NIGERIAN CHRISTIAN CORPERS FELLOWSHIP (NCCF) Ebonyi State Chapter
Drama Night Ministration
Text: Proverbs 6:9-11, 13:4,11
CAST
Banjo:
Akpan: Bro Blessing
Prophetess 1: Sis. Mariam
Prophetess 2: Sis. Aina Opeyemi (Fin Sec)
Laide: Sis. Faith
CREW
- Curtains: David Ibimodi and Moses Ajadi
- Light: Sis Dolapo
- Sound: Mudasiru Eniola Ruth
- Costume: Sis. Rachael Akande
- Excerpt: Olutoto Oluwafayokunmi Joel
- Video and Photography: Adeniyi Adekanmi Emmanuel
Scene 1
Scene opens with Banjo in his living room trying to kill himself. He has three options - a knife, poison and a rope tied to the ceiling. He keeps weighing his options until he tries to tie the rope around his neck.
Banjo: I'm tired of this life. This life is worthless and completely meaningless. I think this is the time I will just end it all. At least, I will not have to worry about what I will eat, drink or do in the afterlife. I've tried to drink poison, but I don't think that's a god way to die… No. I will start struggling with stomach pain and that will be an issue…. Or should I use a knife? Will that one be faster? Noooo… That will be too dangerous…. Let me just try this one first. Whatever happens I know that today today, I'm going to meet my maker…. (Tries adjusting the rope again)… Baba God, abeg, help me pound yam and better egusi soup as I dey come so… Make your angels dey ready to receive me… I don suffer for earth enough… no make me suffer for your side again abeg…
(Curtains close. Lights go off. Banjo screams "help"…)
Scene 2
Banjo and his friend are seen drinking Garri in the living room. They engage in a conversation.
Banjo: This Garri sweet die! Just small garnish here and there and everywhere don stew (laughs)
Akpan: My guy, I don't know for you oh, but I've been thinking about my life recently. I can't continue like this oh. Just leave me as you see me drinking my garri in silence abeg.
Banjo: Why you go dey talk like this? You think I'm happy about our lives too? See, since you left University and finished NYSC, no gainful employment… nothing to show for it. Whereas, you have written applications to all the construction companies in Ebonyi here and even Lagos. You work hard but there's no explanation for your poverty… you go explain tire yet, no evidence of your hardwork… See my life too. It's not different from yours. Same story… apart from the fact that I cannot write applications to all the companies in this Ebonyi like you oh (Banjo laughs as Akpan stares at him)
Akpan: (cuts in) wetin you mean like this guy? Stop that nonsense joke jare.. (he stands up to leave…)
Banjo: Ahahahn guy na… you don vex like that? No be so my guy… Oya calm down… wetin you dey do like this na…? Why you go dey change am for your guy?
Akpan: I no like am jare… Why you go dey talk that kind talk… (he continues ranting angrily as he leaves the stage, leaving his Garri…)
Banjo: Which kind vex make you leave your Garri like this now? Ehn? Akpan? Me I go chop the Garri oh… For this Tinubu economy you wan dey waste Garri? Na you sabi oh… (he pours both cups together and tries to chase after Akpan… as curtain closes and lights go off)
Scene 3
Akpan and Banjo walk into the stage. They're in search of jobs.
Banjo: See, I don waka tire today ehn. My legs dey pain me.
Akpan: Which waka you waka wey leg go dey pain you? Ehn? See, we still have more places to cover oh.
Banjo: You and who? Ehn? You and who? See, even God knows I'm not cut out for this life of stress oh. God should just give me money let me live life jejely and softly. No be me and you go dey waka up and down inside this Ebonyi sun. (The prophetesses approach the stage in their spiritual gymnastics…)
Akpan: Be like say you don reach where you go sleep be that oh. I don dey go be that (makes a move to leave)
Prophetess 1: Kai! Stop there Mr Akpan!
Akpan: (shocked and taken aback at the mention of his name, stares at the prophetess and looks back at Banjo) Errr… What did you just say?
Prophetess 2: Oh! You're surprised (reels further spiritual gymnastics and sings…) The Lord I'm serving is good to me… Don't be shocked my brother! The Lord has indeed singled you out for good!
(A seller in the background calls "Buy soft drinks! Cold water soft drinks!…")
Banjo: (calling loudly) Soft drinks, come abeg… I don tire. It looks like I'm interested in this your prophetic drama…
(The seller comes on stage, gives a bottle of coke, gives him change and leaves through the other end…)
Akpan: (looks at Banjo with disdain)… You, I pity your life. Na coke concern you abi (looks back at the prophetess) Yes ma… Please, I heard you mention my name…
Prophetess: Yes! I did. I don't intend to waste your time because I briefly have to attend to a meeting now - just in the next street here. But I see that your village people are after your life! They don't want you to succeed, Akpan. If you don't stop them, they will stop you. They have destined you to be a poor man for life and no matter what you do, they have put a basket to steal all your rewards.
Akpan: (flicking fingers in rejection) I reject it! I reject it… in Jesus' name.
Banjo: abeg shift. No reject am come this side baba. Wetin sef?
Prophetess 1: (cuts in) As for you…
Banjo: (looking surprised) Me? What about me? No bring your bad prophecy here oh
Prophetess 1: Nooo.. I have good news for you.
Banjo: (excited) Good news? Ehehn. Let me hear now
Prophetess 1: You have been destined to be a wealthy man, Banjo. Your wealth will go beyond this nation and it will be massive. People and nations will come to borrow from you and instead, you will give them the money without interest. In fact you will dash out money to nations and forget about refunds! That is the word of my Lord to you!
Banjo: (Rolling round) Hehehehe! Finally! I said it that this suffer head life is not for me…. I'm meant to live a soft boy life ehn… Chilling in cold AC with a bottle of Coke in Canada… From AC house to AC car to AC office, controlling billions… (He Continues rejoicing, Akpan looking dejected.. The prophetess proceeds to leave with her assistant)
Prophetess 2: We are going by the spirit oh! We are going by the spirit (turns back to whisper to Akpan)… Anything for the girls?… Find something for the messengers of God jare (she grabs the change from his hand and she hastens to meet her senior prophetess, leaving the stage)
Akpan: (dejected and weeping in a corner of the stage) God! Ha! My life! God! You have to help me…
Banjo: (walking up to meet Akpan) You see my brother… This life is not hard like that. We don dey together since all these while. If one person becomes rich, there's no poverty again for anyone oh. I will take care of you and set you up in a business. See, I will buy you cars and houses in the choicest areas. Mention them! Everything… don't cry ehn… come, let's go home… (they leave the stage)
Scene 4
(There is silence. Akpan starts talking in the background.)
Akpan: Hmmm. This life? Such prophecy? That I will be poor? What kind of a prophecy is that? I'm not a lazy man Lord… I'm a hardworking young man. The strength of they youth is in their days and I have not used my days wrongly. All through my university days even till now, I've been hardworking… I graduated with a strong second class upper against all odds. And yet, my life is nothing to write home about? God, this prophecy cannot be truly from you na… it's not possible! Your word says "I know the thoughts I have for you… thoughts of good and not evil to give you a future and a hope…" So why will I get such a prophecy ehn! God why (sobs)
Well, prophecy or not, I will do my best. I will war in prayers. I will work hard with my hands too. I cannot die in poverty. It must never happen to me. Poverty must be far from my life. Never!
Scene 5
Curtain opens with Banjo lying helplessly on the floor. His sister lies beside him, with the knife, poison and rope hanging…
Laide: Brother mi… Bro Banjo… Why will you decide to kill yourself ehn? All of us, we are here for you. And you want to just die like that? Haba now. Consider us na (Banjo coughs…) Sorry brother… sorry…
(Akpan walks in to meet Banjo and Laide on stage, in expensive regalia)
Akpan: Ha! Banjo my good friend… What is this you have done? I came just when ai heard the news… How would you do a thing like this?
Banjo: My friend, you see, I didn't plan it this way. I was frustrated because I had no money. See, ehn poverty became my room mate… Poverty sat me down and said "you, Banjo, I will show you shege"
Akpan: (cuts in) Seeee, Banjo, You remember that we received one prophecy together…. That prophecy when we were looking for jobs? We received two different words that day oh. You were supposed to be the rich man according to the prophecy and I was supposed to be the poor man, but the reverse is the case…. And I warned you oh, Banjo. I warned you… You have been showing the traits since but now it is very evident… For me, I learnt the hard way that Prophecy exists so you can war with it. And you don't just say you have a good prophecy so you decide to sit down and let it play out… the devil is not happy with you and he doesn't want anything good for you. You don't become lazy because you have gotten a good prophecy. Have you forgotten that Proverbs 6:8-11 says "How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man."? Because you got a prophecy that you will be rich, you went to sit down doing nothing waiting for some riches somewhere to fall upon you? It doesn't work that way. You have to put in the work my brother. See ye a man diligent in his works, he will stand before kings and not before mere men…
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