PREFACE

This is a play which bothers on the moral degeneration and decadence in Nigeria of today.

It delves into the home and uses the family of Mr. John Yakubu as a morally upright family and that of Mr. Tewogbade as an immoral and corrupt one.

Bothe Mr. Tewogbade and Mr. Yakubu work with the criminal investigation Department of the police force.

Mr. Tewogbade is corrupt, he sends the junior officers to collect bribes from motorists on the road and they come back to ‘deliver’ to him in the office. He also paid the principal of his son’s school to get somebody to impersonate him in the WAEC Examination.

At the end of the play, the cat is let out of the bag and he pays dearly for his actions of bribery and corruption and his inactions of not giving his child a proper moral and academic upbringing.

1

NARRATOR

I bid all our parents welcome once again to our yearly end of the year activities. We believe that, the home is the first where a child comes in contact with education before experiencing the four walls of the classroom, therefore it is very expedient and cannot be overlooked, that is why it is constantly our focal point.

I hope we are not lacking in our duties as parents, even as teachers?

I’ll like us to ponder on this as we watch another power packed play titled ‘charity begins at home’.

Thank you.

2

This play was first produced by the Hosanna International High School Students of Ebute- Ikorodu at the School Premises during the end of the year activities in December, 2005 with the following cast;

Narrator - Naheemat Andu

Kunle Tewogbade – Selwin

Mrs. Tewogbade - Tolu Dada

Mr. Tewogbade

Phillip (their Driver)-Iyanu

Remi Yakubu - Lucky Akataobi

Mrs Yakubu-- Titilayo Adeyanju

Mr. Yakubu Nzube Ilechukwu

Principal (God’swill College)

Principal (Anyhow College)

Mr. Garuba

Mrs. Nnamdi

Ewalade - Suliyat

Janet (Tewo’s Secretary) - Dorcas Olorunkoya

2 police Officers

Students of Godswill’ College

3

CHARACTERS

Kunle - A student of God’s will high school, but was expelled because of his high level of indiscipline on the one hand and his father’s bad influence on the other. He is however re-enrolled at the notorious Anyhow College to sit for his WAEC Examination.

Mrs Tewogbade- Kunle’s Mother

Mr. Tewogbade-He is Kunle’s father and a member of the criminal investigation Department of the Police force.

Remi- an ambitious and diligent student of God’s wills High School, who read hard for his examination and excelled. He was admitted to study Electrical and Electronics Engineering at the oba Awon Universities (OAU).

Mr. Yakubu: Remi’s father and an upright and disciplined assistant Commissioner of Police. Tewogbade Boss.

Mrs Yakubu- Remi’s Mother

Principal I - Gods’ will College

Principal II – Anyhow College

Police Officers

Students of God’swill College

4

ACTS I

SCENE I

FAMILY 1

(Light is shown on a duplex in Ikoyi, an elite suburb of Lagos). Kunle is in the sitting room downstairs dancing to the loud blast of music from the sound system.

(Enter his mother) a middle aged woman of about thirty five, with her driver, the latter carrying her bag and so many loads.

Kunle

(Singing along to the music and dancing to the rhythm of the song) eh, eh, oh girls have you seen her…? Seen her, seen her… (Swinging his arms and shaking his head).

Mrs. Tewogbade

Oh mine! My son is home already. (To the driver) you, take those things to the store.

Phillips

Yes madam, should I drop the bag there too?

Mrs. Tewogbade

(Irritated) what a question! Rat, drop the bag in my room upstairs, you dunce!

Phillips

Sorry madam!

Mrs. Tewogbade

Keep your sorry! (Hisses at the driver, and laughs at the son who is still busy dancing and singing).

Kunle

(Unaware of his mum’s presence) eyah, eyah, what’z up! This music is so so interesting; it must get the Grammy award.

Mrs. Tewogbade

Kunle Love, how are you doing? I can see you are really enjoying yourself.

Kunle

(On hearing his mother’s voice) oh mum, I never knew you are here, how are you doing mum?

Mrs Tewogbade

Can you just reduce the volume of the music a bit, so that you will be able to hear me clearly?

Kunle

Oh mum, don’t you disturb your baby, you can see I am really enjoying myself.

Mrs. Tewogbade

Alright, do as you wish, just to inform you that your father has been able to enroll you in another school.

(She ascends the stairs, two at a time, and goes up to her room).

Kunle

Please, let me rest o jare! Education should not be by force! (Keeps on dancing and singing simultaneously)

CURTAIN FALLS

ACTS II

SCENE II

GODSWILL COLLEGE

Students are on the assembly ground on a Monday morning and the principal of the school is addressing them.

Principal

Good morning students.

Students

Good morning sir.

Principal

I have got a very important announcement to make this morning, and I want each and every one of you to listen attentively.

Students

Silence (looks of fear in their eyes)

Principal

Imagine, one of the parents of a student came to my house over the weekend requesting the school to organise someone who is going to sit for his son’s examination for him.

Students

(Unanimously) What! Incredible (murmurs among the students).

Principal

Well, do not be surprised, that I told him off immediately and I promised to expel the son from school today.

By the way, where is Kunle Tewogbade?

Come out here!

AN ss3 student

He is not in school today sir!

Principal

Well, for the benefit of the others who are also planning to do such a thing, then you are in the wrong place. Thus is a school where any form of examination malpractice will not be condoned.

Believe you me, if any of you is caught in any act of malpractice, the person will be dealt with appropriately.

(To the SS3 students) whenever Kunle makes it back to school please let me know.

Good morning!

The students disperse and marched to their various classrooms.

ACT 3

SCENE III

THE STATE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT (SCID) HEADQUATERS

The criminal investigation department is having a confidential meeting on a Monday morning and presiding over the meeting is the Assistant commissioner of Police (ACP), Mr. John Yakubu.

Mr. Yakubu:

Good Morning all

(All at once) morn sir! (All stand at attention)

Mr. Yakubu

Easy…

(They are all now at ease)

Mr. Yakubu

Well, there is a report reaching us for some time now, that one of the commissioned officers has boys who deliver.

Mr. Tewogbade

Who could that be! Then, appropriate action should be taken.

Mr. Yakubu

…….. And exactly what do you think is the appropriate action, Officer?

Mr. Tewogbade

All the officers involved should be fired! (Aside) I believe I have covered my tracks well.

Mr. Garuba

I think we should do a thorough investigation of this issue, so as not to put it on the wrong person.

Mrs. Nnamdi

Anyway, my own suggestion is that we should get the junior officers involved in the issue directly, I mean the boys who actually deliver to the superior officer in question to confess and name their accomplice in the act.

Mr. Yakubu

The issue is that the boys have confessed and had already spill the name of the accomplice

Mr. Tewogbade

Who are the boys? How can you discover such a huge crime without carrying others along before torturing the said boys to confession?

Mr. Garba

Are you addressing the ACP like that?

What insolence!

Tewogbade

Terribly sorry sir! (Scrambles to attention immediately) it’s just that I feel we should be carried along from the onset of the case, as superior officers’ sir, and …….

Mr Garba

Anyway, since the boys have confessed, then case closed, all I think should be done now is taking the appropriate action just as Officer Tewogbade said the other time.

Mrs Nnamdi

There is point dragging issues, no more controversy, I also support Mr. Garba. Mr. Tewo, what do you think?

Mr. Tewogbade

(Still at attention looking lost and dazed)

Mr. Yakubu

Well, I also fully agreed with all you have said, case closed.

Good morning!

All (except Tewogbade)

Morn sir! (Springs to attention), almost immediately fall to at ease and left the room

Tewogbade

(Still stands @ attention and looking very lost) mouth agape.

CURTAIN FALLS

ACT V

SCENE V

Family 2

A bungalow in Carter Street on Lagos Mainland, Remi is in the studying when his father entered.

Remi

(Reading his book on the study table down beside the Dinning section of the house)

Mr. Yakubu

Oh good, let me not disturb him, he is busy reading.

Remi

(Suddenly looks up and saw his dad going into his bedroom.) Welcome Daddy! (Prostrating)

Mr. Yakubu

Oh Remi, how are you? I never wanted to disturb you at all, how was your day?

Remi

Fine daddy, and how was work today sir?

I give God the glory.

I can see you are busy studying for your forthcoming exam. I wish all the very best my dear.

Remi

Thanks sir.

Mr. Yakubu

You are most welcome; let me go to the bathroom before I come for my food.

Remi

Ok daddy (goes back to the table to continue his reading).

CURTAIN FALLS

ACTS VI

Mr. Tewogbade

(Tewo is alone in his office soliloquizing) oh my God! I never knew those boys could mention my name, I thought I had covered my tracts well…..

(The ACP opens the door and barges in unannounced).

Mr. Yakubu

Since the cat has been let out of the bag, an appropriate action has got to be taken, right?

Mr Tewogbade

Sir, (scrambles to his feet and stands at attention) actually, what I was trying to say at the meeting the other was that we should issue a warning to the persons concerned since it is a first time…..,

Mr. Yakubu

Inspector Tewogbade, it’s a pity you have dragged the name of this section in the mud…

Mr. Tewogbade

What are you talking about sir?

Mr. Yakubu

You know quite alright what! Just pick up your letter at the administrative office. You have been fired!

Mr. Tewogbade

(His two hands on the head) oh my God! What have I done this for! I never thought it would end up like this. I am finished!

CURTAIN FALLS

ACTS VIII

Mrs. Yakubu came into the house with a letter; she picked from the letter-box and showed it to her husband.

Mrs. Yakubu

There is a letter in the box (hands over the letter)

Mr. Yakubu

Let’s see (collects the letter and tears it open) oh! It’s a result from JAMB

Mrs. Yakubu

It must be Remi’s JAMB Result.

Mr. Yakubu

The principal also called to tell me that he made all his papers with distinction all through in WAEC. Where is he?

Mrs. Yakubu

He must be in his room, reading as usual.

Mr. Yakubu

Alright, call him to come and collect his JAMB result so that we can know his scores.

Mrs. Yakubu

(Mrs. Yakubu got up and walked to Remi’s room, calling out to him) Remi!

Remi

Yes, Mum

Mrs. Yakubu

Come over here, your dad wants to see you.

Remi

Yes mum, I am on my way.

Mr. Yakubu

Remi, this is your JAMB result, tear it open and let’s know your scores. (Hands over the slip to Remi)

Remi

(Collected it and opens it prayerfully) oh dad, (sigh of relief) to God be the glory; I scored 387.

This is also the highest score, and I have been selected as an award recipient, this also come with an admission letter to study medicine in the Nations prestigious University (Oba Awon University).

Mrs. Yakubu

We thank God that all your efforts have been crowned with success.

Remi

Thanks mum and dad lets return all glory to the Almighty God.

(The family kneels down to thank God in prayers after singing a song of praise).

Acts ix

Tewogbade enters the house looking morose, he met Kunle as usual dancing and rapping to a music blasting from the sound system.

Kunle

Yea, yea…. (Sings and dances)

Tewogbade

You this boy, switch off the music!

Kunle:

(Keeps rapping and dancing) unaware of his father’s presence.

Tewogbade

(Goes to switch off the sound system) can’t you see that I have come in? What are you making all that noise for? Did you not see the letter that is addressed to you in the letter box outside the gate? By the way, have you got your WAEC result?

Kunle

Dad, which of all these questions do you actually want me to answer?

Tewogbade

Hopeless boy! Stupid boy!! Are you asking me such a nasty question? With all I have done for you? (Very angry and irritated)

Kunle

Well dad! Do not take it so personal please, its okay- I will answer your questions one after the other-

I did not noticed you came in, as for the noise, it’s no noise at all, just having a good time, well, didn’t check any letter-box, so I wouldn’t know there is a letter there for me. For the WAEC result, don’t know which one you are talking about because I never sat for any exam!

(Almost immediately there is a heavy knock on the door)

Enters Mrs. Tewogbade, Principal of Anyhow College, and two other gentlemen wearing dark suits.

Mrs. Tewogbade

Oh, Darling, you are home already? Kunle you are also at home, how do you do? These three gentlemen have been at the door for some time now pressing the doorbell.

Mr Tewogbade

Did you not know your son disconnected the wire from the bell for God knows why?

Anyway, gentlemen, what can we do for you?

Principal

Oh sir, I am the principal of the school where you registered your son for WAEC.

Mr. Tewogbade

Oh! (Recollects the face) that is true and correct. You are welcome, I guess these are some of your teachers….,

CID 1

(Smiles) thank God you recognized him, I am from the Garki police Station, (shows him his ID Card) you are under arrest for aiding and abating examination malpractices and for going against you’re the police code of conducts

Mr. Tewogbade

What exactly do you mean?

CID 2

You sure know what we mean mister, I guess this is the son he registered too, you are all under arrest!

(Handcuffs father and son)

Mrs Tewogbade

Oh my God, but why me? I have warned you this man severally to be careful of your corruptible acts, you never listened!

CID 1

Madam, it’s too late to cry when the head is off the neck!

CID 1

Arrest the three of them and let’s move.

Mrs. Tewogbade is shedding tears and crying bitterly as her son and husband are being pushed away by the police.

THE ENDNARRATOR

Like father, like son, so the saying goes, what kind of morals are we inculcating into our children. Do we teach them to be upright or do we aid them in crime or do we even cover them whenever they do something bad?

An adage says “ spare the rod, and spoil the child”. I hope this short play will gear us up more to our responsibilities as parents and guardians.

THANK YOU.