Reflection

By Jare Ajayi

There is no gainsaying that evil is very much on the prowl on earth today. It is as though human beings have just ‘discovered’ an extra-ordinary aphrodisiac or opium from doing and inducing evil. Examples abound in various parts of the world to suggest that mankind appear to be more fiendish now than they had ever been. The scale of bestiality going on among human beings today has arguably made that of the so-called Stone Age a rehearsal. Technology and heightened materialism on the part of homo sapiens now make every act to have greater impact than it used to be in pre-technology days.
Consider, for instance, the quantum of havoc that a typical instrument of war can wreak nowadays compared to what the most sophisticated weapon of the Middle Age could do then.
The way human beings are going, it is very likely they will, by their conduct, bring the roof down on their own heads soon.
A shock therapy method is used in this play to call the attention of everyone to the danger and evil of being bad. It is meant to call us back from the path of self-destruction that we seem to have embarked upon.
Some people – e.g. terrorists and kidnappers – assume that ‘death is the ultimate end’ thus continue in their evil ways. Yes, death may mean a cessation of the life (and mortal body) of the individual, this does not mean an end to the effects of the individual’s conduct while alive.
Every act attracts its own reward. And the reward will be in line with the conduct itself – positive or negative. As such, everyone needs to be very mindful of what he or she does. This is the motivation for - and thematic thrust - of this play, Reflection.
It is written in the hope that perhaps if human beings realize that there is no escaping the consequences of their actions, they may be more circumspect in their conduct. They will make this world more worth living than is currently the case.

Jare Ajayi
Ibadan, Nigeria.

Reflection is a drama-piece that raises questions about existence. The plotting is predicated on the sanctity which some societies like Africans and Asians place on marriage and procreation and the stigma which a childless adult always carries. While it uses the issue of existentialism and familyship as its setting, the play underscores the futility of hurting - not to talk of killing - others. The immediate motivation for the play is the upsurge in atrocities by religious fundamentalists such as ISIS, Boko Haramists, Al Shubab etc. This is because such an action would bounce back on the doer or perpetrator in a ferocious manner sooner than later!
The discovery by Esan that her husband, Ipin, has a child by another lady makes her and her mother to dig deeper into why and how she could get a child. The outcome of this step becomes an eye opener for trio of Pa Ogunsola, Esan’s mother and Esan herself. The heroine, Esan, is today paying the price of some actions taken when she once had power of life and death over others...
This play, Reflection, is not only a very fascinating piece of work, but a soul-piercing drama of life that partly gives insight into why certain things occur to us as individuals. It is difficult to go through this work and not be challenged. Long after it ends, the audience will continue to be haunted by the questions the play raises.
Eleven years of marriage, no child in spite of four miscarriages. Esan, typical of an average Nigerian (African) wife and her mother take a step that brings into stark reality, the fact that everything one does reflects back on the individual – and sometimes on those around him or her.
The author, Jare Ajayi is a poet, novelist, essayist and playwright. One time Assistant General Secretary, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Ajayi lives in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria where he practices as a journalist and social worker

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jare Ajayi
• Release date: Mar 15, 2016
• ISBN: 9781311306968

Jare Ajayi

The author, Jare Ajayi is a poet, novelist and playwright. One time Assistant General Secretary, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Ajayi lives in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria where he practices as a journalist and social worker.A mass communicator, administrator and literary critic, Jare Ajayi has been practicing journalism for upward of 29 years and has been in social service/community development and human rights advocacy for 16 years. He has authored many books some of which earned him awards locally and internationally. One of them being the International Poet of Merit Award bestowed on him in Washington D.C. USA in 1994. Currently, General Secretary of Oke ogun Development Council, a grassroots-community based organization committed to local development, Ajayi in 2001, started what can be regarded as a big innovation in Nigerian journalism; publishing a bilingual grassroots newspaper in both English and Yoruba in one single edition. That newspaper is called Oloye News/Oloye Gbode.Jare Ajayi, who once taught Journalism at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Ibadan, is a Member of the global body, Institute of Journalism Educators (IJE) and used to be the Secretary General, League of Veteran Journalists among others. He was born at Igbeti, Oyo State of Nigeria.An activist in terms of advocating and fighting for the rights of the less privileged, Ajayi, a Justice of Peace (JP), dedicates himself to activities geared towards emancipating the downtrodden and edifying the human person.Besides the foregoing, Jare Ajayi is also the Executive Director, Reproduction Rights Society of Nigeria (REPRONIG) – an organization committed to the protection of rights of intellectual property workers, especially those in the literary, visual and meta-textual genres.

Book preview

PREFACE

There is no gainsaying that evil is very much on the prowl on earth today. It is as though human beings have just ‘discovered’ an extra-ordinary aphrodisiac or opium from doing and inducing evil. Examples abound in various parts of the world to suggest that mankind appear to be more fiendish now than they had ever been. The scale of bestiality going on among human beings today has arguably made that of the so-called Stone Age a rehearsal. Technology and heightened materialism on the part of homo sapiens now make every act to have greater impact than it used to be in pre-technology days.

Consider, for instance, the quantum of havoc that a typical instrument of war can wreak nowadays compared to what the most sophisticated weapon of the Middle Age could do then.

The way human beings are going, it is very likely they will, by their conduct, bring the roof down on their own heads soon.

A shock therapy method is used in this play to call the attention of everyone to the danger and evil of being bad. It is meant to call us back from the path of self-destruction that we seem to have embarked upon.

Some people – e.g. terrorists and kidnappers – assume that ‘death is the ultimate end’ thus continue in their evil ways. Yes, death may mean a cessation of the life (and mortal body) of the individual, this does not mean an end to the effects of the individual’s conduct while alive.

Every act attracts its own reward. And the reward will be in line with the conduct itself – positive or negative. As such, everyone needs to be very mindful of what he or she does. This is the motivation for - and thematic thrust - of this play, Reflection.

It is written in the hope that perhaps if human beings realize that there is no escaping the consequences of their actions, they may be more circumspect in their conduct. They will make this world more worth living than is currently the case.

Jare Ajayi

Ibadan, Nigeria.

Note:

The few non-English songs in the play are in Yoruba language. (Yoruba is one of the languages spoken by millions of people in West Africa and in parts of Brazil and California etc). Its base is South-west Nigeria. Some English translations of the songs are in the texts while the rest are at the end of the play.

REFLECTIONS

CAST LIST

Esan Heroine

Ma Esan Esan’s Mother

Pa Esan Esan’s Father

Ipin Esan’s husband

Church Minister

Congregation

Abbey A young boy of about 8 years

Mama Jimmy One of Esan’s neighbours

Tutu Esan’s neighbour

Pa Orilonise Ipin’s father

Mrs Orilonise Ipin’s mother

M. D. Ipin’s employer

Doctor

Bose Esan’s friend

Lola Ipin’s laterwife

Pastor

Pa Ogunsola A seer

Balogun War Commander

Ogini A Crippled pregnant woman

A soldier

Church crowd

Market Crowd

Traditional soldiers

ACT ONE

SCENE ONE

Bustle of activities at the background depicting a battlefield. Mischievous laughter – short, sharp and crisp – ‘Kha kha kha’. It is followed almost immediately by a strident female voice screaming ‘oro o o!’ (Horror!). Swish of liquid like that of a burst pipe is heard. Instantly a pot-pourri of sombre but rapidly beaten-sound of drums and gongs drown the cry of agony. This in itself quickly drifts into the next scenario. Dim light. Dawn.

Esan: (Screams from her sleep) Ye e e e.

Ma Esan: (Sleepily but agitated) Esan, Esan (runs into Esan’s room. Full light). What’s happening? (Rubs sleep off her eyes: Pa Esan enters. He is more collected than his wife).

Esan: (Now awake and disheveled and still on bed, rubs her face with her palm, disoriented; says nothing).

Ma Esan: (Rousing her) My dear, what made you scream?

Esan: (yawns, still confused) I don’t know.

Ma Esan: (Emotively) Ha ha, why today? Today of all days. Today is your wedding