outcome. To the North, the west, the South will you be
carried away as slaves. You and your children. As slaves you shall be carried away, over the seas and
over the oceans, beyond the seas and beyond the oceans, slaves will rule over you. (With that he collects
the Ivory dish form Ayaba and smashes it on the floor)It is a broken calabash that we repair, Ivory, once
broken, forever broken; so let my words be; irrevocable!!! (Afonja is looking down at his dead generals,
he lifts up his eyes in shock, on hearing Awole, makes as if to run to stop him but it is too late. He gets to
the palace at the same moment Awole disappears. He falls to the ground weeping. Awole turns back to
the throne; carries the calabash of doom and disappears into the palace)

Lights out

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EPILOGUE
Narrator: And so Alaafin Awole commits suicide as tradition demands and the Oyo Empire, ruler of the
domain for 700 years finally crumbles into devastating wars for the next 100 years. The empire plunges
into darkness, and Oranyan’s children gnashed their teeth. Awole’s words were proven; over the seas
and beyond did they carry the Yorubas as slaves. Afonja himself was killed by his slaves.

When two brothers fight, it is the stranger that reaps the harvest and what a bountiful harvest. First the
harvest of our brothers; carried as slaves, hundreds of millions of them. Then the very best fruits of our
land; palm oil, rubber, timber, groundnuts, cocoa; taken from our land and sold for huge profits to pay
for our subjugation and the crushing of our souls. Battle weary after 100 years, we watched in mute
submission and shocked confusion as our land was carved up and we were given strange, alien names,
with strange, alien boundaries. Eventually the strangers left but not before we had been turned into
caricatures, neither of this land of another, our memories wiped out, our culture debased, our identities
distorted.

Still we have not learnt, we still continue to fight and battle over stupid acquisitions. Are we not all
children of the same God? Do we not all occupy this ancient land, the source of all humankind and carry
within our genes the mother gene of all mankind. Does the Sun not shine on our lush land, has nature
not provided us with all that we might need so we don’t starve; instead we continue to bicker like
ignorant fools when all we have to do is to unite and lead ourselves and our children out of the
wilderness of want, waste and ignominy.

And….we carry ourselves, still as slaves, over the seas and beyond in modern day slavery in foreign
lands; as cleaners, taxi drivers, but also as professors, doctors, nurses and continue to build up other
lands while ours tragically give way to more poverty, more devastation, more pain and suffering.

Lacking thoughtfulness and ingenuity, six children of the same mother died trying to pay back a debt of
just six thousand cowries. At Isundunrin, At Oke Mesi, At Oyo-Ile, 300 years ago, steel was produced
from our smithies by our forefathers, yet in the 21st century we cannot produce a bar of steel by
ourselves.

But beware; a race that refuses to learn from their history is condemned to relive it. Because, still we
fight. And still the strangers reap. The harvest of ten thousand generations.

End

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Awole’s Oriki

Awole, Osarewa S’akin, Ajamu Ogun, Ajagbe Erin, Arogangan Ekun

Entering the river, it is with the noise of horses

Rising from the river, it is with the dust of horses

He strides majestically like a horse towards the Bara

Awole, the termites only try and try, no termite can eat a rock

Elephant owner of abundant wealth and pet hyenas

Ajanaku that shakes the forest violently

Comely and handsome as the antelope, your rival cannot be found in the forest

Ogongo King of birds, Alaafin, King of Kings

Progeny of great conquerors, son of Oranmiyan, Lord of ten thousand Esos,

Vice-regent of the gods on earth whose splendour spans the earth’ girth

Awole, you are king on the throne of your fathers and they are annoyed but what can they do,
powerless bastards of powerless bosoms.

Vice-regent of the gods on earth whose splendour spans the earth’ girth

Awole, you are king on the throne of your fathers and they are annoyed but what can they do,
powerless bastards of powerless bosoms.

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