Recruitment Methods

The production, which appears in seven scenes, starts with the narrator after a song and dance prelude to draw and capture audience attention, amidst drums and dance, who comes on stage to introduce the production team and the production, titled “Ajọ Obi”. This gives way to scene one in Okoronji‟s home as the family wakes to the burden of Okoronji‟s financial predicament at funding his first son (Ikenna)‟s, university admission. It is in order to find solution to this predicament that he sends

his son Obiora to go and call his younger brother, Uga, for him; to whom he incidentally discloses his reason for inviting him, stressing his firm resolve to dispose of a strategically located portion of their family land to be able to meet his need. Uga is obviously enraged by Okoronji‟s decision; and amidst vehement opposition and argument, he storms out of Okoronji‟s house in anger calling him names and threatening to deal with him as segment ends with Okoronji‟s lamentation of his ill fate.

Scene two opens in Uga‟s house as his wife and daughter are seated in discussion. He comes back angry and soliloquizing to the surprise of his wife, who inquires what the matter is. He discloses to her what had transpired between him and his elder brother; and she does not mince words to suggest a murderous idea to him in order to thwart his brother‟s intention. He exits the stage meditating on his wife‟s murderous suggestion.

Scene three opens in Okoronji‟s house, where amidst a family session, Thomas, his business partner arrives, apparently angry. Shortly, the two business partners are left to themselves as Thomas complains of the fake products Okoronji had sold to him, threatening in spite of Okoronji‟s appeal, to deal seriously with him on failing to refund him his money in two days, as he angrily leaves. Okoronji laments his fate too entering inside.

After an interlude, Okoronji returns to relax and take some snuff, but suddenly, he becomes sickly and instantly slumps, and dies to the shock and grief of the entire family. The wife weeps uncontrollably, lamenting her fate because of this development. Her other children make effort too to calm her, as Obiora leaves to inform their uncle, Mazi Uga. The obvious reality of their frustrated academic

ambition stares them on the face, especially Ikenna. Shortly, Uga arrives to seemingly sympathize with them, with some boys who immediately take Mazi Okoronji inside before they all take their leave.

The instantaneity of the arrival of the women group, „the Ụmụadas‟, as soon as Uga and his boys left, to forcefully shave Okoronji‟s wife‟s hair in accordance with the widowhood rites of the community, heaping on her accusations of killing her husband and tormenting her in the process, suggests Mazi Uga‟s complicity. As the widow laments in grief of her fate as the women leave her emotionally wrecked, the daughter arrives to behold the shocking scene; just before Mazi Uga quickly returns again to accuse her of killing her husband, and to make declarations of inheriting his late brother‟s properties, including the woman herself. The other children come in shortly after their uncle has gone, to hear of what happened, and also console their mother; even as Obiora storms out, threatening to deal with Mazi Uga.

After another interlude, Obiora storms their house this time with his rascal friends, as they smoke unconcernedly in their characteristic unruliness. His mother comes in; and apparently annoyed by their unruly presence, pursues all of them away, as she laments over Obiora‟s behaviour, all because of her husband‟s death. Ikenna comes in to console her. The daughter, who immediately hurries in to draw their attention to an ongoing radio announcement, only has to join her brother to console their mother, but quickly at the same time urges Ikenna to put on the radio for the announcement.

Radio intersection immediately comes on air in form of announcement, and fills the atmosphere. The announcement which is for aspiring indigent citizens of the state who are interested for free university admission in the state university once again

puts joy and smiles on the family; having almost lost all hope of education, especially for Ikenna.

As soon as this is over, the narrator reemerges in his characteristic grace and eloquence, and enthusiastic engagement of the audience, to highlight on the preceding actions, and draw the attention of the audience to what to expect as actions unfold.

Scene four opens in Mazi Uga‟s house. There is a PHONE INTERSECTION in progress – phone conversation between Uga and his immediate elder brother, Nnanna, who stays in far away Lagos. He informs him that the news about his activities towards their late brother‟s wife and children has reached him and warns him seriously to desist in his own interest from laying claims to either the late brother‟s properties or his wife, as he is the rightful person to do that. A heated argument erupts as Uga claims that he has been the one taking care of everything at home, that he should not come now to challenge his intentions. Nnanna threatens to deal with him if he proves stubborn, and promises him a tough fight when he comes home. Uga says he would be waiting for him. Uga‟s wife, who is drawn by the heated argument, comes in to find out what the matter is; but suddenly, her husband begins to experience a stomach upset as she immediately takes him out in pains.

The narrator now returns to comment briefly on what has happened in Uga‟s house, and thus take the audience on a transition from the stage to the screen (video intersection), as scene five opens right in IZUNNA HOSPITAL, on screen, where Udo is rushed to as a result of his ailing experience. Uga, who is already on admission, receives attention from a nurse on duty who also encourages his distressed wife that he would be alright. Shortly, as Uga‟s wife excuses herself to get something from outside the ward, Okoronji‟s wife (a nurse in the hospital) reports to duty for her

shift, to take over from the nurse that has been attending to Uga. After getting the necessary details on the patient, and taking time to observe the patient after her mate had gone, she suddenly discovers that the patient is actually her brother-in-law, Uga.

She instantly begins to think aloud if this is not a golden opportunity to eliminate him by over-drugging him for all his wickedness against her and her children. However, on a second thought, she changes her mind and takes care of him. Soon, Uga‟s wife comes back and is surprised to see the wife of her husband‟s late brother taking care of Uga, her husband. She is uncomfortable, even as she verifies that the woman actually works in the hospital; but Okoronji‟s widow (nurse) rather encourages her not to worry, assuring her that her husband would be alright.

As soon as actions fade on the screen, the narrator reemerges on stage to take the audience back to the stage from the screen; and after briefly highlighting on the incidents that took place in the hospital, he takes the audience through yet another transition from stage to screen (video intersection), as scene six opens (on screen) at the joint where obiora and his group hang out in the bush. A cultic atmosphere dominates the spot. Every one of them is seen smoking as they brag and reveal their escapades and atrocious activities against the people of the community, and molest elders who try to challenge them in their adventures. Obiora moves in, apparently angry, to the curiousity of his friends; and discloses his uncle‟s increasing maltreatment and intimidation of his family, and says he wants him to go down. The boys demonstrate their enthusiasm to act, as they immediately set out to storm his uncle‟s house.

Scene seven immediately opens in Uga‟s house. Nnanna, who is incidentally home storms in angrily to confront Uga over their „unfinished discussion‟; but Uga

suddenly slumps even before the confrontation starts, as Nnanna quickly dismisses Uga‟s seeming pretenscious display, assuming it was out of his fear for him. This is happening just as Okoronji‟s wife (nurse), enters to find out how Uga is recovering after he is discharged from the hospital, and is surprised to see Nnanna, whom she also greeted as she quickly hurries to Uga‟s aid. At the same time, Obiora and his group storm the house too, poised for action against Uga. There is confusion and tension. Uga, who is apparently overwhelmed by the development, suddenly begins to confess of killing his elder brother, Okoronji and asking for forgiveness, just before he convulses to death, to everybody‟s surprise.

The narrator now emerges, to comment on the unfolded actions, and announce the end of the production, rendering a vote of thanks to the cheers and applauses of the audience.