Grip AmTEM: ASO: TEM: ASO) ISE ASO: ISE: ASO: iSE: ASO: ISE ASO: ISE: ASO. Bye byeo | " Oh Salute yor man o Oh (keeps Quiet} Oh and everybody 0 Oh (Keeps Quiet) Oh E do yeye woman (returning from farm with sugarcane, puts load down and comes to Aso then yreets} kuse 0 re (contempful his, continues work and signs) Aha - no be you man dey salute? (exaggerated courtesy) Ah - eye man, you done come? Win dey for house wey man pikin go chop? (Raising pestle to hit Ise) Aha! Na wetin? Enter we y you enter house na chop palava you take dabaru me! Wetin you sef bring come from farm ehn? Abi man wey dey come from farm no dye bring something come ~ Jo! beg... hm,ml! Carry your wahala yo = (pick up hoe and inspects it) Abh! Dis farm worksef na afamako proper o. Man worku tele: cutlass scf-como-benben, Aha! Moni sef man no see. Himm. Ne dem talk bo say pdorman no get broder (props hoe) Hey, wife. landlord done find me come house ? Landlord no come 0, na Temedu nahin come. Ehen! Wetin ¢ say him want? / Eh... € say im wan come buy yam and bitter leaf wey you bring from farm, En; Hungh; I no go dat farm todayASO ASO: ISE ASO. Ehn... e no know say your own farm work no get head ~ € no ge tail. Crazeman sef better pass you! Na so True true wetin mé pot on fir n fit see put for mouth (comes to examine and later comes’ to Mortas) and when man sce am dey make... he go think way na better thing ¢ dey do.{kicks pestle off Mortar) You deh find my trouble o (Notices treetop} Hen HH Aso! een wetin? Na you pluck de orange wey ripe wey I see with my own two eye dis morny betore | go farm? Hey ugbarugaba no dye blow wisulo o! A no pluck orange o Hm! So na which kind jaguda person dey fayawo come ~ pluck Ehn!? Upon all di halla wey I dey-halla, de n no gree magomago orange again... fowl wey say him get strong-head nawhe soup pot.he go know! Mekdem come again! you sef, small thing you begin vex big vex. No be some small picking nahim go come pluck your orange, abi big man go fit open ey dhe mele: ine wey you tie for the tree, and en, go take I-done-care pluck the orange? | Small pickin 0, big man o - na dhe same one poun no balance! Wish kind small pickin be dat wey no fear big man sweat? Why © no go tell him papa make him papa plant orange for dem backyard make e day take am play-play? Ehn Abi why e be sa na my yard nahim dem go de fayawp enter everytime for co my orange for awuf. Make | grip dem one day, dem go know s. awauf..awuf no get bone Ehen! Work done come! Make you no go work again you hear? Wahala man, as soon as dey break kokorioko! Make you come but dey look your orange tree. You hear? You dey craze abi namy palava you dey find? Answer Abi na wish one be your wahala wey my “drange-vex" dey pain you for body? Ebn! Dhe orange na my own, dhe vex-wey I dey vex sef na_my vex Wish one be your wn? Saro.man say poorman no be crazy 1m Peepulu dey come thief my orange; the orange 4 hand wey God give me, | no get right to vex? An monkey we dey work make baboo dey chop? an. If wey I plant with the nswer! Abi me | be Na wish kin work you dey call your work? Work wey you work so tay better no follow you, na so- 7 © poor you go poor so tay die go c take you go! Jo, make person hear word) omeISE: ANG: 180 ISE: ASO: ANG: E done - tey ~ wey I know say your head remain-ten make « correct! You hear... And if you no want me to pafuka you, m no put mouth for my wahala again, you hear? .. | te Hi you ulur O! [tell you ultimatum go yourown jeje, if no be so, fT grip you finish, potopoto sef go better pass you! You hear? Go siddon bo! So ~ so mouth! Ehent!! All right, make you wait for me if you fit. (looks round for stick...) IL wait nko - wetin you go fit do? (carries a mortar from cenire stag to uee area) (Watching forward,after he and then kicks) who born dog!! Una come o! kill me... you go kill me today-Ise done kill me o! Una come o! Na watin! E do! E done do! I say ¢ do - abah! Wush kine fight wey una dey fight so tay person dey hold una sef una no lo am for face - aha! Una leave am, make e kuky kill me! Me a Im go die today You! Me and you go dig am | say e do! Ah! Una no be man and wife! Un ask ain! Una ask am for me rest! Makunma ask am o 1 weting I doa You nko, you gree me rest? Hen! Pickin wey say no sleep himself to, no go tak eve touch sleep Nto.oo! We go dig am! (T alens her again) Make una listen ‘Talk bo! Na Orurmila nahim send me come for una! If una look me weil una #0 see say I be stranger Aah! (Quickly sobers) ree Naw so Orunmila say make | tell una say e done di a a e ley unk for una fight Everyday fight, everyday fight, tire am. Orunmila say on ant cit urie tooke amyrerdonelaceidhe poor neuans Loe ee 321SE} ANG ISE: ANG: ISE: ANG: ISE:) Orunmila s ee my Nakeer E sce am gan! And dhe hungry we dey for my belle? i He see am well, well Toh! Wahai Orunmila s y suffer una. cd me come for help una for the suffer we Ehen He give me two magic for give una, One for you one for am. Dhe magic be say if una talk watin una want patapata for dis world unmila go give una dhe magic to get any Ehen But na only one thing una go say una too go say your own. Finish. ant o! You say your own, you Make I say wetin I want pass for dis world Softly softly, thin well before you open mouth 1 done tink am tire! Wetin I want chn Tak am! ‘Tell Orunmila say, Oga, you sce dis my orange tree Wetin do am? Make Orunmila gimme power say anybody — man 0, woman o, small titi o bomboy o anybody shaal You dey hear? Talk go. Anybody wey I catch on top of my orange tree, when I say “GRIP AM” na sol Make dhe person gum for tree like stamp for afmail letter - wey de go Toronto. So I come sorry for am, | lef am! Hen Tory finish! “pte Dhe tory wowo “> Anybody wey | catch on top of my orange, if | say person tanda for dhere taan-like dhe ECN man wi serie em) male che rey elentrik doneANG: ASO: Ise. ASO: ISE; catch, Upon all dhe good thing dém wey bokoo for dhis wold, na dhat kine power you want? No be you say make | talk wetin | want? Ehnn - [done talk am now Wush one consain you: he good o he bad 0, na my torb, Abi? Ino tell you say dhe man dey craze! Na from you brodher I borrow craze put for head Allright- ¢ do! lyawo, you self mind your own wahala. Your man done talk wetm want pass for worl ~ if na so want am, na so e want am. Ehn - you talk wetin you want, Oya Ah - my own no kuku hard, Oga. Hm Dis man ~ He wan money “r+ Dhe thing wey I want pass for dhis world be say -hrm...dhis man... dis katakata man, ehn, make God kill am for me! Aha! A-s-o Wush man? Dhis one - dhis Ise abi na watin he ay him be Ehn! Make Orunmila take vex kill am troway! (trows fire wood Make Orunmila kill your man! Oin! os All right 0, Dhe ting dem way una say una want, God done hear dem A see. And na so Orunmila go make dem happen Ase (dances to drums: Yokolu Yokolu Kowa tan bi) YOU... You say make Orunmila kill me abi? Ehn watt: Ibibioman say ‘who no know dé go know. Ehen, Dhe day wey Die go come catch me, we go know where yougsef go put head! Crazeman, crazeman... come, I sa 7 ... come, I say come monkey ¢ cee y nkey, come chopu Na me you dey call monkey... (charge atASO. {escapting) make wa come o! {Ise runs alter her SCENE IL TEM: (Almost immediately) | troway salot o! Ise. Aso ‘ , i I dey salot una o! Anha.. na where den go so’ ie Hm bo na dem sabi... me a dey go o! (discoruer pot onl fe) es songs from offstage] Hey sce wetin dem put for fire self all don bu (Ise's Landlord enters} Ah - k’a bé sah. ORO: Oh bo TEM: Make una sofly ORO: My pikin ; TEM Ka bo sah Ps ORO: How fambul? fant Dem dey sah ORO: God no sleep TEM Na so sah ORO: Mhmm... God eye na gedegbe e dey! TEM Na so sah ORO: Mhm.. wey dhis peepul dem TEM Ino no-o us Qu ORO: A-ah-una dey see my torobul? Abi na wush kine ting be dhisj/person take moni build house finish man wey rent house no gree pay. Ehn? Every month end me wey be landlord 1 begin waka-waka/come collect rent, and dhat yamayama man Ise go dey take me make boju-boju. Uha see my torobul? TEM Hmm na jeje person go do for Ise and Aso word o.. Jeje.. epin better no dey for Ise and him wife Aso nko - so-so mouth. Na patience, ORo: Na Godsef say make I no rent dem my house way dey for town, wey be say na dhis yeye farmhouse I give dem for rent. Eno bad. (Cees to wash mouth spits and tices orange) A-ah-che orange wey dhe man plant sef done begin carry pikits for hea Make ! come pluck some, bo.. dhe moni.wey I-fine come sef. dhe m; an done runaw. my picking gimme !ong stick make I t: fay jo, ake pluck some| | i TEM ORO: TEM: ORO: TEM ORO: TE ORO: TEM. ORO: TEM ISE:, TEM ISE: TEM ISE, For were person go find long stick now? Me I no see long stick o Hen bring that chair den, make | take tinap Which one? Dat one, br rake Hake tinap, De orany wan etree no kuku ¥ Make you softly o Thank you my picking. Yoruba man say, man tie wrapper for man tie yahsi for wrapper, make yashi no naked he no finish? ahsi, He finish sha (as Oro tries to pluck orange) (From afar aside) No be my Landlord tanda for my orange tree so. hen he go sofertoday.(louder) Who be you we D tief my orange grip-am! Ha Ise you don come (With annoyance] you self pele, so na so una dey come take bad bele tief my orange when | comot for house. God don catch una today fo ; Who be tief, I say who be tief, no be your Landlord wan pluck one orange chop. I beg comot joh. (comes to Landlord) Pele sah abi hand no reach am My hand don gum hey Say wetin. De orange tree don grip me paparapa o Ise your Landlord don gum for tree Ino know o Ehn Ise - na so you be? Make una ask undself all dis time wey una dey come. take bad bele tief my orange una forget say... ("Sings Njemansw Tune” Free). Everyday, na for dhe thief o One day for dhe owner of dhe house! Everyday una been thief 0 “Today today” be for me Ehn Ise ~ na so you be? Na your landlord you dey stier so? Dhe poor man wey come collect him house rent jeje nahim you Na on top of orange tree ng him person dey collect house rent? Answer now! Na on top of my orange tree nahim... abi if to sav | begin sell my orange smalll by small, ehn - kobo today, epini tomorrow, “one day ~ one day” I no go gadder enough monis to pay house rent?... why de hew be say orange-langa-troat catch landlord tele, ¢ kuku pugh am googoo dame hang for my tr 8ee OYE OYE: | ORO: An? Ise... you done kill person, today o! You go tire! Ifeven you wan wicked, na your landlord, Oro nal wicked for? Hen im you go My sister, tank you —chn, you done try but no be so una for talk word, Ehn... my brotht#! Ise ~ehit.,, | hear weting you say chn... na true... ehn... Oyinbo man say: no sinoking without fire Kabo Jo I beg you broder, make you no vex Let me go jeje. Jo God go bless God no bless epinni! Gimme all dhe orange wey you done swilow from dhis tree! Ha! Una come o! Ise done kill person o! una come o! (Rushes in) Wetin o! Na wetin? Na Ise o! Ise do wetin? Na Ise 0 Ise done pafka world Na Ise 0 Ise done wicked 0 Na Ise o Ise done kill person 0 Sofly, now abah - you one dhe bala dey n Ise do you? | you one dhe cry, you one Look up now ~ look up, look Ise handwork! Aha - Ise.... Why no (aggressively) Ask your friend!!! No be dem hala call you? (Mo\ pots and sitshalf way’ stage eating his yan) to collect Na true ~ but, why your voice dey hard for me so = me and you get palava before? Oro na wetin happen? Na house rent | come collect 0! God see me ~ when I come now: Ise and him, wife po dey, nahim, I say make | siddon wait small my éye'catch'dhis orange wey ripe. Like play like play I say make | touch am finish o, me and Ise no kuku get pala before. 5 : a But you de gree me sleep? 2ce everytime houserent, everytime house rent God done hammer you today! : 9OYE: ORO: ISE) OYE ORO: OYE ISE; ORO: ISE: ORO: ISE: ORO: ISE. ORO: ISE: ORO: ISE: ORO: ISE ORO; Mhm ~ so na so matter be he ~ nahim dhis woman dey halla like say You sef Oro, you too dol O Abah ~ youno know say Ise suffer gan for plant dhis orange. Even sef say orange hungry dey hungry you, why you no beg Ise make e dash you sore? Na mistake | mistake | beg; make una help me beg Ise 0 I no go do so again Ehan, dhe one wey you done do pass nko? Na true bo ~ person catch thiefman wey thief cap, thiefman sa but I no wear dhe cap. Dhat nay eye talk. Oro make yu dash Isc something make he Jet you go Ise - you sef make'you take wetin Oro go dash you quick your wife come 0, you know say if he come now - na big wahala go bust out again. Oro - na him dhat o fore E no bad ~ wetin Ise want, E no bad wetin? Abi you never know say your water done pass gari today? (Moves to drink water} Hey ~ Ise 1 beg now ~ Ise — you self make you look God do. Alright. Mister, Oga landlord ‘esah rio You dey h I dey hear you sah. Alright, make promise say you dash me this house Ha! Ha wetting! Grip am! He 1 beg, o! Say, yu gimme dhis house patapatal!! I give you dhis hose, From head go reach toe! | give you! Awright, carry one hand, take an swear! I take dhis hand swear am! 10ISE: ) Grip am! ORO: Hal hen 1 fit gum you for tree, and I fit take you therefore, if you swear ojoro swear... mhm... Oga ri “HA = bse ORO: No be Ojoro atoall atoalll True to God = I dash you dhis hous« lailail... (Aso enters from outside} ISE: y), You see power? EI camot. ASO Ehen! Ise ~ mangomango man, na jdbiti work na him you put head now! ISE:\ Go siddon! OYE yawo - Jo, na jeje o! (6! ASO: i, Jeje wetin - ehn, mac e take jobiti carry another man house x now, all dhe rent wey e never pay pass nko, how you wan do am? ABS P. an > <3 ISE: | uP Mrs Solicitor and Advocate, your ‘over-sabi’ nahi go kill you * En... mister landlord, make you open your €aS5 well-well X= USh ORO: I dey listen o! ISE Ehen! Houserent for dhis month o, abi houserent for dhe month wy very done pass 0, abi na houserent for dhe month wey done pass ‘before - before! O... one kobo | no go pay! [fe no sweet you, Ichkeanal 9.) ORO: House rent ke? Wetin we dey talk, wush one be house rent again. I say lailai I no go come here again. ISE:) “'Awright, come down... Make you run 440 ORO God! I thank you, Mailai - I no-go come here again = xXb5 ISE You still dey here? Four-fourty!! TEM Hey tori leke plasas! OYE. Na wah! Man take jobiti carry another man propoti TEM God go juge (both exit) 5 ISE; (Sour smile) Una tank you! When I go open house | go make una invite to drink tombo, gougosa pepulu. v Cs 1 ASO: Your eye done come dwon now? Ehu ~ you done take strong eye carry another man house - your belle don sweet abi? ieee : VWASO: ISE:) Like say no be me and de craze woman go dey inside dhe house! (Ise give directices) (sings) « Eh... Wetin dey proud you sef... wait, small time now you go sec pepper Xie) Aha! Na me landlord, you dey cuss like dhis! Your infra digh K(tries to break wood for use in beating Aso. Aso covers his head with pot then se stick to hi his head. And pot breats) SCENE III (crying after the pot had been broken on his head then goes over to water pot and Tubs in some water.) ISE: ISE ASO: ISE: | | | | ASO: | | | | | | ASO: R)e Ab-ah! Na wush kine woman be dhis wey I marry for Jesus Christ sake. I beg!... Henn! Man talk one, woman talk two; I talk ten, ¢ talk twenty-ten.. If no kuku get wife for worl sef e gobetter! I go de go my own jeje with my poor poor and my suffer head Abi na wush kine shukushuku | go swallow for troat dey say na wife | marry... your nonoba! Your conconbilit Your casablaca! ‘F."+ : Your beast of no nation! Your ehn-ehn-ehn your Corigendom Your infradig! Your rayamofio! Your swine! Your stoofid! Your utility! Your gubemitoria' , Ooh yah! Nahim dhist b (still threatenin Aso) I say your ragamofio! Talk now - your ragamo Ise ee! (Who dhat? Wetin your want? Na you I come saluteTse Gwe IsE:) {KO ASO: OYE: TEM: OYE: ASO: TEM ASO: TEM: ASO: OYE: Ne Safule melt! Ah ~ na dhat sef better ~ make we go straight for business ~ Ise Who be you? 0 Who no know go know! -O Ya! fel Me na Die! Na kill | come kill you so Cheii | beg 0, I beg - Jesus of Nazareth - help me - ehh so na my die done come so? Cheii (3ce) I done die today 0 Hey Be No waste time o! I no dey for yeye.. pray wetin you wan pray make we go bo... 0 ya! Die done come-my pray done catch =~ xbst (To Tem) comot for road Make you no push me now You self no get eye Na grand wahala man dey go so telie Make you no talk so! Die - true na you.get power pass - and i know say lone day! You go catch fre like dhs woman want, but | bea die tomorrow joo Ehen - him body done soft You sef wush kine talk you dey-die, I beg sorry for dhis make you no greed he wife suffer! Wush wife - me! God forbid! He go die. Die ova do your work. Die = beg you - hence dhis man say ¢ no ready to die vet, ehn - make you leave an jo. Come - 1 go go show you some old-old Peepul wey done sick so tay, dem dey wait for you inside hospital! i for cat louity Die no know age! And Die no be any’/sick, any day ready to take na take dhat, Ise - 0 ya o! Pray your last pray @~ na go dhatoOyah “y:, Awright. .awright o! li you say so - na so 0 | pray... make | pray 0! God wey dey for Heaven! My pray be say make I no suffer, for nothing now! Dhis... o as orange tree.. my sweat! Hey! If na dhe only one orange wey ripe for him head sef. ! beg God, make | eat am before I die now — hey! beg o! Una beg am for me o! Una beg am for me o Hey my sweatice!Na your pray be dahy, \ ISE:) Na him o1 Kay You wan chop o, nge? } ISE Ni il mgos MAke I chop dat one - Only one of After dhat kill me o! kill me after dhat ¢ Hey! Awright - 89 pluck one orange and chop dhen! N98 ASO: Quick-quick now y OYE: lefam now una wan kill am before ASO: siness 0 (To Oye) Make You go marry your me get my husband and na se 1 like 1 kil! am ISE:) Cry no gree me see dhe one wey ripe of Iku; You de waste time o, ehn ~ make una tell am of ISE) Oza I beg you make you mie ee Oe BIE laral rows iy fir 8° again o! Cry no gree me see 1 as iG 90k... Commot for road ~yeye man - una commot — 1 say pluck x | ™* orange quick ria bad | do, ISE;) No 0 noo be bad oga tank you! God go bless you o Grip amin ASO: Wetin happen! Ove: Ha-aht Fae TEM: Heen Abi Die don gum for tree? Iku) Why now! € ISE;) Make you dey lawyer me! OVE: Tse trap Die! Tori don baje! ASO: Ehn.. make e ‘rap am bo ‘io be him and Die and him orange xo | suffer ~ me dey £0 bo. | ‘y | IsE) Go ke? You dey lie, sister me! No be you give Die invite. No be | yourcall die come. Ehn make youg stay do am stranger! (Pushing her toward tree) ASO: Una come o 4 OYE& TEM: Ise, we beg you!OYE & TEM: Jo forgee amt ISE: i No! make 1 gum am make h for tree maker ga am) and die dey make man and wit TEM Jo forgee am! OYE E no go dey fi ee yer oes Wahala you again, Jo make you do sofly ~ dhe one way SP RUn Pe ah ig Deedee et ca Greg for: jou Tee. Now you one do am now? Beso ISE puisloney Him own word no get rush rush Abi, canary wey dey cage e dey run away? Ehn, make Die dey play for the tree UK ie Uku: Isee... so you done take cunny-cunny gum me for tree because | come kill you! Na God nahim send col Na my work I de do I beg leave me Betsey. make I dey go do my work go jeje 0! IS When you dey make ako forme before ne-eay you no know say Power pass power? Ehen,na me beforéebeg you make ako, me too I no go let you go of TEM. Ise... Eno good make person dey take bad for Pay bad! ISE: Ehen... dhat mean to say make I leave am make he come :ake Die jam me, No be so (changes at her) You sef - why vou no go meet am! TEM: (Escapes from Ise and run to Oye) Ino want make you die ~ nna dhe pecpul dem wey dey wait for die inside dhis worl'd na him dey sorry me OYE: Hey Yoruba man say; Iku nde Dede, Dede nde ku! You no know say Ise too dey find stick for kill you - | /-————«_Na God work I dey do ~ me na ordinary messenger o! Ise leave me make I dey go do my messenger work finish 0, night dey come, o! Ehen k-nigh dey come? And God work over ume no dey o! i God work overtime no dey o! Ehen? Pele... God go give you William & Udoji Yeye man! You sef, Die you $6 talk! Instead be say make you dey talk business for come down you begin talk overtime! fia Lef am-m-m, him! He never sweat yet! na wetin you want make I give you? 15, Awright, Ise.TEM & OYE: Heen Aso too? ISE: Wetin | want? Wet Die dey give person? No be die s you say Manieelalte Ise... | beg 0, leave me make | dey yo my own jeje ee you never ready for die, today, me too | pre. | yo come a day Oya make | goo! Eh... dhis man no scrioust Tbeg now... Aright wetin yqu want make [ do for you? Sa you no go kill me tor dhis worl lailai! (BLUFF) Ah! Dhat one hard of Ehen, hee! Siddon dheret (BLUFF) tee ‘ No — no-no be so.. 1 go do as you say. | say siddeon dhere! Hm (comes to Oye and hold him as he talks) man wey get sukushuku for foot, and man wey get knif to ‘ake nukushuku commot, na who go find who go? Sidon be Lien! Ise... Overdo no good. Hen - now wey Die e ready to make nahin ate: Make you too listen. Abi na yur oyoyo orange tree nahim you want take mak¢ hourse for Die? Awright: man no. be God hey! You.. you want make | let you go? Na dhe ting wey I dey beg since morning be dhat o! Awright, if you want me to let you go = make you tn Say You no go kill pe lailai. Ke promise I done make promise Shut up! Yessah! Who dey talk wey you sef dey t alk: Commander dey talk korofs ae dey talk korofo 1 beg sah! Make promise say you no go kill rie say yo eee y @ SAY YOU No go Kill say wife Promise say me and Aso 80 dey for dhis wort’ Laila: 16 .