Jagagba

By Abdul-Qudus Ibrahim

The King is dead! Who will wear the mighty crown JAGAGBA? The Palace is in disarray about the rightful successor. Will it be Adebola the King’s adopted son or Adesupo the King’s estranged brother? Amidst palace intrigues, political conspiracies and family traditions, Abebi the King’s widow offers her advice.

This is the winning play of the second edition of the Beeta Playwright Competition (BPC), and it emerged out of three hundred and forty-eight entries.

Abdul-Qudus Ibrahim has emerged as a playwright to watch, gifted and promising.

The play JAGABA captures the conflict of traditional society with interplays of political metaphors and social contradictions. The title is exciting, drawn from a real persona which makes it a compelling entrapment that draws the audience into Abdul-Qudus' own world. A must read and watch.
-Professor Ahmed Yerima
Author, and Chairman BPC Panel of Judges

• Language: English
• Publisher: Paperworth Books
• Release date: Jul 15, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463426180

Book preview

JAGAGBA

(The Mighty Crown)

Copyright 2019 Abdul-Qudus Ibrahim

Published by Paperworth Books at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CAST OF CHARACTERS

PROLOGUE

ACT I

ACT II

ACT III

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

BEETA PLAYWRIGHT COMPETITION

OTHER EBOOKS BY PAPERWORTH

CAST OF CHARACTERS

KING ADEWALE - Powerful King of Ile-Rere

ABEBI - Young, beautiful wife of KING ADEWALE

ADEBOLA - Young, handsome son of KING ADEWALE

ADESUPO - KING ADEWALE’s brother

BALOGUN - Chief of Ile-Gbogbo

ALANI - Chief of Ile-Ayo

AJIKI - Chief of Ile-Isowo

IBITOYE - Chief of Ile-Ewa

BABA IFA - Chief Priest of Ile-Rere, elderly man

BABA AGBA - Keeper of the law and traditions of Ile-Rere, elderly man

A few extras, ASAKE a female warrior, townspeople, BALOGUN’s family and more female warriors

PROLOGUE

Blackened stage, a spotlight comes on and shines directly from above on the centre stage revealing a very fascinating crown mounted in the shrine of the chief priest.

The NARRATOR walks up to the stage gazing at the shrine. He trembles at the sight of the crown, proceeds to bow to it and then faces the crowd.

NARRATOR: A long time ago, an ancient grand kingdom known as ILE-RERE was divided into four kingdoms ILE-GBOGBO, ILE-AYO, ILE-EWA and ILE-ISOWO. Each kingdom was ruled by their own male rulers known as the CHIEF. Together, these four kingdoms were ruled by the ruler of all rulers known as the KING in ILE-AGBARA, the capital of ILE-RERE. The KING wears the mighty crown known as JAGAGBA.

[He directs the audience towards the crown behind him.]

NARRATOR (Cont’d): JAGAGBA is a very powerful crown. It was made with the royal bloodline of the king and the four chiefs mixed together. Once a king is crowned, he alone is to wear JAGAGBA until his death. Anyone of royal blood that dares to wear JAGAGBA while the king is alive would instantly go mad and his entire kingdom and generation would be cursed. Anyone not of royal blood who dares to wear JAGAGBA will die immediately. After the king’s coronation, JAGAGBA is kept in the sacred shrine of Ile-Rere’s chief priest. It is brought out and worn by the king only on special occasions. The crown depicts reverence and uttermost power. Nobody dares to disrespect the crown or the head that wears the crown.

[Walks to another end of the stage.]

NARRATOR (Cont’d): The current king of Ile-Rere, the handsome, strong and great KING ADEWALE, inherited the throne from his father when he was a young man and he has ruled his kingdom in peace and prosperity for many years. [Pause] But he has failed to produce a male heir to continue in his stead.

[KING ADEWALE walks on