March 14, 2023
Afro-Scope
(Directed By Harry Agina)
STEALING IN THE NAME OF THE LORD WITH A WAR ON AFRICAN CULTURE
Greetings!
This is Afro-Scope, Beaming African Ways of Life to the world. We bring you episode 5 of our AfroCultural drama series, titled, “In God’s Name.” It is written by our dramatist, Michael Shaibu. If you have not been following this from the start, not to worry; I have the link to episodes 1 to 4 at the end of this. Indeed, I always suggest that newcomers start with edition one.
“In God’s Name” is about African Religions, Christianity, and ignorant destruction of the African Culture by Africans themselves. And this is a huge irony, considering the history of intercultural interaction. Centuries ago, the “white man” demonized the African Culture, mainly for ‘his’ subjugation purpose. Today, the “white man” (at least in reasonable majority) has admitted that all cultures of the world are legitimate and actually desirable. But no, a scary number of ignorant contemporary Africans insist that the African Culture is demonic. What an irony!!!
Anyway, we saw Sela at the end of the last episode nicely interrogating her husband, Kono. And the subject was Kono’s apparent gullibility to his Pentecostal funky pastor’s scam; at least so did Sela apparently believe. Our dramatist, Michael Shaibu, has the next episode for you. Do remember, or be informed if you didn’t know, that this series is a version of abundant true-life stories of commercial Pentecostal Christianity at war with the African Culture. Here we go:
IN GOD’S NAME, 5
- INSIDE KONO’S PARENT’S SITTING ROOM; IN THE EVENING.
SELA’S MOM SITS DRESSED IN HER OSHUN WORSHIPPERS’ REGALIA, PREPPING SOME SPIRITUAL STUFF…AT A CORNER, HER HUSBAND, SELA’S FATHER IS BUSY IN HIS OWN ISLAMIC PRAYERS…THERE ARE KNOCKS ON THE FRONT DOOR…SELA’S MOM RISES TO GO GET THE DOOR…BUT THE DOOR OPENS AND SELA WALKS IN LOOKING AGITATED. SHE KNEELS TO GREET…
MOM (Frowns): What is the matter?
SELA: Mom, why not answer my greetings first? Must something be the matter for me to come home?
MOM: Well, something must not be the matter. It is clear from your face that something is the matter. So…?
SELA: Daddy is praying. Let’s not distract him.
MOM: Very well. Let’s go over there to where I was preparing something. Your father will soon be through.
MOTHER AND DAUGHTER WALK OVER TO WHERE THE MOM HAD BEEN SITTING…MOM PUTS AWAY WHAT SHE WAS WORKING ON…
MOM (Sotto voce): Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it till your father is…
SELA (Cuts in): You said he would soon be through, mom.
THEY BOTH FALL SILENT.
SOON, THE FATHER ON HIS PRAYER MAT, TURNS THIS WAY AND THAT, SAYING HIS “SALAMA” WHICH SIGNALS THE END OF HIS PRAYER…
SELA: See? He has finished already.
MOM: Very well. Let’s go to him then.
THEY RISE, CARRY THEIR SEATS, AND WALK OVER TO THE FATHER…SELA KNEELS AND SHE AND HER FATHER GREET…
DAD: So…I see there is something to discuss. Am I right?
MOM: I think this is more than just something to discuss. But as they say…no issue can be so thick that we would need a knife to cut it.
DAD: Absolutely! So, my daughter…what is it?
SELA SHIFTS IN HER SEAT TO BE MORE COMFORTABLE, THEN HEAVES A DEEP SIGHT…
- INSIDE KONO’S PARENTS’ SITTING ROOM; IN THE EVENING.
KONO IS PACING, A BIT AGITATED…HIS FATHER AND MOTHER WALK OUT FROM AN INNER ROOM, CLEARLY READY FOR BED, PUZLED…KONO PROSTRATES AND GREETS THEM…THEY ALL GREET WELL…THE FATHER LEADS THEM TO SIT…
FATHER: So…what is it? It is clear this is not just a social call.
MOTHER: And where is your wife? You have never come here without her.
FATHER: By the way, I don’t think it is still reasonable for you to still have a spare key to the front door.
KONO: Dad! But why?!
FATHER: Well, imagine just walking in like this! What if your mother and I were…?
KONO: Were…what?
MOTHER: Stop asking. Your father is right. Drop the key when you are leaving. Yes, this is your home and you can come any time. But just barging in like this is not ideal. Now get to what brought you.
KONO HEAVES A SIGH AND THEN HESITATES A BIT, NOT KNOWING QUITE WHERE TO BEGIN…
MOTHER: You and your wife had a fight, didn’t you?
KONO: Not a fight, actually. Just a disagreement, sort of.
FATHER: Over what?
KONO: Over thanksgiving in church.
FATHER/MOTHER (In unison): Disagreement over thanksgiving?
FATHER: But there is nothing wrong with thanksgiving.
MOTHER: Why don’t we let him explain it first?
FATHER: Very well, explain what the disagreement is all about.
KONO HEAVES A SIGH AGAIN AND HESITATES AGAIN…
Cut to…
- INSIDE, IN SELA’S PARENTS’ SITTING ROOM; IN THE EVENING.
SELA IS JUST FINISHING NARRATING HER STORY…ALL ARE SILENT, THINKING…NOW THE MOTHER LOOKS AT THE FATHER AS IF ASKING HIM TO SAY SOMETHING…
DAD: So…why exactly did you come to us with this?
SELA: Well, who else should I have gone to?
DAD: No, no, no! You are not getting the point in my question. I didn’t condemn you for coming to us. I just want to know exactly what you expect of us by coming.
SELA: Well, some advice on what to do, what to say, how to take it.
MOM: But that should not be in our place to give. We are both not Christian. Our advice would have some colorations of bias.
SELA: You let me be the judge of that.
DAD: Your mom is right, my daughter. The people to go to are your parents in-law. Let them be the ones to advise you.
MOM: Exactly!
SELA: But the whole thing is preposterous! How can we hold a thanksgiving like that of King Solomon during the temple inauguration?
DAD (Smiles): I might not be a Christian, but Islam talks a lot about Anobi Suleiman and the extravagance with which he carried out that inauguration. No one can match that.
SELA: Imagine that!
MOM: Well, I have no idea what you both are talking about now. All I can add, Sela, is that you go and talk to your husband’s parents, just as your father advised.
DAD: That is it. And now…I am ready for my supper.
SELA’S MOTHER RISES PRONTO…
MOM (To Sela): Come and help me with your father’s supper before you leave. Come, come!
SELA RISES AND WALKS AWAY WITH HER MOM…
- INSIDE, IN KONO’S PARENTS’ SITTING ROOM; AT NIGHT.
KONO AND HIS PARENTS LISTEN AS SELA ROUNDS OFF HER STORY…
SELA: …never known my husband to suffer perpetual disappointments and failures. So I seriously wonder where the so-called ancestral curse is. Still, I would not have minded so much had the pastor just left it to us to decide the size of thanksgiving we want to hold. These are two points that I have issues with. And I would really, really appreciate it if you, Dad, could intervene in this, please. Thank you, sir. Thank you, ma.
KONO’S PARENTS HEAVE SIGHS AS SELA ROUNDS OFF…THE FATHER TURNS TO KONO…
FATHER: So, Kono, would you like to refute the lies she has just told us now?
SELA: I swear to…
FATHER HOLDS UP HIS HAND AND CUTS OFF SELA…
FATHER: I asked Kono. Let him answer.
KONO: She didn’t tell any lies, Dad.
FATHER (To Kono’s mom): Did you hear what your son said, my dear?
MOTHER: Loud and clear, my dear. Loud and clear.
FATHER: Kono, did I ever tell you that my father, up to my great grandparents were dedicated to any deity? Ever?
KONO: No, dad.
FATHER: Did I ever tell you that the oracle of any deity put a curse on my father or any of my great grandparents, either for refusing to worship the deity or for any other reason?
KONO: No, father.
FATHER: Why not use your head, Kono my son? Why not use your head? Anyway, your wife has a very valid point. And your mother and I are on her side in this.
SELA: Thank you, dad.
KONO’S FACE SHOWS HE IS NOT HAPPY WITH THE FATHER’S POSITION.
ALL WAIT FOR KONO TO SAY SOMETHING…
END
And so, it’s now victory number one against the so-called “Ancestral Curse.” It’s a victory over the scam and destruction around “Ancestral Curse” hype in Nigeria’s Pentecostal Christian community. Kono’s papa and mama are on the side of their daughter-in-law. They agree that Kono is stupidly gullible. As an elder would put it without much talk, he says, “Why not use your head, Kono my son?”
As I said, it’s one win down for Sela, but there’re more battles to come, from various AfroCultural and religious perspectives. I did introduce other religions, such as Islam and Traditional African Religions in the series. Are Kono and his bride Sela going to survive their divergency in outlook to life. Let’s make episode 6 of the series a date; shall we?! Following and subscribing to us makes it easy…please do. It’s by for now, from Harry Agina on behalf of Afro-Scope.
LINK TO EPISODE 6 OF “IN GOD’S NAME”:
AFROCULTURAL DRAMAS ON RELIGIONS AND CULTURE, “IN GOD’S NAME,” EPISODE 6