YENENGA THE PRINCESS OF GAMBAGA

By Naila Hina and Suleiman Abdallah

YENENGA THE PRINCESS OF GAMBAGA

A HISTORICAL AND A NARRATIVE PLAY

WRITTEN BY SULEIMAN ABDALLAH

 

Many years in the history of the Mole –Dagbon, there was a polygamist

king Naa Gbewa also called Naaba Nedega whose ancestry traces to the red hunter

Tohazie. Naa Gbewa had hundredths of children and grandchildren. One day in the ninth month, one of his youngest wives was in labor and there was a roaring storm howling and cuddling with the voice of a beautiful crying baby singing happiness. He thought of a son

but the wish of man is not the wish of the gods. Then was the Amazon wrapped with a piece

of cloth. The prowess Amazon now grew into a beautiful woman-like man. She had fought

all the battles of Naa Gbewa, her father, and conquered his enemies for him, but he dared

denied her of marriage to any man who asked of her in marriage. She then met Riale the

elephant hunter from Bouti in Boussanse of the upper-volta now Burkina Faso and its

capital Ougadugou. Their love was a limitless one. The two love birds met in the forest one

day and left for Bouti. Lets' go to Gambaga to see how it all began.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Engineer Naila Hina
• Release date: Jan 4, 2023
• ISBN: 9798372558229

Book preview

WISDOM: LET WHO EVER WANTS TO TAKE THE LEAD CLIMBS THE LADDER FASTER, YOUR TIME WILL BE WITH THE BEST STORY

CHARACTERS

NAA GBEWA

1ST WIFE

2ND WIFE

3RD WIFE

4TH WIFE

TOHOGU

SITOBU

ZIRILE

MAHTAMBU

YENENGA

RIALE

PRIEST

UNCLE

THE FOUR ELDERS OF GAMBAGA

FOLKS

OLDMAN

OLD WOMAN

BABA TENGA

YERIME

FOUR NARRATORS

CHIEF WARRIOR

WRESTLER

WARRIORS OF GAMBAGA

KING OF MALINKES

WARRIORS OF MALINKES

1ST WARRIOR

2ND WARRIOR

ATENDAANE

GBENE

YOURE

1ST GUARD

2ND GUARD

DANCERS

DRUMMERS

PITO SELLER

INTRODUCTION / SYNOPSIS

1ST NARRATOR: Many years in the history of the Mole –Dagbon, there was a polygamist king Naa Gbewa also called Naaba Nedega whose ancestry traces to the red hunter Tohazie. Naa Gbewa had hundredths of children and grandchildren. One day in the ninth month, one of his youngest wives was in labor and there was a roaring storm howling and cuddling with the voice of a beautiful crying baby singing happiness. He thought of a son but the wish of man is not the wish of the gods. Then was the Amazon wrapped with a piece of cloth. The prowess Amazon now grew into a beautiful woman-like man. She had fought all the battles of Naa Gbewa, her father, and conquered his enemies for him, but he dared denied her of marriage to any man who asked of her in marriage. She then met Riale the elephant hunter from Bouti in Boussanse of the upper-volta now Burkina Faso and its capital Ougadugou. Their love was a limitless one. The two love birds met in the forest one day and left for Bouti. Lets’ go to Gambaga to see how it all began.

ACT ONE SCENE ONE

(SCENE STARTS WITH SOUNDS OF THUNDER AND NABA NEDEGA WITH HIS ELDERS LOOKING VISIBLY WORRIED HAVING CONVERSATION, THE PRIEST OF THE SHRINE OF GAMBAGA COMES TO RELEIVE THEM)

NAA GBEWA: I could hear the roaring voices of the storm in the clouds yet to see the sun parting them with smiles and wishing it farewell. I am expecting another son among my hundredth of children to be the greatest warrior of all my male sons. I still need more male sons to fight my wars and make this kingdom the greatest of all the kingdoms that exist on earth.  My fourth wife at long last had conceived my semen and had gone to deliver. I wish her safe delivery but if for her first time she gives me a female child, I will disown her. I will divorce her!

THIRD ELDER: The spirits of our ancestors are with her. You shall soon receive a kind hearted message my king.

FIRST ELDER: Patient king of my time. We know how you felt for the past few days when your wife left for delivery. I know you know that the gods will surely answer our wish.

SECOND ELDER: Though time has born with us fortunes and victories, indeed for now, I can see the future is being born to us. The strange winds whispering in the surroundings of our kingdom and the sun yet to smile to scatter roaring voices of the storms signals an era of a hero coming to this kingdom, a future is born with us. Your wife is safe with the protection of the spirit of our ancestors.

FOURTH ELDER: It is an era born to us with a mightiest soul. You are the father of male children and the gods will not close their eyes on you my king. A greatest warrior is born to this kingdom.

NAA GBEWA: You are all right but I am still in doubt because she is the youngest among these wives of mine but she had never conceived................not to even talk of giving birth. She had been futile until now.

ALL THE ELDERS: Your majesty, king of our time, worry not for the time now is come with joy .......

1ST WIFE: It is well

2ND WIFE: Your pretiest lioness at long last is blessed in the womb to give a smile to all of us.

3RD WIFE: Soon we shall all hear the voice of her baby crying and being breast fed by her.

(PRIEST INTERRUPTS)

ATENDAANE: Yes our time is born with joy. The survival she had arrived safely in the time of our need. She has come to make you and this kingdom, the greatest of this earth. She is going to be the mother of nations.

ALL ELDERS: We thank the spirits of our......

ZIRILE: A sister?

KUFUGU: Yes a sister!

TOHOGU: You heard him right.

SITOBU: She is blessed to be in the midst of her brothers.

MAHTAMBU: She will always be my play mate.

NAA GBEWA: Keep quiet all of you. Have you lost your sense of hearing? I was expecting a son not a daughter. I need only sons in my kingdom to fight my wars and make