Author: GODFIRST PONJUL NDAM

ACT 1

SCENE 1

[Mr. Ndamson’s house, an L-shaped concrete building with faded paint. Chickens are seen parading after a long hideout from the foregone rain. The whole compound is engulfed with a pool of water. The verandah had basins and a big container queued on each side with water-filled. Jeri cans filled with water arranged at the entrance of the kitchen some without their lids. Enter Manbyen wet all over with a file in a yellow clear bag wearing a black skirt and a yellow shirt. Mrs. Ndamson enters with a worried countenance; heading to the room at the extreme of the house]

Mrs. Ndamson: What is it by your time now? See Manbyen, if this is how late you return from the registration then you should stay home than piss me up. [Hisses and sits on a cushion]

Manbyen: Mummy there were quite a several students who went for the Jamb registration perhaps I’m not the only one who wants to go to school. [She drew a plastic chair and sits on it living her file on the cushion]

Mrs. Ndamson: shut up your mouth or I use my slippers to shut it for you.

Manbyen: Muu….um is it my fault to come back by this time now? [Frowning]

Mrs. Ndamson: Then whose fault is it ehn. Don’t worry when your father returns from work, I will tell him to stop you from doing the registration. [With a stern look]

Manbyen: Mum I’m sorry, I won’t be late again [remorsefully, almost kneeling].

Mrs. Ndamson: Sorry for yourself.  Go to your room and change this cloth and return to the kitchen before your dad comes and pours his venom of anger on you. You know if he’s hungry, he’s irritated, right?

Manbyen: Aah! Mum, I just came back oh and I’m feeling cold. U’nim I’yi ke le [she murmured] 

Mrs. Ndamson: I’ve heard you madam of the house. Don’t let me do something to you this evening that you would never like. [Serious]

Manbyen left to her room murmuring to change her wet dress and come help her mum in the kitchen.

Her room is painted with two colors mixed with paint; blue and white. On the wall hanging is a picture of Jesus written on it’ Jesus my savior’. On the other side of the wall, is her small bed dressed in a white bed shirt. On the right side of the cornered wall, hung a frame, the picture therein signifies a wedding connubial event. On the flow was a leather carpet and reading table with books on it. The corner to her window is her shoes and bags. She changed her skirt and cloth and headed towards the kitchen to meet her mum. Enter Mr. Ndamson who just arrived from work with a briefcase and holding in his left hand a polythene bag. Manbyen ran to welcome him instead of going straight to the kitchen.

Manbyen: apoyi welcome [humbly knelt and greeted]

Mr. Ndamson: ndinci, [he asked her about the registration without sitting first] did you finish the registration today? [Pulling off his jacket]

Manbyen: No……ooo…..weeeee. [Stammering]

Mr. Ndamson: [he speaks with a fell countenance] Listen Manbyen, if this registration will end without you registering, don’t think I will give you any kobo to register next. Toh nla bu cit, kan bu a nim iyem ve byen a bu kat te  n’vi ta te re ji bu.

Manbyen: daddy I’m sorry, nim akuri. [Begging]

Mr. Ndamson: I can just accept your sorry and forgive if you don’t tell me what kept you long from doing the jamb registration today because I followed the route to the center when I was heading to work this morning.

Manbyen: [she let down the polythene bag on the flow and moved close to her dad; knelt humbly as she has always been] daddy the truth is [Mr. Ndamson was curious to hear]. Nankpan asked me to accompany her to her aunt’s place and I did.

Mr. Ndamson: [curiously adjusted his sitting posture] then what happened after?

Manbyen: Theeee…n [stammering] when we were returning from her aunt’s place, a man stopped Nankpan and she left me talking to him. Before I knew it, the weather has changed and we couldn’t return to the jamb registration center. We were beaten by the rain though I called off to her house until the rain stopped before I came home.

Mr. Ndamson: what did I tell you about roaming with friends when you have something important to do? See, I can’t repeat myself. Live my presence now [sounded angry].

 Manbyen hurriedly left to the kitchen with a remorseful and apologetic face.

SCENE 2

[At the Jamb registration premises, many students are seen in colorful personal dress, only a few on school uniforms. Students are seen holding photocopies of their credentials, mostly ‘O’ Level results in the queue. Manbyen had just finished her registration and going out from the big registration hall, each desk with a laptop and an operator. Nankpan is still outside not on queue gisting and laughing with friends under the mango tree shade at the middle of the premises. Her two friends are wearing tide crazy jeans trousers with show-me-your-back shirts and faces painted with makeups of some sort. Nankpan whispering to Manbyen]

Nankpan: Babes how far. You don’t finish [Called].

Manbyen: [she turns around looking for where the call is coming from and found it is Nankpan] she again [aside].

Nankpan:[she walked up to her; living her friends behind] shey you don dey shun me now abi.

Manbyen: It is not like that, I’m just feeling a headache [she lied].

Nankpan: Abeg…abeg live me with that one joor [hissed].

Manbyen: See ba, I no get time to argue whether I’m fine or not. I want to go home before it gets too late so that my dad will not come and be angry with me [sincere and serious].

Nankpan: Sanu daddy’s pet. We wey no get daddy our wahala bi like.

Manbyen: See, you don’t understand me. My dad is a strict type and I don’t want him to be angry with me. He warned me that after registration I should come home immediately and he’s home now. [Looking concerned]

Nankpan: So you’re afraid of your dad like this. He followed you come here abi?  Like now, he will know whether you don do registration or not abi? Anyways I didn’t stop you to know whether your dad knows you’re done or not. I want know if you don finish your own ooh.

Manbyen: Yes [showing her registration slip].

Nankpan: Toh gan zhi dat a’ya baba. Start running now before your dad whips you for staying long [burst into laughter].

Manbyen hissed and find her way out of the stage. Nankpan stood laughing at her as she walks away.

 SCENE 3

[The date of the exams came; Manbyen wrote and in three days her result came out. She scored with qualified marks which could obtain her university of choice, Federal University of Langtang. The University has always been her choice of degree program since she is in SS2 at Godfirst college Yangang. Yangang is a small town in kantang local government. She entered rejoicing and shouting in tears after a beep on her phone rang, lo and behold it is her result]

Manbyen: [singing] Jesus you love me too much oh

                                  Too much oh…too much oh……

                                  Excess love oh…….

                                 Ah! This love is too much oh…..[dancing to the song she is singing]

Enter her mum and dad Mr. and Mrs. Ndamson.

Mrs. Ndamson: Manbyen, what is all this excitement about?

She continues singing without paying attention to her mum.

Mr. Ndamson: Aren’t you answering your mum. [Sounded aggressive]

Manbyen:  Dad and mum God has answered our prayers.

Mrs. Ndamson: Which prayers are we talking about here? [She asked curiously].

Manbyen: Mummy guest now.

Mr. Ndamson: Guest what? [Cut in angrily].

Mrs. Ndamson: haba! Apoyi bu nim kuri kat doh.

Manbyen: Okay. Dad and mum, I scored 290 in Jamb. The result was sent to me a few minutes ago [stretching her phone to her dad to see it himself].

Her mum and dad were happy for her and wished her to get admission with the result. Her dad asked her mum to slaughter one of the chickens for their daughter because the news is worth celebrating.

They both left her parents to their room and Manbyen left to her room too happily, wishing the best for her as she awaits admission.

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