The Oracle

NARRATOR: This play is about a village called Agblekpe Village and their activities concerning their culture and traditions. One day, the king of the village, Torgbui Fiagbedu II tried to protect the customs and traditions of the land by dictating to the villagers what type of food to eat to be healthy always, which type of dress to wear and others. But on the other hand, the villagers did not see it to be modern. They called it ‘archaic’. When this issue became more serious, they destooled him and banished him to die in another land. Here comes the day to select who succeeds the throne.

ACT I  SCENE I

(In the Chief’s Palace to suggest who succeeds the throne after the banished king)

Dumega Dzogbelo: I greet you all my fellow elders. Today marks exactly two market days since our good for nothing king was banished. Therefore, we need to choose who succeeds the throne. My elders, have I spoken your mind?

Dumega Tagborlo: Yes, you have, Dumega Dzogbelo.

Dumega Agbeme: Indeed we need to choose another king because a village without a king is like an animal without a head.

Dumega Dzogbelo: The question is who do we choose?

Dumega Tagborlo: I suggest we choose the richest man in the village as the king. And that is my nephew Ganyo. He is always interested in the kingship.

Dumega Dzogbelo: Bam!!!

Dumega Agbeme: No!! Let us consult the oracle first.

Dumega Tagborlo: No! I disagree with you. The oracle has no say in this.

(An argument arouse among them)

Dumega Dzogbelo: Enough! My elders! Since we the majority support choosing Ganyo as king, so be it. This is because, myself I am in support.

Dumega Agbeme: Ooh! Really? I am not part of this! (he left)

ACT  I  SCENE II

(Villagers gathered themselves in the Chiefs palace to witness the ceremony)

Dumega Dzogbelo: I greet you all. Today is a memorable day in Agblekpe village because we the elders in council have chosen and decided to enstool our new king Ganyo whom we all know is the richest in the village. We believe he can bring prosperity and development to the village because ‘with money’……

The Villagers: Everything is possible!

Dumega Dzogbelo: Gbeze!

Gbeze: Met)

Dumega Dzogbelo: (Whispers in his ears) Go and bring the king to be.

This is Tagborlo Ganyo that we all know. At this moment, I call on the Fiator to enstool him as the new king.

Fiator: Since it is your will to enstool him as king to rule over you, I will do as such. By the powers vested in me, I crown you Torgbui Fiagbedu III of Agblekpe village. By the powers vested in me, I hand over this staff to you symbolizing power over your people. Rule them in peace and harmony.

The Villagers: (they went on their knees ) Torgbuiiiiiiiiiiiii.

Torgbui: Rise, my people rise….thank you so much for making me king to rule over you. I promise to be loyal and kind to all of you because when there is money…..

The Villagers: Everything is possible.

(Singing and dancing as they leave)

Narrator: After Ganyo was crowned king, a whole lot of things happened. There was no law governing the people in the village anymore. Robbery, rape, smoking of weed, kidnapping, money rituals and other social vices went on in the village because everybody wanted to be rich. This continued for five solid years until people and animals started dying and their crops burning on the field.

ACT II  SCENE I

Enyonam: Aww! Awwwww!! My son. My son is dying oo  someone should help me. Awwwww my son.

Elikem: Davi Enyonam what is the problem?

Enyonam: My daughter is dying oo awww please help me. Awwwww.

Foli: What is going on here? I heard your voice from far. What is the matter?

Elikem: Her daughter is dying.

Foli: What at all is happening in this village? When I was coming from the farm this morning, I saw Kpeli and Dormenyo crying that their two children were sick. They took them to the native doctors but no solution. What at all is going on?

Elikem: I think we need to see Torgbui because my goats and chickens are lying dead in the house as I am speaking.

Foli: Yes we must see him.

ACT II  SCENE II

(On the way to fetch water from the stream)

Sitsofe: Ahaaaaa! Have you heard?

Atsufi and Abla: Heard what?

Atsufi: Madam Joy News, heard what?

Sitsofe: If you don’t have ears to hear, don’t you have eyes to see?

Abla: What again? Tell us!

Sitsofe: Are you people saying you are not seeing the way people are dying in this village like fowls? They said Torgbui had sex with someone in the bush that is why.

Atsufi and Abla: Eiiiiii! Sitsofe! When?

Abla: I did not hear ooo.

Sitsofe: Yes, that is what people are saying oo

Atsufi: Which people?

Abla: Atsufi let us go before Madam Joy News put us into trouble

Atsufi: Yes oo my sister.

Sitsofe: You did not hear it from me ooo.

ACT II  SCENE III

(Elikem and other villagers in the Chief’s palace)

Torgbui: Gbeze!

Gbeze: Torgbui!

Torgbui: Go and see what is going on outside there.

Gbeze: Torgbuiiii.

Hey! All of you stay there! What is the matter?

The Villagers: We want to see the Torgbui.

Gbeze: Ok, he will be with you shortly.

(Murmuring among villagers)

Torgbui: My people, I greet you all.

The Villagers: We greet you too Torgbui.

Elikem: Torgbui what is going on?

Sitsofe: Our animals are dying!

Enyonam: Our children are dying!

Abla: Our crops are burnt on the field!

Elikem: What is going on? We need answers!

The Villagers: Yes, we need answers!!!

Torgbui: I have heard you my people. It was the same issue we were discussing before you trooped in. Even my own children are lying weak on their sick beds as I am speaking. Pleeeease, calm down, I promise you, in the next market day, I will get back to you with solution pleeeeease. Go back to your homes. I promise to get back to you pleeeease.

Elikem: We have heard you Torgbui. We shall go home as you said. But we will be back next market day. My people, let us go home.

(The villagers left)

ACT II  SCENE IV

(Dumega Dzogbelo and Dumega Agbeme on their way from the Chief’s palace)

Dumega Agbeme: There is something wrong somewhere.

Dumega Dzogbelo: I think so. What do we do now? Torgbui himself is speechless!

Dumega Agbeme: Yes! Yes!! Yes!!! The oracle! We must consult the oracle!

Dumega Dzogbelo: How come I did not think about this?

Dumega Agbeme: We must go there tomorrow dawn.

Dumega Dzogbelo: Yes! We must go.

ACT II  SCENE V

(In Hunua Horgbato’s shrine)

Dumega Dzogbelo: Agoo!

Hunua Horgbato: Come in! Come in my children, come in! I will not ask you why you are here because I already know your mission.

Dumega Dzogbelo: You know? How come?

Dumega Agbeme: Yes, how come?

Hunua Horgbato: Why do they call me Horgbato?

You wicked people! Have you forgotten years back when you destooled your legitimate king all because he was trying to protect the customs and traditions of your fathers? You banished him from his own village to die in an unknown land. Now that he is dead, his spirit is angry with all of you. For that matter, he placed a curse on the village that, until his son that nobody knows about is found to inherit the throne, you shall all die with your animals and crops until the whole village is empty.

Dumega Agbeme: Chaiiiiiiiiiiii

Dumega Dzogbelo: Ewu nu az)!!

Hunua Horgbato: I hope you have heard me?

Dumega Dzogbelo and Dumega Agbeme: Yes we have heard you.

Dumega Agbeme: So how do we solve this, Hunua?

(Incantations)

Hunua Horgbato: Now take this. (he gave them charm) This will guide you to find the Prince Fafanyo. He has a birth mark on his nose.

Now leave my shrine. Goo, Goooo Goooooooooooo.

Narrator: When Dumega Dzogbelo and Dumega Agbeme went to their houses, they could not wait for dawn to approach fast for them to leave. When it was exactly 3:00 the next morning, they left to the city to find the Prince.

ACT III  SCENE I

(In the Chief”s palace with Dumega Tagborlo)

Torgbui: Why is Dumega Dzogbelo and Dumega Agbeme not in meeting today?

Dumega Tagborlo: I overheard Dumega Dzogbelo’s son telling someone this morning that his father left very early this morning without telling anyone where he was going.

Torgbui: Are they not aware we are supposed to meet today and suggest solutions to the problems occurring in the village?

Dumega Tagborlo? I wonder! Torgbui, I think you need to send someone to their houses.

Torgbui: That is true! Gbeze!

Gbeze: Torgbui!

Torgbui: Go to Dumega Dzogbelo and Dumega Agbeme’s house and tell them I need their presence in my palace immediately.

Gbeze: Torgbuiiiiiiii

(Still in the Chiefs palace)

(Gbeze returns)

Gbeze: Torgbui, their wives said they left very early this morning without a word.

Torgbui: What!!! Where could they go? Dumega Tagborlo, go home, I will send for you later when they are back.

Dumega Tagborlo: Torgbuiiiiii

Narrator: Five days later, Dumega Dzogbelo and Dumega Agbeme returned with the son of the banished king Fiagbedu II. He was taken to Hunua Horgbato’s shrine for confirmation. From there, Hunua Horgbato accompanied them to the village square.

ACT III  SCENE II

(At the village square)

Hunua Horgbato: I greet you all my people.

The Villagers: We greet you too.

Hunua Horgbato: Do you all know this gentle man?

The Villagers: No! (They all shouted)

Hunua Horgbato: This is the son of our late king Fiagbedu II of this village, the one you people banished all because he was trying to protect the customs and and traditions of your fathers and grand fathers.

The Villagers: Heyyyyyyyyyyyiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii (murmuring among the villagers)

Hunua Horgbato: After he was destooled and banished from this very village, he left and died in an unknown land.

The Villagers: Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww

Hunua Horgbato: For that matter, he placed a curse on this village that, until his son is found to replace the existing king, you shall all die with your animals and crops until the whole village is empty.

The Villagers: Heyyyyyyyyyyiiiiiiiiiiii (murmuring among the villagers)

Hunua Horgbato: So at this moment, we are matching straight to the Chief’s palace to take what belongs to us.

The Villagers: Yes!!!

Elikem: Tsooooooo boyiiiiii!

The Villagers: Heyiiiiiiiiii!

Elikem: Ganyo must leave!

The villagers: Ganyo must leave! Ganyo must leave!!! Ganyo must leave!!!

Narrator: They hailed to the Chief’s palace saying Ganyo must leave, Ganyo must leave, Ganyo must leave. When they got to the Chief’s palace, because Ganyo himself was aware he did not inherit the throne through any vital means, he yielded for the prince to take over. He was then banished by the Chief Priest Hunua  Horgbato never to return to Agblekpe village anymore. And again, since the prince was an educated man, he made deal with the Whites to construct good roads leading to the village, electricity, portable water and many others. Through that, the curse was washed away and Agblekpe village returned back to its normal.

THE END

By: Agbetsi Divine Kordzo