(Spoken Word Drama)
OPENING
(Six performers enter the stage, each holding one household object like a mop, hammer, plant, book, whistle, torchlight)
CHORUS (together):
Na the same house we dey live o!
We get one roof. We dey patch am with prayer!
We get one floor. We don crack am with wahala!
We get one gate. Sometimes if we close am, e go open hinself, sometimes e go close like say e dey open, sometimes e go open fully, sometimes e dey even be like say we no get gate!
(A drumbeat begins with a slow heartbeat tempo)
The Repairer (Steps forward, confident, holding hammer):
Dem say this house don old.
Fine. I get tools. I learn work well, con still Sabi pass Oga.
If we patch the ceiling small,
change the wire, we fit stop the spark
The house go fine again.
Na why we just need new leadership,
and steady light.
We go dey okay! Everywhere go palash
(Holds up hammer proudly)
The Redistributor (Steps forward, arms akimbo, holding kitchen spoon):
Leadership ke?
You wan dey patch roof when people wey dey ground floor never chop?
Na we dey pay NEPA,
But na these upstairs people dey enjoy am under AC!
We no wan miracle o
We just wan fairness.
As na we dey kitchen dey cook,
make the soup reach every plate well
Shey that leadership go fit run am for us?
(Crowd: “Yes ooo!”)
The Rebuilder (Enters hot, dramatic, waving protest placard):
Forget all these patch-patch and stomach infrastructure matter!
This house na fraud!
It is built on bad land,
Weak colonial bricks, substandard elite cement!
We need new land, new hands, and new plans for a new house!
Make we pull am down jare!
(Crowd gasps and rushes towards him in anger, one person pulls them back)
Repairer (teasing):
My guy, no pull am down now o! We still dey inside!
(Audience laughs and tension breaks)
The Reimaginer (quiet voice, holding small potted plant):
Time wey una take dey argue like people wey wan share property,
I don plant ugwu for back.
I don teach pikin how to read with my kerosene lantern.
I don comot our house and I dey build one small hut for that side
Na small-small we dey rebuild o.
If we fit start to dey build small small hut for that good land wey dey back back
at least, we fit see where we go dey wey sure, before we pull this yeye one down, come build another house
And we go even use that one do experiment, come use am learn how dem take dey build another house
Make e no be say we go con pull this one down and we no go fit build this fine house wey Oga just show us the plan
Wetin una think na? How Una see the idea?
(Soft lighting glows green with gentle drumbeat)
ALL (chaotic overlap / comic moment, arguing playfully):
Make we patch the roof!
Make we share the food!
See my blueprint and my new plan!
Make we start to dey build another house of our own now small small!
Voice from the crowd:
Na this Kain madness wey una dey always display dey vex me pass! Why una con dey fight, dey argue now?
(Everyone bursts into laughter, music picks up tempo as congas and shakers join)
Call and Response:
Rebuilder (chanting):
If na you wan patch am, patch am make e last o!
Crowd: Make e last o!
Redistributor:
If na you wan share am, share an make e dey fair!
Crowd: Make e dey fair o!
Reimaginer:
If na you go build an, no pull am down on top our head o!
Crowd: God abeg o!
Repairer:
If you wan fight Landlord for us, no face am alone oo, carry us along oo, no be only you wise o!
Crowd: Na all of us wise o!
(Repeat once as call-and-response grows louder, like a march rhythm)
The Connector (new voice, preacher energy, holding broom):
Can I get an Ameeen! for the carpenters of conscience?
A loud Ase! for the plumbers of progress!
A strong Hallelujah! for the cooks of this community!
One Allahu Akbar for the rebuilders of our house?
Crowd:
Ase! Hallelujah! Allahu Akbar! Abeg pass me that hammer!
(Drums kick in with quick tempo. Performers dance briefly while pretending to fix, sweep, cook, plant, etc.)
The Voice of Reflection (deep calm voice, steps forward to quiet the crowd):
This house na our reality.
Na where we dey breathe, dey hustle, dey love, dey vex, dey forgive.
We no fit run go anywhere
House rent for Canada don too cost.
If we go fix am, make we fix am together.
(Laughter and applause. Lights begin to soften)
All performers (in a line, swaying like waves):
This house we live in
E no be only just block and paint oo,
Na our story.
Na our struggle.
Na our sweat, tears and blood.
Na small-small repair of hearts and habits.
Hmmmn!
When the ceiling leaks again,
Don’t just curse the rain
Hold an umbrella for your neighbor.
(Pause. Silence. One soft drumbeat)
All (together, final crescendo):
Because this house we live in
will only stand
If we stand
Together!
(Drummers speed up tempo. Performers dance around stage, sweeping, fixing, laughing, crowd claps along)
One actor shouts as lights fade:
Na the same house we dey o!
Na the same dream we dey chase o!
If e go fall, we go raise am o!
If e go bend, we go brace am o!
(Lights fade to darkness. Curtain)
Written by Ibukun OMOLE.
