WEEK 4: THE MESSAGE OF THE DRAMA TEXT, “THE MILLENIUM DANCE” by S.C. Nnadozie.

                                        WEEK 4:    

TOPIC :  THE MESSAGE OF THE DRAMA TEXT, “THE MILLENIUM DANCE” by S.C. Nnadozie.

(NOTICE: Please, parents are advised to buy the above mentioned recommended literature (drama) text for their child/ward.

Specific objectives: By the end of this lesson, the students should be able to:

i. Read the recommended drama text.

ii. Appreciate the content/message of the drama.

ii. Write down the moral lessons in the drama.

THE MESSAGE OF THE DRAMA

In Act 1, Scene 1; the play starts where Uzo, a barmaid and a friend to Mohanna, who used charm and demanded him to engage her using an engagement ring.

Act 1, Scene2; discloses where Okocha and two women discussed how the heir to the throne of Dim has abandoned the village and preferred going to the urban area/city to enjoy life with strangers.

In Act 1, Scene3; Adadimma remembered the circumstances surrounding the birth of her son, ’Nedu. As she was soliloquizing over the issues that gave rise to ’Nedu’s birth, her brother entered and began to console her.

In Act 1, Scene 4; at the palace of a King Moha in a village called Dim, about three chiefs walked in and and deliberated with the king over the rightful Successor, who ought to be the king’s son. But in the midst of their discussion, a woman named, Ukodi entered and interrupted them with her desire of finding an unmarried man who will take care of her. At last, the king was distracted by an unknown strange voices which made the first chief to dismiss the meeting.

Act 1, Scene 5 revealed where Ukodi met Nnaoma, who was looking for his daughter,Uzo. She started pleading with him that he should propose her for marriage, so that they will marry. But, he resisted her pleas. Mohanna’s uncle met them, looking worried concerning his missing nephew. He told them that he must strive to find his nephew. As he was about to leave the scene, he told Nnaoma to look very well before he leaps; this hassomething to do with the way Ukodi was persuading Nnaoma for marriage.

In Act 1, Scene 6; Azodo, a jester met some children who pretended to be weeping but they were playing, he made fun of them. The chiefs came out and met Azodo and the children, they requested that they ought not to be lazy children who lousy around like the Prince, who left the village to city. Some women who met them talking the children confirmed that the Prince ran after women because he couldn’t control himself. Thereafter, a town crier, Ogamba passed and announced that the king wanted every good female dancer in the village to join during the Millenium dance at the village square which will be a tool to recall the run-away Prince back to the village.

In Act 2, Scene 1; the queen, Osodieme entered the king’s sitting room worried of which her husband felt. They agreed to re-send her brother to town in other to bring back Mohanna. Again, the king requested that Ogamba has to be invited to gather the chiefs and the elders for a meeting.

In Act 2, Scene 2; Omachi opened the palace gate and entered not knowing that Osodieme has been already asked by the king to invite him. So, he went in to see the king.

At Act 2, Scene 3; Ogamba is seen outside walking along the road and hitting a wooden going. He met some women that mocked him.

Act 2, Scene 4; showed the chiefs in the palace, Omachi and Azodo deliberating over some issues in the palace, then, some village women rushed towards the gate of the palace with pestles which they used and pushed the gate open. They were demanding for their rights in the village before the men in the palace. In the process, Azodo saw his friend, Uche in the midst of the women and they chatted before them, not minding that other women dislike their relationship and attitude.

Act 2, Scene 5; revealed where Uche and other women left the palace, they had a dispute over Azodo, she confronted them. The women lamented over their husbands for not being satiable and satisfied at home with the wives they married.

In Act 2, Scene 6; Azodo got drunk and was restless in the palace before Uche, his lover and other chiefs. As Azodo continued to act as a clown, the king entered the palace. He needed Azodo to go for an errand but his queen has to be around in other to say the nature of the errand.

In Act 2, Scene 7; the queen entered, king Moha demanded that Azodo and his brother-in-law, Omachi will go to the town to find his Prince, Mohanna in other to bring him back home. But, the second chief loudly said to the king that he made an odd choice by choosing Azodo to go with Omachi. Meanwhile, the king insisted that it must be so, to save the throne.

Act 3, Scene 1; commenced at Ugoji’s house where he called on his daughter, Adadimma to get herself ready for the Millenium dance which will be held in other to ascend to the highest social ladder in Dim kingdom. Her mother was disgusted over such information from her husband, telling her daughter that in her youthful age, she danced but not to win the heart of her husband for marriage unlike what her father wanted from her(Adadimma). So, Adadimma’s mother danced to show-off to her daughter that she can still dance very well even beckoning on her to join her in the dance as ikoro sounded.

Act 3, Scene 2; showed that Ugoji and his household attended the dancing display in the village square and everybody was already seated watching the dancers. Adadimma danced so perfectly that the king and queen admired and embraced her, informing her to get prepared for the journey to the city for she will accompany azodo and Omachi to bring back the Prince home. She felt happy.

In Act 3, Scene 3; Azodo and his group arrived Obioma city by boat and disembarked. They walked by the roadside and met some policemen on duty who embarrassed them.

At Act 3, Scene 4; Tonna, Obinna and Sgt. Obi were arguing over the state of their job with government by the roadside.

At Act 3, Scene 5; Azodo, Omachi, Ikedi and Adadimma got to a house and knocked repeatedly, hoping that Mohanna lives there. Adadimma started hearing strange voices as they waited for the occupant of the room yo open it. Out of weakness, she fell down but was held by others. She later rose up, encouraged herself and concluded that once Mohanna is back, she will hand his son, ’Nedu over to him.

In Act 3, Scene 6; as soon as Mohanna saw Azodo and his group on the street, he rushed into Ma Iya’s bar, Uzo’s madam, located across the road. Azodo and Omachi ras after him. Meanwhile, Mohanna never wanted to be seen neither do the bar owner accepted that he entered her bar. So, Azodo and Omachi stood outside.

In Act 3, Scene 7; as Omachi and Azodo walked out of the bar, Mohanna dangled out and Uzo, the barmaid commanded him to rise up and follow her. They boarded a taxi that brought them to St. Mary Magdalene’s Church.

Act 4, Scene 1; showed how Uzo and Mohanna was dropped by Obinna, a taxi driver at the Church premises, but Uzo refused to pay her bill. They quarreled over the amount to be paid. In the middle of the quarrel, the priest of the church, Fr. Joe was distracted and came out to listen to the matter. Fr. Joe demanded that the driver has to pay his tithes but the driver demanded that the payment has to be made for the service he rendered to Uzo and Mohanna. Fr. Joe twisted the whole issue and they all entered inside the church.

Act 4, Scene 2; started where king Moha, his wife and the entire people in his palace were so disturbed for not seeing Azodo and his group with the Prince. The king requested that Ogamba has to beat the gong to summon the chiefs because he wants them to go with him to the town in other to bring back his son.

In Act 4, Scene 3; two ladies of the queen’s court were gossiping about the king’s demand for going to the town. The king desired that he had to go to his in-law’s (Ugoji’s) house to ask him to follow them to the town. So, they left to the town with Ugoji, his wife and grandson, ’Nedu to the town in search of the Prince.

At Act 4, Scene 4; Azodo and Ikedi met the king and his entourage coming to the town. The king asked Azodo whether he succeeded but he narrated his ordeal to the king. The crowd was not happy with Azodo for not knowing where Omachi and Adadimma left to.

In Act 4, Scene 5; Omachi and Adidimma later met themselves again. While she was sobbing, Omachi encouraged her. They got into the congregation of the church, as Adadimma was wailing and singing at the same time. Mohanna exposed Uzo as an evil woman and Uzo really manifested before Fr. Joe and everyone. So,they sprinkled holy water on her as she wanted to escape through a window there.

In Act 4, Scene 6; Uzo was captured by Ozara as she tried to escape. Ozara started casting his spell on her to destroy her charm over Mohanna, the Prince. From a distance, the king with his entourage saw that and started laughing at Uzo. Osodieme wanted Uzo to be killed calling her a witch. Uzo confessed and asked Mohanna to take back his wife, Adadimma and his son. The king and his entourage were permitted to enter the church by the priest and make their intention known before the altar. The king prayed to unite his, son Mohanna and Adadimma there, in marriage. So, both young couple agreed and were united by Fr. Joe. Having blessed the marriage,the king left to the village with them and his entourage.

Act 5, Scene 1; showed some village women who were outside at the palace in Dim talking about the kings move in search of Mohanna with their husbands. In the midst of their discussion, Mohanna, his wife and son came back and was knocking on the gate. They hesitated to open the gate for a while and later opened it for them. And all were rejoicing to see them united and at the palace again. Later, the king entered with the queen and joyfully welcome their son and daughter-in-law with the grandson back to their home.

Act 5, Scene 2; revealed where Osodieme gathered all the women of Dim and empowered them. She encouraged them along with her daughter-in-law, Rev. sisters (May and Gina) to develop themselves, their husbands and children in other to lead well in the society and at home.

In Act 5, Scene 3; the king and his entourage arrived at the village square where women were having their meeting. Okocha, Osodieme and Adadimma prepared the women for their roles in their society. Okocha told the crowd that women have the same right of decision-making as men in daily activities and also should be allowed them to forge ahead. The whole play was ended with a Millenium dance of joy by all to forget the ugly past.

Evaluation Questions:

1.Write down the moral lessons you learnt from the message