Act 1: Scene1

**The stage is set at Dimka's (The village 'dibia') shrine....Drum beats rhythmic in line with the gait of an old man who walks onto the stage laughing hysterically...he stops, dances a little...oblivious to the audience as he resumes his laughter then turns suddenly to the audience as if he just noticed them**

Old man: (Addresses the audience with a voice typical of an old man) Oh, there you are...do not think me mad my children as my laughter is unrelated with the sickness of age...Um....um (Old man pauses a bit as if trying to recall an event of the past)....

Old man: Ah, yes...now I remember....it hasn't always been this peaceful my children....Ohhh... (Old man shakes his head, visibly worried) the thought of him still sends shivers down my spine....he was hell bent on sending this land down the path of doom and destruction...hmmm (Old man sighs and with a sense of purpose and strength in his voice, he continues)...

Old man: Dimka...(at the mention of the name, drums begins to beat gloomily but softly as the background song begins, introducing the village 'Dibia'...the 'Dibia' is seen on stage behind the Old man, and walking as if he is engulfed with the powers of the dark side. The old man shakes his head and continues his story)... your plans failed. All thanks to the good heart of our queen....hmmmm. I can still hear the screams of those poor innocent children and the wailings of their mothers....Oh death has a deadly sting...the bitterness of a mother was the joy of Dimka...

(Old man shakes his head sorrowfully as he leaves the stage. Drums starts to increase as Dimka is seen walking onto the stage dressed colorfully like a dibia and stern looking. All the while looking up as if communing with the gods as he walks onto the stage.)

Dimka: (Stops and laughs wickedly...stops, looks around as he stares into space...as he heaves and puffs...then suddenly he shouts...) Orukutu the silence of the grave yard....Orukutu, the one who strikes terror and fear into the hearts of the living....Orukutu, hear the calls of your lowly servant... (He stops suddenly as if expecting the gods to speak back to him, he looks round slowly and continues...)

Dimka: Oh ancient one... (pleadingly, with outstretched hands he continues) do not turn your back on me....where have I failed you? (stops again..as if to think, as he looks at each outstretched hand and continues as if talking to his hands in a bid to demonstrate that he would have even killed with his bare hands if it would have stopped them) Indeed, I tried to stop the Oba from given his consent to the missionaries but he just wouldn't listen...(shifting his gaze from his hands upwards as he continues to converse with the deity) this strange God they bring has the blessings of the Queen, they say, and there was little I could do to convince the Oba....

Dimka stops suddenly...looks around as if being spoken to by the deity and then laughs wickedly...as drum beats are heard softly in the background

Dimka: I hear you o magnificent one...I hear you (Laughs again as he gets further instructions from the deity and then continues with his 'monologue') But Orukutu how can I pull this off?...the Queen will never agree to this demands and the Oba listens to the Queen... (stops again as if to think...)

Dimka: Oh Orukutu, convincing the king to offer the heads of seven children is no small task... (Dimka stops again as if he was cut short by the deity...) Oh I see... (nodding his head in agreement) ...you don't want this to be just any sacrifice...You want the heads of seven Christians... (Drums beat randomly as Dimka is seen laughing wickedly again)

Dimka: Yes Orukutu, it shall be done... (The song that introduced Dimka is heard in the background as the Old man comes back in on stage shaking his head as he makes his way....Dimka is seen laughing hard and walking off stage...)

Old man: (Sorrowfully shakes head and turns the audience...) My Children, that was the very wicked heart of the one known as Dimka...he would do everything in his powers to ensure the deaths of many... (shakes head sorrowfully again as sorrowful songs are heard at the background...the sorrowful song continues as the Old man continues his story...)

Old man: He cared not for anyone but himself...for he believes that his place at the palace is threatened with the advent of Christianity...The stage is set my children for what was to be known as the black day of the history of our people... (Old man visibly shaken with grief continues...) Dimka was thirsty for blood...but he still had to wait for the opportuned time... (Old man stops to think as if trying to recall the events that took place...)

Old man: Ah yes, I remember....it all started on a market day...a day everyone thought would be a very fine day indeed. (Old man shakes his head knowingly as the stage is reset into the Oba's palace and the Oba and his chiefs are seen walking out onto the stage) Hmmmm...oh I wish that day had not come...the cry of a woman was heard... (a woman's scream is heard backstage as the Oba continues his ascent onto his throne...Old man continues with his story)

Old man: They called it the plague...no one knew where it came from but it came all the same and the entire village was in chaos... (At the mention of 'chaos' drums beat widely and some women were seen running up the stage, crying and wailing as the Old man makes his way off the stage)

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Act 1: Scene 2

Some market women are seen crying into the kings palace. The chiefs tried to inquire from them what the matter is but they kept on crying and wailing. The king is seen in his regalia seemingly unmoved by the total chaos at the palace which is true to his status as a warrior King...though the King loves his people but he is irritated at the sight of tears...at this point he barked out one word...

King: SILENCE!!! (At the command, the palace is now as quiet as a graveyard...given room for the chiefs to continue their interrogation)

Chief 1: (After the deafening silence, stood up, paid homage to the king and continues his interrogation as calmly as he can...) What is the matter woman?...what drives you to tears?

Woman 1: (Still sobbing, clasping her wrapper at the breast with one hand and holding her head with the other...the question from the chief seemed like an invitation for her to continue her wailings...)

Chief 1: (A bit irritated...he continues, facing the rest of the crowd) Can someone in the name of the gods tell us what the matter is? (Crowd still sobbing without much thought to the words of the chief)

Chief 2: (Quite angrily, with eyes wide open he barked out at the crowd...) Will someone come forward and tell us what the matter is before the gods strike you all dead?

Woman 1: (Regains a bit of composure as she speaks sorrowfully on the floor) The lord my king..our elders, I bring you very sad news indeed...(At this the chiefs look at each other surprisingly but the King seems unshaken still as the woman continues to sob...)

Chief 1: (looking at the other chiefs and the king...) Sad news?? (Now facing the crowd) What can be sad about such a beautiful market day?

Woman 1: (still sobbing...) My lords...so I thought when I woke up this morning....for the day was indeed beautiful but for what I saw, the day would have been perfect.

Chief 2: (Barking angrily at the woman as he gets up from his seat...) Stop trying our patience woman!!! Speak up before the wrath of the gods descend heavily upon you...

Chief 3: (Addressing Chief 2...) Patience Chief Jemba...patience....can't you see that whatever ordeal this poor child is facing is enough to last her 3 generations of grief? (Facing the woman whose grief is gradually turning to fright...)

Chief 3: Come my child and tell us the story behind your tears...

Woman 1: (still sobbing but with a bit more composure... My chief...it all started 3 nights ago when my husband came back from the farm to get some produce in preparation for the great market day...(sobs in between speeches)...that evening, he complained about a strange pain in his spine and before we knew it, his body burnt all over as if he was on fire...(starts crying again...)

Chief 3: (Trying to comfort her...) Go on my daughter...go on. Let us know the rest of your story.

Woman 1: (Still crying and unable to continue...woman 2 comes forward to comfort her. Laying her head on her breast and then continues on her behalf)

Woman 2: (she tries to speak in between sobs too) Pardon me your highness...my chiefs,...my sister sent for me the next morning when her husband was not getting any better. At first I thought he may have offended the gods to incur their wrath but the strange illness befell his two small children too and soon they developed the same symptoms as their father....(Continues sobbing...)

Chief 1: (Visibly worried...) If the husband and children are sick, why not take them to Atika the village medicine man, or better still call him to see them?

Woman 2: (By now she is all in tears...) We did my lord....that was one night ago. I had to stay with them at Atika's place in order to tend to their needs. My sister had to leave us this morning for the market in order to earn a living for her family...(sobs). No sooner had she left than the children started to vomit some very strange substance...Atika did all that he could to revive them but despite his best efforts he could not revive them...(Everyone in the crowd is in tears now as the background music continues sorrowfully with a soloist leading)

Chief 2: (Shifting his gaze from one chief to the other and to the crowd) What manner of sickness is this? Never before have we heard of a case like this...(turning to the woman) What about your husband?

Woman 1: (sobbing uncontrollably..she mutters) He died this afternoon just before sunset...Everyone continues to cry as the soloist becomes a bit more audible

(At this point the king who has shown little or no emotions got up to address the crowd...as he got up, the chiefs stooped low to recognize his presence.)

King: Walking down from his thrown, looking every inch the warrior addressed the crowd Today is indeed a sad day my people...the sickness and death is indeed strange...go home now and let your hearts be comforted. I promise to get to the root of the matter so that no mother would be made to go through the ordeal you face at the moment...hurry home now my people and give the dead a befitting burial.

(The king is still seen standing and watching as the the people disperse from the palace, sorrowfully.)

Chief 2: (To the King and other Chiefs) My King..I think we should send a delegation to the home of Atika in order to verify what really happened...

Chief 1: (Amazed at the suggestion) Verify? From who?...Atika? Chuckles What business does a lion have sniffing the anus of a goat? Have you forgotten that Atika does not know the art of divination? A man whose house is on fire does not go about giving directions to passersby...I say we should forget about Atika and call Dimka to help us get to the root of the matter...


Chief 2: (Also amazed at the suggestion of Chief 1) Call Dimka? I don't think the situation demands the input of Dimka just yet. I still say we should investigate the matter for ourselves first...

Chief 3: (Getting up...) Indeed, it is said that desperate times, calls for desperate measures...must we sit back and watch this village get consumed because we decided to befriend the pace of the tortoise? I support the move to bring in Dimka...The last time 2 members of the same family died on the same day in this village, was a time of war...now we witness the deaths of 3 and we are talking about caution? Caution should be thrown to the winds...

Chief 2: Hmmmm...the fact that the Tortoise is slow in its gait only shows that danger is not too far away. Your highness, I see no wisdom in what my other Chiefs have said...we need to thread with caution...

Chief 1: (Visibly angry at the words of Chief 2) Are you saying we are stupid?

Chief 2: (Getting up) I never said you are stupid my Chief...I only said both your words are looking for wisdom.

Chief 3: (Visibly angry) It is your forefathers that lack wisdom...(A quarrel ensues and every Chief is seen in a war of words)

(At this time the King who has been listening to the arguments gets up angrily)

King: ENOUGH!!! (All becomes quiet...) It is time to consult the Oracle...(turns to one of his servants) Otinkpu....(Servant runs in front of him and bows to one knee...King stretches out his muscular arms and orders his servant)...Go now and bring me Dimka...tell him that I send my greetings and his presence is needed at the Palace immediately....Now go!!!

(As the servant hurries out of the palace the king turns to address his chiefs...)

King: My chiefs, as we await word from Dimka let us turn to the gods and pray that the mystery surrounding these deaths be revealed and a solution be readily available in order to prevent a reoccurrence.

All the chiefs nod in agreement. The Oba get's up and retires to his chamber while the Chiefs leave after him, still discussing the matter....As the Chiefs leave, the Old man is seen coming on stage...The old man meets the chiefs half way, looks at them and shakes his head sorrowfully as the Chiefs continue on their way off stage without noticing the old man.

Act 2: Scene 1

The stage is set at Dimka's Cave

Old man: (His gaze shifts from the Chiefs, who are still on their way off stage, to the audience) This was the beginning of the end my children...(shakes his head and walks close to the audience sorrowfully)...Poor King...he never knew what he was up against...The sorrows of the village will soon become the gain of Dimka...if only he knew on time...(He stops, looks up at the heavens, shakes his head sorrowfully again and continues)

Old man: It took the servant two nights to work his way through the forest to the evil cave of Dimka...by this time, Dimka has gotten word from his spies that the whole village is in Chaos. The death toll has grown 3 folds since the deaths of the first 3 (The old man stops and looks up at the cloud slowly as if trying to understand the weather as he continues to speak)...A dark cloud is gathering, a storm seem imminent and there is no shelter in sight...(His gaze comes back to the audience again) No one knew the cause of the illness and how to stop it...but...(raising his crooked finger to the audience as if making a point)...Dimka....(At the mention of Dimka the evil song of Dimka is heard faintly and rising as Dimka is seen walking as if consumed in his diabolical powers onto the stage as the Old man continues)...yeees, Dimka knows....(Old man walks out of the stage as Dimka continues to make his way to the centre of the stage)

Dimka: (With a scowl on his face and breathing heavily) They believe they can make a fool out of me...such insolence...I warned the Oba not to allow those Christians and now he must pay the price for his stupidity...(Laughs wickedly)

Dimka: Orukutu...it's just a matter of time...those Christians will definitely pay...I hear death has decided to walk in the midst of the people...(Grins) Soon enough, my counsel would be sought and that would be our moment to strike fear in the hearts of the Christians...(laughs wickedly and then stops suddenly as he hears the King's servant come in)

Otinkpu: (Runs in panting and unable to speak immediately)

Dimka: (Visibly angry) The Cat's cut your tongue boy?...What troubles bring you hear?

Otinkpu:[/color] [color=#000099](Tries to speak but was unable...still gasping for air)

Dimka: (Still angry as he shouts at the messenger) Speak up boy before I strike you dead with the power of Orukutu...

Otinkpu: (Manages to let out the words) My lord Dimka...the King sends his greetings.

Dimka: So why did the King send you?

Otinkpu: My lord, as I speak to you now, the village is in total chaos...strange deaths rages round the land and the King wants to seek your counsel my lord.

Dimka: (Laughs wickedly and speaks to himself) Now he seeks my counsel, eh? (Chuckles to himself) The fish that can see that its water is getting shallower, cannot be stranded....I knew this day would come...(turns to the servant) Tell the King that I won't be long in coming...

Otinkpu: (A bit hesitant) But my lord Dimka, the King ordered me to come with you.

Dimka: (Very angry now he barks at the servant) Silence...you insolent little child. You dare talk back at the great Dimka? (moving close to the servant as if ready to lay a curse on him)....It is only a fool that uses his bare feet to search for hidden thorns which he has seen in broad day light....do not test me boy...

Otinkpu: (Quite shaken and taken aback by the reaction of Dimka) N..not at all my lord Dimka...it's just that the King ordered my lord...those are the words of the King himself.

Dimka: (A bit calm now but still angry) Orders of the King...(Scoffs)...All right then...lead the way. (The soloist starts the song as Dimka and the Servant leaves the stage)

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Act 2: Scene 2

Back at the Oba's palace the chiefs come onto the stage speaking to each other in low tone. The atmosphere is tensed as the soloist plays his song softly in the background to reflect the mood. The chiefs are seated now and they talk about the happenings in their village.

Chief 2: (Gets up) My fellow Chiefs...the events of the past five days are something I cannot come to terms with....worse is that no one seems to know what is causing these strange illness and deaths.

Chief 3: (Gets up shaking his head) You are right Chief Egunu....I am also at a loss for words. Watching people fall sick and die in such manner is quite unheard of in these paths...even the likes of Odika the great hunter have fled the village with their families...these are really sad times.

Chief 1: Hmmmm....a bird does not change its feathers because the weather is bad....The actions of Odika is indeed shameful....(shakes his head and stops to think)...I wonder what is keeping Dimka...it has been five days already. I hope he realises the urgency of this matter....

The King is seen come up the stage and all discussions stops as they bow to recognize the presence of the King as he makes his way to the throne

King: Any word from Otinkpu?

Chief 1: We are yet to get word from Otinkpu my lord.

King:

..

Great.

Uyi Iredia: Great.

Thanks but I aint done yet. I will continue with it today, hopefully.

Updated!!!

ooman: always about xtians and yahweh... get a job

Guy what's up? Where the heck have you been?

Continue

Dance of the gods


You don't see too many dramas here, good one. Oya come and complete it....unless you've lost your muse or too busy being the hand of justice

uj_sizzle: Dance of the gods


You don't see too many dramas here, good one. Oya come and complete it....unless you've lost your muse or too busy being the hand of justice

be nice

uj_sizzle: Dance of the gods


You don't see too many dramas here, good one. Oya come and complete it....unless you've lost your muse or too busy being the hand of justice

Nice name!

I like it...

ritababe: Continue

I will do that within the hour or next

uj_sizzle: Dance of the gods


You don't see too many dramas here, good one. Oya come and complete it....unless you've lost your muse or too busy being the hand of justice

smh...

striktlymi:

Nice name!

I like it...

You're welcome

uj_sizzle:
You're welcome

Thanks!

Learnt you are now a mod...Congrats!

Good one

striktlymi:

Thanks!

Learnt you are now a mod...Congrats!

yup thanks

Sagma: Good one

Thanks!



#Update complete. Might continue later in the day or tomorrow.

Updated! Will continue as soon as I get fuel for the Gen. Though some editing still need to be done.

I never knew you were this talented.

Argue like keyamo
write like ola rotimi

you are gifted

Beautiful, i'm loving this

Not bad, but the theme and the title is rather cliche

tobechi20: I never knew you were this talented.

Argue like keyamo
write like ola rotimi

you are gifted

uj_sizzle: Beautiful, i'm loving this

Thanks guys!

I have even forgotten that I have an unfinished business in this section...

O boy, small wonder I am accused of not appreciating literature.

Larai Boluwaji: Not bad, but the theme and the title is rather cliche

Hmmm...

What do you think the theme is?

And how do you mean 'cliché'? Is it that the title is commonly used or that the story is predictable?

Not bad. This is the first play am seeing in the literature section.

striktlymi:

Hmmm...

What do you think the theme is?

And how do you mean 'cliché'? Is it that the title is commonly used or that the story is predictable?

The story is VERY predictable and the title has been overused

Larai Boluwaji:
The story is VERY predictable and the title has been overused

Tell me how the story continues.

I heard someone saying he wanted to publish. Here's a good one. They accept online manuscript submission. Try cassava republic. Though I dont know that much about them or their website. Another sure one is www.blacktowerpublishers.com.ng They offer editing, proofreading, translation services. Even script review. Have only used their services once.

I'm always a fan of plays/ drama. Nice story but I have problems with ur structure.

Noble cares