August 24, 2023
(Directed by Harry Agina)
Greetings!
Welcome to episode 19 of the AfroCultural Drama series on Afro-Scope.com, titled, “In God’s Name.” It’s about religions, and about misguided and mischievous Pentecostal Christianity in Africa. Most importantly to Afro-Scope, it is about ignorant and mischievous destruction of the African Culture by Pentecostal Africans, in the misguided and ignorant name of the Lord.
In the last episode, we saw the group of Tanda, Michael, and Tia, with a growing crowd around them. There’s a fracas between Tanda and his group, and corrupt incompetent Nigeria Police officers. When we left the scene, the hitherto boastful corrupt Police Sergeant had suddenly landed in big trouble, with the telephone intervention of Tanda’s friend who is a Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police. Meanwhile, just a few yards away, three supposed victims of kidnapping, Nadi, Nadia, and Awele, were still in hiding inside Nadi’s office in her salon.
Also, we left Pastor K and his guests in a very tense moment in his office. Let’s refresh your memory that Pastor K had been scheming to have sex with Tiya through various approaches. Initially, he possibly believed that Tiya would play along with his unholy, so-called exorcism of “Marine-Spirit-husband” out of Tiya through sex. When Tiya did not play along, Pastor K charmed, or should I say drugged her in effort to rape her. She was only saved by the arrival of Kono and his dad, and then her husband who arrived a little later.
If you saw the last episode, then you already know that Tiya gave Pastor K what some people call “a dirty slap” as soon as she came out of his trance, and found herself in the room with her husband, Pastor K, Kono, and Kono’s father. But if you missed that, or any episode of this series; not to worry. The link that connects them all is waiting for ya, at the end of this episode. But you may even want to get to the link first, and start from episode one, which connects you through the entire series, and then read up to this episode.
Anyway, here we go with “In God’s Name,” episode 19. Let’s see how those last scenes of the last episode pan out today:
Scene 1. INTERNAL, IN PASTOR’S OFFICE; IN THE EVENING.
TIYA’S HUSBAND, KONO, AND KONO’S FATHER ARE STILL STUNNED AFTER TIYA’S “DIRTY SLAP” TO PASTOR K. AND HAVING WITNESSED IT ON HER VIDEO CALL TO KONO, SELA IS STUNND TOO. AFTER THE INITIAL SHOCK, PASTOR K QUICKLY PUTS ON A SMILE TO DEFUSE THE TENSED ATMOSPHERE…
PASTOR K (Smiling): Usually, this kind of reaction is expected.
DADDY (Sarcastic): Oh, really?
PASTOR K: But of course! Do you think the spirit husband would be happy to just leave her? That’s the spirit fighting back.
WITH THAT, TIYA REACHES OUT WITH ALL HER MIGHT AND LANDS ANOTHER DIRTY SLAP ON THE PASTOR’S FACE AGAIN…
TIYA (Snarls): You lying son of a bitch! Which spirit husband? Did you exorcise anything?
PASTOR K: But I did! You just don’t know because you were uncon…
TIYA RAISES HER HAND TO CUT PASTOR K OFF WITH ANOTHER SLAP. BUT HER HUBBY QUICKLY GRABS HER HAND AND PULLS HER ASIDE WITH A STRUGGLE…
TIYA’S HUBBY: Honey, take it easy. Where are your dresses anyway?
TIYA (Still seething): In the restroom.
SELA (On the video call): Honey, what is going on there?
ONLY NOW DOES KONO REMEMBER THAT SELA HAS BEEN WATCHING IT ALL ON VIDEO…
KONO: Oh, sorry, Love. Let me call you back in a bit.
SELA: No! I want to know what is going on now! I need to know what to tell your mom.
KONO DOES NOT RESPOND, HE JUST CUTS THE VIDEO CALL AND PUTS HIS PHONE IN HIS POCKET. TIYA EXCUSES HERSELF FROM HER HUSBAND AND GORS INTO THE RESTROOM…
Scene 2. EXTERNAL, IN FRONT OF “NADI’S UNIQUE SALON” IN THE EVENING
THE CROWD HAS GROWN LARGER ON THE SCENE AROUND TANDA, MICHAEL, AND TIA. THE POLICE SERGEANT AND HIS COLLEAGUES ARE STILL STANDING AT ATTENTION, VISIBLY SCARED. TANDA IS STILL ON SPEAKER PHONE WITH HIS POLICE DEPUTY INSPECTOR GENERAL (DIG) FRIEND, AS DIVISIONAL POLICE OFFICER (DPO) AWAL MOHAMMED SCURRIES TO THE SCENE, ALSO VISIBLY WORRIED. HE HEADS STRAIGHT TO THE SERGEANT, WHO QUICKLY SALUTES, AT ATTENTION…
THE DPO: Sergeant, what is going on here? I was on my way here when the DIG phoned me, fuming…
THE SERGEANT (Stuttering): Sir, eem…uum, it`s Corporal Jega, sir…
DPO (Cuts in): What has Jega done this time? And where is he now?
TANDA (To the phone): Looks like your DPO is here.
POLICE DIG (On the speaker, still intense): Let me speak with him, please.
TANDA (To the DPO, calm): Excuse me officer, are you the DPO?
THE DPO (Approaching): Yes, sir. I am.
TANDA: Your DIG wants to talk to you.
DPO (Surprised): My DIG?
TANDA: Sure, right here on my phone.
NOW, THE DPO LOOKS QUITE APPREHENSIVELY SURPRISED AS HE CAUTIOUSLY APPROACHES TANDA, AS THOUGH THE NEXT STEP MAY BE ON A LAND-MINE…
Scene 3. INTERNAL, IN KONO’S DINING ROOM; IN THE EVENING.
SELA TRIES TO DIAL BACK, STOPS, THINKS A BIT, AND THEN PLACES A CALL TO KONO’S MOM…
MOM (Filtered): Hello, my daughter.
SELA: Yes, mom. So, uh…I just spoke with Kono. I uh…don’t think everything is fine.
SPLIT SCREEN TO ACCOMMODATE BOTH SCENES…
MOM (Alarmed): What is happening?
SELA: Calm down ma. It really does not directly involve Kono and dad.
MOM: Then how come you don’t think everything is fine? In what way?
SELA: Kono called me on video. And I saw that another church member and his wife are also there. And the wife of that other church member slapped the pastor.
MOM: What?! Why?!
SELA: It was not totally clear. Something about spirit husband. Then I heard the pastor say something about exorcism. And she said the pastor was lying about exorcising the spirit husband. And in the altercation, she slapped him.
MOM: And you said Kono and his dad are not directly involved?
SELA: They are not, mom. I promise you.
MOM: Okay. But could that mean they have not even broached the issue they went there about yet?
SELA: I think so. But I can call to find out.
MOM: Okay. But give them some time. I don’t want your dad getting angry that we are badgering and distracting him.
SELA: Okay, mom.
THEY SAY GOODBYES AD CUT THE CONNECTION…
Scene 4. INTERNAL, IN NADI`S OFFICE INSIDE “NADI`S UNIQUE SALON”; EVENING
AWELE IS BY THE DOOR, ALTERNATING BETWEEN LISTENING THROUGH THE KEYHOLE, AND STRAINING HER EYES TO PEEP THROUGH THE KEYHOLE INTO THE OUTER SALON. TENSE AS EVER, NADI AND NADIA ARE STILL STANDING STILL BY NADI`S DESK. THEN, AWELE TIPTOES SILENTLY BACK TO NADI AND NADIA…
AWELE (Quietly): I couldn’t see anybody, and…
NADIA: Did you hear anything?
AWELE: Nothing. And we cannot hide here forever, ladies.
NADI: You think they are gone?
AWELE: I think it’s time to call our husbands.
AWELE GRABS HER HANDBAG TO RETRIEVE HER CELL PHONE; NADI FOLLOWS SUIT…
Scene 5. INTERNAL, IN PASTOR K’S OFFICE; IN THE EVENING.
THERE IS SILENCE. TIYA’S HUBBY HAS HIS HEAD BOWED IN DEEP THOUGHT. PASTOR K DOES NOT KNOW WHERE TO FIX HIS GAZE. TO SAVE FACE, HE BEGINS TO HUM A POPULAR CHRISTENDOM CHORUS, THEN HE BEGINS TO SING IT, LOOKING FROM KONO TO TIYA’S HUBBY WITH HOPE THAT THEY’D JOIN IN. TIYA’S HUBBY RAISES HIS HEAD, LOOKS DIRECT INTO PASTOR K’S EYES, AND SPEAKS IN A VOICE THAT IS AS COLD AS STEEL, COUNTING HIS WORDS…
TIYA’S HUBBY: Pastor talk to me. What is going on?
PASTOR K’S SINGING STOPS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, HE HEAVES DEEPLY, SHAKES HIS HEAD IN DESPAIR, AND TRIES ON A SMILE…
PASTOR K (Smiles): My brother, is that question really necessary here?
DAD: Of course, it is necessary! You claim to have exorcised a demon from her. But she has landed you two hot slaps. And she would have made it three, had her husband not stopped her. And yet you claim the question is not necessary?
PASTOR K (Calmly): Sir, could you please let this be between me and my dear congregants, dear sister Tiya and her husband? Brother Kono, could you please tell…
DAD (Cuts in angrily): Will you stop sending him to me as if I am an impossible person?!
KONO: Dad, please!
TIYA’S HUBBY: Pastor, I trust my wife. And I know she is not hot tempered. So, for her to have slapped you twice speaks volumes. So, I ask again, tell me what happened before she comes out.
DAD: Our people have a saying: He who has nothing to hide is never afraid to make a statement.
TIYA’S HUBBY: Absolutely! So…are you going to talk to me, Pastor? Or should we wait for my wife to come out?
DAD (To Tiya’s Hubby): Look my son, asking him to tell you what happened is just giving him the opportunity to do damage control by lying. We don’t have to have been here to know what happened. Just thank God we came at the time that we did. From what I can see, he hasn’t had time to molest your wife yet…which is what this whole charade was about.
TIYA’S HUBBY: Is that true, Pastor? Confess to me now before she comes out.
AS IF ON CUE, TIYA COMES OUT OF THE RESTROOM, NOW DRESSED, GLARES AT PASTOR K, AND SNAPS HER FINGERS AT HIM…
TIYA: You! I will show you. I swear to God who made me, I will show you for trying that rubbish with me. Thank your shrine that I didn’t see anything now that I just checked myself.
KONO BEGINS TO SHAKE HIS HEAD IN DISBELIEF. PASTOR K ONLY LOOKS ON, GRINNING SHEEPISHLY WITHOUT A WORD. KONO’S DAD LETS OUT A MOCKING GUFFAW, CLAPPING FOR EFFECT. TIYA TAKES HER HUSBAND’S HAND…
TIYA: Let’s get out of here, honey!
TIYA’S HUBBY (To Pastor K): And you…this is the last time you will see us here. If you truly love yourself, do yourself a favour and delete us from your contacts.
WITH THAT, TIYA AND HER HUBBY WALK OUT. CAREFUL TO HIDE HIS RELIEF, PASTOR K HEAVES A DEEP SIGH…
DAD: Good. Now I hope you are ready with the answer to my question?
KONO: Dad, can’t we come back another time?
PASTOR K: Really, I think that would be appreciated. Please!
DAD (Guffaws again): So that you can pack up and run away, right?
PASTOR K: Pack and run away? Just because of… Of course not! I just thought…
DAD (Cuts in): You just thought nothing. I am here now. I see no reason to go and come back another time. I want my answer now. Which of my ancestors laid the so-called curse on us his progeny? I want the answers this evening. Now!
KONO BEGINS TO SHAKE HIS HEAD IN DESPAIR AGAIN. THE PASTOR LOOKS AT THE CEILING IN DESPAIR. KONO’S DAD ONLY SHRUGS AND FOLDS HIS ARMS ON HIS CHEST…
Scene 6. EXTERNAL, OUTSIDE “NADI’S UNIQUE SALON”; EVENING
THE TEAM OF TANDA, MICHAEL, AND TIA, AND THE POLICE TEAM LED BY DPO MOHAMMED ARE NOW BY THE DOOR OF “NADI’S UNIQUE SALON,” ABOUT TO ENTER INSIDE THE SALON. GRABBING THE DOOR HANDLE, THE ANGRY DPO TURNS TO THE SERGEANT…
DPO MOHAMMED: Sergeant, what did you find inside the salon?
THE SERGEANT (Still in shivers, stuttering): Eeem, sir, aah, I have not been inside the salon, sir….
THE DPO: You have not done any investigation since you got here?! Instead, you have been harassing innocent people while the bandits are getting away with victims. Now you have put me in trouble with my DIG!
THE SERGEANT: Sir, eemm…Corporal Jega was…
TANDA (Cuts in, impatient; to the DPO): That’s another thing! Your Sergeant here keeps pushing every blame to the Corporal who has now disappeared. Ask him what he said to my friend Michael before…
MICHAEL (Cuts in): O yes…I quote him: “I can shoot you, and nothing would happen.”
THE DPO: He said what?!
AS THE DPO GLARES AND SCOWLS AT THE SERGEANT, FEW MEMBERS OF THE CROWD ARE MUMBLING INDISTINCTIVELY, BUT A SINGLE VOICE STANDS OUT…
END
Written by Michael Shaibu and Harry Agina
Greetings once again! I, Harry Agina, continue to tell you for sure that the plot that we pursue on the character Nigeria Police Force is very realistic. It is our reconstructed version of one of a gazillion real-life incidents between citizens and the infamous Nigeria Police Force. What I also want to reveal to you now, if you’re not Nigerian, is that everything that you ‘heard’ from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) is commonly fake among DPOs. Sure, there are some Nigeria Police DPOs with integrity, but unfortunately, way too many are crooks. My point here is that, according to this version of Nigeria Police incidents that we portray here, the DPO is angry with his Corporal only because the Corporal was caught in the act by the DIG. Otherwise, too many DPOs are part of the schemes of extortions that happen to citizens. The officers in the field extort and share with the DPOs in their offices. They call it “Making returns” to the boss. And beyond allegations by citizens, I heard this from police officers.
Now, trouble is in the air, and the DPO is scapegoating the Sergeant to take the fall. We shall see how it all pans out. And, of course, we shall also see how the matter between Kono’s father and the unholy Pentecostal Pastor K pans out. And there are more to come, on the next episode of, “In God`s Name.” If you are reading this, then are already on Afro-Scope.com. So, I implore you to look around for our variety of AfroCultural InfoTainment productions. They are fun and seeing is believing. Bye for now!
link to episode 20:
AFROCULTURAL DRAMAS ON RELIGIONS AND CULTURE, “IN GOD’S NAME,” EPISODE 20