Life in Umuezem:An Igbo Drama

Igwe Ezennaya is seated in his expansive Obi in the company of other titled men. Ichie Omenuko is running late as usual; after sharing the kolanuts, the Igwe clears his throat and begins to address his audience…

Igwe Ezennaya: Umuezem Kwenu!

All: Yaa!

Igwe Ezennaya: Rienu!!

All: Yaaa!!

Igwe Ezennaya: Nuonu!!

All: Yaaa!!

Igwe Ezennaya: Kwezuonu!!!

All: Yaaaaaaaa!!!

 
Igwe Ezennaya: Ehmm, ndi nze na ozo Umuezem ji biri, a na m ekele unu oo. Unu ma na-asi na awo anaghi agba oso ehihie n’efu. O bu ya kpatara m ji kpoo unu ka anyi lebaa anya n’ihe a m nuru na-eme n’ala anyi. Anyasi abuo gara aga ka Chinedu nwa Maazi Onwuachu gafetara ebe a na-eti mkpu na aru emeela. Mgbe o jikotara onwe ya ofuma, ihe dapuru ya n’onu bu na ndi agbata obi anyi bi na ala Amaocha na-amibata n’ala anyi na mgbede were jiri umu ada anyi na-emetosi…..

Ichie Okoronkwo: [mock-spits in disgust] Tufia! Aru emeeeeee….

Ichie Okeosisi: I si gini? N’ala Umuezem a? Chere chere, kedu ihe ndi Amaocha mere? Kowara anyi ofuma biko…

Igwe Ezennaya:[continues] Umu ada anyi gawa ichu mmiri na mmiri Idemmiri, ha si na ha amaghi ebe umu okoro ha afubeghi n’obodo a na-esi amaputa were na-emekpa ha ahu. M were juo Chinedu ka o kowatara m udi mmekpa ahu ha na-emekpa umu ada anyi. Nwatakiri a were bido tagheriwe onu. M wee juo ya ma ha etiri umunwanyi ihe, o si mu “Mba”…

At that moment, Ichie Omenuko’s stick was heard in the distance approaching the Igwe’s obi. A visibly agitated Ozo Nzeakolam sprang to his feet and starts addressing the approaching man.

Ozo Nzeakolam: Bia bia bia, Omenuko ama m na I nweghi nwanyi ohuu ma ya fozie nwata ohuu. Nwoke m kedu ihe kpatara na akpoo anyi oku ebe a, I naghi abi a n’oge? I choro ka onye obula gbanye aka na nti chewe gi enh? Kedu udi ihe di ihe bikonu? A ria umuaka, a riakwuo okenye?

Ichie Omenuko: Nzeakolam noro ala biko… Igweeee! Biko, iwe gi adila oku. A huru m ebe umu ada anyi gba oto were si n’Idemmiri bere akwa bata obodo. O bu ya ka m ji kwusi si ka m mara ihe mere maka na okenye agaghi ano n’ulo ewu amuo n’ogbiri. Ihe m nuru juru m nti oo…

Igwe Ezennaya: O bu ofu okwu ahu ka anyi kpu n’onu ebe a. Were oche gi ka anyi kpaa ihe a nke oma. [clears throat] Ndi nze na ozo, unu ejirila nti unu were nu ihe Ichie Omenuko kwuru. Chinedu enweghi ike gwa m ihe m choro inu ma na mgbe Lolo m kporo ya gaa na-azu ulo were juo ya ihe mere, obu ihe a ka o kwuru. Ya bu ihe were gbaa m gharii—maka na ama m na enweghi ihe na-esere anyi na ndi Amaocha. Nwunye Akuabata bu onye Amaocha……

Ichie Nwakibie:[cuts in] Nwunye Okoronkwo bukwazi onye Amaocha..

Ichie Okoronkwo:[cuts in] Nwakibie, onweghi onye juru gi! Igwe ka kpu okwu n’onu!

Nze Nwakibie: Okoronkwo, kpuchie onu ebe ahu. Anyi na-ekwu maka etu anyi na ndi Amaocha si were biri n’udo. Kedu ihe obi gi ji ama gi ikpe?

Igwe Ezennaya: [raises his scepter demanding silence] Eee, nwunye Okoronkwo bu onye Amaocha, etu ahu ka odi dibia Nwokoye, Uzoka, ndi be Iweh, Mbachu were diri gawazie. Ya mere, o buru na umu okorobia ndi Amaocha choro ilu umu nwanyi si Umuezem, e nweghi mgbe anyi churu ha oso. Keduzi ihe kpatara ha ga-eji gaa zoo n’akuku Idemmiri I ji were mee udi aru a? kedu ebe mmiri si baa opi ugboguru? Nke ka nke bu na umu nwanyi chi ojoo a dakwasiri abiabeghi kpesara m ihe mere. Bikonu, a choro m ka anyi lebanye ihe nke a anya ka anyi mara ihe a ga-eme maka na o ka mma ka e wepu aka enwe n’ofe tupu o ghoo aka mmadu!

Ozo Nzeakolam: [in dramatized righteous indignation] Chei! Chei! Ndi Amaocha emee aru oo! O teela m ji kwuo si na anyi na ndi Amaocha ekwesighi inwe mmekorita! Okoronkwo, ihugo etu ndi nwadiana gi si acho okwu?

Ichie Okoronkwo: [jumps up in rage, eyes flaring]Nzeakolam, kpachara anya gi ebe ahu! O bu nani m nuru nwanyi n’Amaocha? Gini kpatara I ji atu m aka? [thumps his chest] O buru na anyi kpebie na anyi ga-anuru ihe a ogu, a di m nkwadobe! Gi na Nwakibie ma uma acho ogbaaghara ebe a!

Ichie Okeosisi: Biko kwusi nu mkpotu ahu ka anyi kpaa ihe anyi biara maka ya. Ichie Nsofor, e nwere ihe I nwere ikwu gbasara ihe a?

As Ichie Nsofor, a man well past his 105^th birthday rises slowly to talk, the Ekwe and the Oja could be heard in the distance rhythmically perforating the stillness of the night. Either the young men of Umuezem had seen and heard what happened with Umuezem’s young damsels and were gearing up for battle as they made their way to the Igwe’s compound or dibia Nwokoye was tracing his way to the palace….

tags: igbo drama  umuezem  igwe  ichie  nze  ozo  dibia  amaocha  lolo  

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