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Thursday 24 October 2013

EXCERPT FROM 'On the Political Podium'




SCENE NINE:
(Big Ben enters with vigour)
BIG BEN:
(He starts pacing the stage) Tomorrow, we go to the polls. It is a must win for RTP. No other party would rule this country except RTP. If they win, we will not make them rule (Hassana enters from an opposite direction).

HASSANA:
(Surprised to see him) It seems that we are always crossing each other’s path.

BIG BEN:
(He points to her) You! I have seen your face somewhere before.

HASSANA:
(Smiling) It is quite interesting that you don’t remember exactly where you had an encounter with me.

BIG BEN:
(Nodding his head) I remember (He laughs loudly). The woman who dared to stand up against me. 

HASSANA:
I particularly love the fact that you remember that I stood up against you.

BIG BEN:
You wouldn’t be doing the same from tomorrow onwards. That is a promise.

HASSANA:
And why is that if I may ask?

BIG BEN:
Because we are going to win the elections come what may and people like you will be taught hard lessons. Very hard lessons.

HASSANA:
(She laughs loudly) Aren’t you interesting? And by ‘we’ who and who do you mean?

BIG BEN:
(Provoked) And you even have the audacity to laugh at me? You will regret this much sooner than you think. I am warning you!

HASSANA:
Stay calm. May I know how come you are so sure of winning?

BIG BEN:
Because we are going to win and as to how we are going to do that it is none of your business.

HASSANA:
Through all the dubious means you can lay your hands on, I guess. What else could it possibly be?

BIG BEN:
If you know, why do you ask Madam Holier-Than-Thou?

HASSANA:
I keep wondering. Do you know what the four other political parties are doing in order to win this election?

BIG BEN:
I have information on all of their plans. We will surely outwit them.

HASSANA:
And why would you allow them to take you all for a free ride like that?

BIG BEN:
If I may ask, which party do you belong to?

HASSANA:
I can’t see myself belonging to deceit in the name of political parties provided they would put you through all these just to win an election.

BIG BEN:
(Surprised) So, to you all political parties are corrupt?

HASSANA:
No! Don’t get me wrong. To me, all political parties should have principles that will make them do their campaigns genuinely and use genuine means to get into power other than what I am seeing.

BIG BEN:
Ok, Madam Principles. You have to know however that at the end of the day, we have to choose one of these political parties to see to the affairs of this country so why are you bothering yourself? Or do you intend to form your own political party?

HASSANA:
(Calmly) No, I don’t.

BIG BEN:
(Laughing) So then you see my dear lady, we have no choice. We have to take advantage of the opportunities that come our way to make life better for ourselves. Opportunity comes once, remember?

HASSANA:
(She turns to the audience and speak sadly) As the brave cry, the cowards laugh. Do they have any idea what it means to set ablaze their own shelter? (She turns to Big Ben) No, we do have a choice. We definitely have a choice.

BIG BEN:
Talk to me about the choices we have then and do so quickly because I have no time to waste.

HASSANA:
(Reciting)
We are the youth
We have the strength
Why do we watch them lie to us?
Must they become powerful?
Just for them to forget us later?
Must we always be the tool?
For our own destruction?

BIG BEN:
(Angry) Stop woman! What are you insinuating?

HASSANA:
(She continues)
In our ghettos they come
From their plush houses
Riding in posh cars
Telling us to play all the dirty games
Promising us lies
We the youth
We those with the strength
Must we succumb to deceit? (She stops)

BIG BEN:
(Calmly) Hmmm! I… I… Forget it.

HASSANA:
Did you understand me, Big Ben?

BIG BEN:
(Surprised) You know my name?

HASSANA:
Who doesn’t know your name? Did you understand me? (He does not respond). Besides, you are not getting my point at all. I know very well that somebody has to take over the affairs of this country but then you and I should know that we should help them to do so in the best manner. The political parties are a team. Some have bad intentions and others have good intentions. We cannot know who is good and who is bad except by looking at what each one of them does. If someone will let you do these nasty things just so he could become powerful, wouldn’t you advise yourself about that person? (Big Ben stares at her quietly) Now, that is what I am talking about. Do you understand? (Baaba Adada enters).

BAABA ADADA:
(Smiling) By his facial expression, I am more than sure that he has understood your every word.

BIG BEN:
(Surprised) You this old man! (He begins to laugh) So it is you who is called the wise one and you are teaching her (He points to Hassana) all that. (Sarcastically) Don’t you think that your old age is probably disturbing your thinking abilities? (He laughs loudly).

HASSANA:
(Angrily) Big Ben! Show some respect. (She turns to Baaba Adada) You are welcome respected one.

BAABA ADADA:
(He smiles) Thank you my dear Hassana. I hope you are doing well.

HASSANA:
Yes, I am by God’s grace.

BAABA ADADA:
(He turns to Big Ben) You see, there is a lot of wisdom in why the child is forewarned about laughing at the ugliness of her mother. If she were to keep a photo of herself, in a couple of years, she will find out the answer to why she was pre-warned. But Big Ben, you didn’t respond to Hassana’s question.

BIG BEN:
Sorry but I have to go. (To the audience) When all men say you are a dog, then know that it is time for you to start barking (He begins to walk away).

HASSANA:
So, you are not shy to run away.

BIG BEN:
(Angrily) Don’t you dare annoy me!

BAABA ADADA:
(He moves closer to Big Ben) Pardon her Big Ben. 

BIG BEN:
Why does she speak as if she knows everything?

BAABA ADADA:
Please pardon her.

HASSANA:
I am sorry if I offended you.

BIG BEN:
(Devastated) You two have had life easy so you can talk about peace or whatever. What has the country done for me in order for me to give it anything better? If you breed up a serpent, he strikes when you are in deep slumber. The country is only reaping what it has sowed in me.

BAABA ADADA:
Big Ben, I believe the country does a lot for you to deserve something good from you. You probably haven’t thought about it.

BIG BEN:
I have lived in hardship all my life. My parents never bothered to take care of me. I have lived in ghettos. I have eaten from the rubbish dump. I have worn tattered clothes. What contribution has the country made in my life?

BAABA ADADA:
I’m sorry for the hardship you had to go through.

BIG BEN:
And you think feeling sorry for me is enough to make up for all the bad times I have had?

HASSANA:
Do you have to blame the country and its inhabitants for the troubles that you had to endure?

BIG BEN:
I never said I blamed the country. I said I haven’t had any reason not to campaign for the one I believe could give me what I never had all my life in this country.

HASSANA:
And that is the more reason why we are trying to make you see the reality of the fact that Alhaji Yahya and all the others who make you do the bad jobs so that they could win are just lying to you.

BAABA ADADA:
They are making use of the fact that you have had a bad life to make you promises they can never fulfil and they will not fulfil even if they could.

BIG BEN:
I am not the only one involved.

BAABA ADADA:
Are all the others not from the ghettos as well? Why would they go to those places where they believe criminals mostly reside to instigate you people to do the very crimes they put you in prison for?

BIG BEN:
And what is the difference between what awaits me if I help Alhaji Yahya and if I don’t?

BAABA ADADA:
At least you would still have your country to live in peacefully.

HASSANA:
A place to call your own.

BAABA ADADA:
And that is the most important thing if you but knew.

BIG BEN:
(Crying) You probably don’t understand.

BAABA ADADA:
And you probably don’t understand what it means to have a peaceful country to live in, do you?

BIG BEN:
For the few months I have come to know Alhaji Yahya, my life is a thousand times better else you wouldn’t be so comfortable speaking with me like you are doing now.

BAABA ADADA:
(Smiling to the audience) It is only the fool who judges people by the presents they give him. (To Big Ben) I wouldn’t use the word better if I were you.

HASSANA:
And hasn’t the criminal things you do increased?

BIG BEN:
And am I the only one doing the so called criminal things?

HASSANA:
If you stop and convince another person to stop, we will be heading towards something positive.

BIG BEN:
(Frustrated) And really, I repeat, what has the country done for me to deserve anything better?

HASSANA: (Angrily) Because the country gave you a home and even the mightiest eagle comes down to the tree tops to rest after a hard day in the skies. Home is home.

BAABA ADADA:
(Sorrowfully)
A grey hair and wrinkled skin are not easy to come by
There are reasons why a strong man suddenly goes weak
Walking with difficulty he who used to be the strongest

HASSANA:
Baaba, you sound sorrowful.

BIG BEN:
Hmmm! Can’t you see sorrow on his face?

BAABA ADADA:
(Crying)
So much comes into play to turn a noisy home into a quiet one
A home full of laughter turns into that of tears
And then sounds are heard no more
It is a lot that makes a man cry
And it is up to the young man to ask
Where from this transformation? (He stops)

BIG BEN:
(Confused) What are you saying old man?

HASSANA:
I believe it is about his family and him.

BAABA ADADA:
Hassana asked me a question yesterday but I was unable to answer. I want you, Big Ben, to ask me this question; ‘Where from this transformation?’

BIG BEN:
I don’t understand. Why should I ask you that?

HASSANA:
He says that ask him how he transformed from being a strong young man like you with all his family happy around him to an old lonely man.

BIG BEN:
I am impressed. You really are smart. I didn’t really understand him.

BAABA ADADA:
Do not make me a third person. Ask me the question.

BIG BEN:
Ok. Where from this transformation?

BAABA ADADA:
Time is really no one’s friend
It is no one’s foe either
It is that which causes a succulent skin to suddenly wrinkle
It is that which weakens strong muscles
It is that which causes black hair to suddenly go grey

HASSANA:
But Baaba Adada, does that not make time a foe?

BAABA ADADA:
Of course not, my dear. Hasn’t time done enough for us to call him a friend?

BIG BEN:
And what are those things that time has done to merit the name friend? You just stated all the bad things. It made your skin wrinkle, made you weak and turned your hair grey. I don’t understand you at all.

BAABA ADADA:
(He smiles) And the same, it will do to you if you are ever blessed with many years. I was once full of life like you. I had all the opportunities to make life better for myself and my people. Wouldn’t I at least show gratitude to time for all those times?

BIG BEN:
But hasn’t time caused you enough pain to make you recite sorrowful poetry?

HASSANA:
I agree with Big Ben on that?

BAABA ADADA:
Do you actually believe that time is the cause of our pain? Is it not time which offers us the opportunity to overcome the trauma that we go through?

HASSANA:
(Confused) That’s true but ....

BIG BEN:
Who then would you blame for your sorrow?

BAABA ADADA:
(Reciting sorrowfully)
For the greed of one man
So many went through pain
One man, who refused to let peace reign
One man, who wanted it all to himself
Robbing us of our wives and children
Turning our homes into cemeteries
Death, that scar that never heals
Our hearts wounded
Our eyes tired of crying
But today, we have a reason to smile (He ends).

HASSANA:
Hmmm! You have really said a lot.


Political Parties are like a team of players, each member with his or her personal agenda for being a part of the team even though the mission and vision ought to be the same. Some come for selfish motives yet there are those who come to better their people. To the former, a shame. To the latter, a praise…

Rubaba Mmahajia Rahma Sabtiu