Seven Years in Servitude Before a Restorer E-Book

Uchenna C. Ismaila

• Herausgeber: BookRix
• Kategorie: Poesie und Drama
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

“Seven Years in Servitude Before a Restorer” relates to issues of kidnapping, killing and abuse of communal leadership which have left the masses in terror, fear and desolation. This down-to-earth play is then a political satire through which the playwright uses as a narrative lens to capture the cruelties and brutal acts of the leaders over the led. Prince Nicholas, a leading terrorist, has his men who are depraved and corrupt, subjecting people into unwanted slavery. No one dares to question them because the prince is in power and thinks he can use it to get what he wants until death creeps in laying his icy hand on the king, and then a new king is chosen to restore the lost peace in the land.

                                      Fortune Nwaiwu

                    Author of The Devil in the Cathedral
                                 (Rivers State, Nigeria)

Leseprobe

Uchenna C. Ismaila

Seven Years in Servitude Before a Restorer

BookRix GmbH & Co. KG81371 Munich

Seven Years in Servitude Before a Restorer

SEVEN YEARS IN SERVITUDE

BEFORE A RESTORER

A Play BY

COMR. UCHENNA C. ISMAILA

A Brief Note by the Editor – Fortune Nwaiwu

even Years in Servitude Before a Restorer” relates to issues of kidnapping, killing and abuse of communal leadership which have left the masses in

terror, fear and desolation. This down-to-earth play is then a political satire through which the playwright uses to capture the cruelties and brutal acts of the leaders over the led. Prince Nicholas, a leading terrorist, has his men who are depraved and corrupt. They are seen as agents of destruction, subjecting people into unwanted slavery. No one dares to question them because the prince is in power and thinks he can use it to get what he wants. This brutality continues until king Ome-Ka-Nna-Ya becomes extremely sick. The prince after consulting the eyes of the gods to know the state of the king’s health realises that the gods are silent to reveal whether the king would live or die. This uncertainty of divination leads him to meet with another witch doctor, who falsely divulges that Agwoturumbe – the eyes of the gods is responsible for the king’s sickness. In order to avert an impending doom that would erupt in the kingdom soon, and to retain the kingship stool, the witch doctor advices that Agwoturumbe should be annihilated within four market days. The prince and his men carry out this terrible advice. Agwoturumbe is burnt with fuel, while the witch doctor's lifeless body is found at the frontage of his shrine on the same day Agwoturumbe is burnt. People believe that this incident shows that the gods have avenged for the death of Agwoturumbe. At this juncture, a team of investigative officers who have been operating to find out the whereabouts of Mr. Christopher, a husband to Mrs. Grace, arrive by their van at the

king’s palace with those assassins in handcuffs. While Prince Nicholas is arrested after his father’s death, the villagers seek divination from a new eyes of the gods to know who would be the next king to rule the entire town. Maduka who has been serving in the king’s palace as a cupbearer for seven years, is chosen as the next king who would restore the lost peace and unity in the land.

Uchenna Ismaila's work is purely a portrayal of African culture and belief. In Africa, a typical traditionalist believes that the gods have some influence over the living. This is so obvious in the play. Villagers often make some enquiries from the gods through divination, and whereby no piece of information is gotten from them, the people feel bad. They solely rely on their gods, and respect the chief priest that carries out their instructions. When Prince Nicholas wanted to kick against Agwoturumbe, the king warns him that eyes and mouth of the gods are open which means that they see whatever thing Prince Nicholas wants to do to the chief priest.

This play mostly appeals to the entire African audience as it unveils some traditional practices and beliefs. I therefore recommend this play for everyone, including examination bodies such as West African Examination Council (WAEC), National Examination Council (NECO) and other examination bodies.

Author’s Notes

t is universally acknowledged that unwholesome habits and attitudes in our society increase when they are condemned verbally with no action taken; but when the effect is dramatized, it leaves not only a discouraging impact on the perpetrators but also on the entire populace”. Thus, a mistake can lead to unimaginable destruction and regret especially one seen as common. Therefore, this short but powerful dramatic piece satirizes the dynasty in particular, and unconceivable behaviours in general. Prince Nicholas is ruthless, impetuous, exacerbated and brutal; he tries to retain the kingship stool (dynasty) but couldn’t

succeed as he’s caught up by the law of karma at the end.