Scene 1

Olugbon Town.

Enter Awero, dressed in a bright Adire attire. An empty pot in her right hand.

Awero: {Sings} Laye Olugbon, mo ge borun meje eo ma biwe lorin
Laya Aresa mo ke borun mefa eo ma biwe lorin
Laye igba yi no ra koko mo raran mo ra sanyan baba as o a fole
Lo le pe le yi o dun, ko ma gboko lo.

{Enter Alayede, silently. He watches Awero in admiration as he sneaks up to her and covers her eyes with his hands.}

Awero: Alayede, please remove your hand from my eyes, do you want my pot to break?

Alayede: {Turns her around to face him} Your voice has drawn all the birds in Olugbon, from the Awoko to the Aloyinlohun, they were all fluttering about in a daze, mesmerized and stunned. Even the Olugbon river paused as the water goddess sent all the mermaids to learn the sweetness of the voice of a queen. And can you hear the silence all around? Even the animals have been lured in a state of stupor, all by the melody from my beloved.

Awero: Alayede, this mouth of yours will one day make me do things I may regret. I was carried away in the world of the mind, visualising what you just said. And I am almost believing it is true.

Alayede: It is true, Awero, how else do you think I was able to find you so easily? I only have to observe the sky, when I see the birds dancing in a strange way in flight, I follow them and always I find you.

{Alayede draws her to himself and she sits on his lap.}

Awero: Then I will sing for you, and see your reaction because all you have described to me are the birds and the animals as if I have no effect on the humans.

Alayede: Please Awero, don’t sing for me. The sound of your music does funny things to my heart. Sometimes it flutters, sometimes it falters, sometimes it stops beating totally. I love you but I also cherish my reasoning, don’t forget what happened to Amukoko, who ran mad because you were not around to sing at the Ajele festival. The gods have given you a voice but the effect is almost a curse.

Awero: But I love singing. I also love you. Are you saying I should not sing again?

Alayede: The Olugbon has banned you from singing except during the Virginity festival, and you know that a lot of sacrifices would have been done to ensure that your voice does not render the whole village impotent.

Awero: Then what is the purpose of a gift I have that I cannot use? Alayede, I am tired of this village. Everybody runs from me. My parents are afraid of me. I am the treasure of the village and I am also the pariah. I want to run away!

Alayede: Run away? Where would that leave me?

Awero: Let’s go together. Flee to the mountains and the valleys. See the world beyond Maroko mountain. Journey to the land of the Afikuyeri and the Aferirigijobis. See the world.

Alayede: Dreams. All dreams. We cannot run away. You are the reason for the prosperity of Olugbon village. You are the priestess of the Gbohungbohun oracle. Since your birth, the whole village has been showered with blessing from the gods, if you leave now, everybody shall suffer.

Awero: But what about my happiness? What about what I want? I don’t have friends. I am totally abnormal. Look at us. Any other couple in the village will be afraid to be so obvious. But nobody questions me. If I sleep with you in the middle of the market, everybody will look elsewhere and pretend I was not even there. Why is my life so doomed?

Alayede: You have the power of the great conqueror of nations. It is a gift beyond all else. You are young and yet to get to the peak of your powers, soon under the right tutelage, your powers will be fine tuned and you will see the purpose of your life better.

{ Four men storm into the stage, deaf and dumb from all indications. They rushed at the couple. Two of them engaged Alayede as the other two carried Awero away, screaming.)

Alayede: Awero...Awero....Aweroooooooooooooooo

Curtain.