“AFROCULTURAL DRAMA” ON MYSTICISM, FEATURING “BOOMERANG,” 6

October 20, 2022

FINALLY, THE MYSTICISM; THE RESOLUTION; AND THE CONCLUSION

Greetings, folks!

This is “Afro-Scope,” the telescope that beams on Africa, the African peoples, and the African Culture. It is an InterCultural Exchange Project. I am Harry Agina, the director. I bring you our series on “AfroCultural Dramas” on Infidelity and Mysticism in Africa. It is titled, “Boomerang,” and it is the third in the “AfroCultural Dramas” category of Afro-Scope. We have already concluded our dramas on Money Ritual In Africa, which we titled, “Blowback.” We have also given you a series on Polygamy In Africa, titled “The Deal.” Starting next week, we shall complement “The Deal” with a series on Polyandry In Africa. We believe that what is good for the goose is also good for the gander. If a man can have several wives, then, by Jove, a woman should be able to have several husbands, too!

If you have not seen those drama series that I have named above, then you need to check them out. Their links await you at the end of this episode. Mind you, the dramas are just one of Afro-Scope’s efforts to share the African Culture with the rest of the world. We also offer you our “AfroCultural Titbits” category, which is in narrative form. Not to forget our “AfroCultural Entertainment” category with African festivals, traditional music and dances, and more. Do browse around and enjoy our potpourri package on AfroCultural InfoTainment (Information through Entertainment).

Now, let’s “cut to the chase” for the day, our AfroCultural Drama on Infidelity and Mysticism In Africa, titled, “Boomerang.” It is the story of three male friends, and the infidelity of Ajede, who is the wife of one of the friends. This is the day that the story is concluded. Our dramatist, Mike Shaibu, is about to tell us the idea behind naming the series “Boomerang.” Also importantly, he will tell us where the African mysticism is in the story?

         At the end of the last episode, Egodede the troublemaking lover-boy was drinking at a beer joint. Before that, he had angrily and rudely stormed out on his own father (Obele), and the father of his lover (Ilaba). Apparently spoiling for war, he was now on the lookout for Etu, the husband of his lover, and Etu’s friends, Ako and Oti. Don’t ask me how he intends to fight three guys. It is time to introduce Mikey the dramatist to give us the answer, with the resolution and the conclusion of the story, “Boomerang,” thus:

 BOOMERANG 6

1. INSIDE A SITTING ROOM; IN THE DAY.

OLD OBELE AND OLD ILABA ARE STILL SITTING IN SLIENCE, NOT LOOKING AT EACH OTHER, THE SHOCK ON THEIR FACES FOLLOWING EGODED’S DISRESPECT HAS NOW WORN OFF…NOW ILABA BEGINS TO SHAKE HIS HEAD IN DISAPPOINTMENT…

OBELE (Chuckles mirthlessly): You don’t need to say anything, my friend. If we dared this with our own fathers in our own youth…

ILABA ONLY LOOKS AT OBELE, SAYS NO WORD, GOES BACK TO SHAKING HIS HEAD…

OBELE: I guess, being the host, it is my duty to say something. Alas, the shame is so much, I hardly know what to say!  The young man took totally after his mother!

ILABA: Don’t get me wrong and think I am blaming you. But…truth be told, most times, how a son turns out depends much on how the father raised him.

OBELE: Oh come on now! And you said I should not think you are blaming me?! Then what is this, praising me? Let’s not forget that your own daughter has a chunky share of the blame here, too!

ILABA: Oh really?! We are looking at it that way now, are we? Very well, I am sorry I came to see you then.

OBELE: No, no, no! Please, forgive me for saying that. I didn’t mean to. I shouldn’t have said that. It’s just that…I tried my best to raise my son well, but his mother’s influence on him spoilt him for me. And so each time anyone blames me for how he has turned out, I take offence. I am sorry.

ILABA: In any case, the issue seems impossible to settle now. My daughter told me that Egodede would return her bride price to Etu and then marry her. And I came here to ascertain it.

OBELE: Please help me out here. Please! What do you think we can do now? I am open to any suggestions.

ILABA: Right now, I am at a loss as to what to suggest. I asked my son in-law Etu and his friends to come and see me at dusk today. Right now, I have to go home and think of what to tell them.

ILABA RISES AND WALKS OUT WITHOUT FURTHER WORDS…OBELE LOWERS HIS HEAD IN DESPAIR…

Crossfade to…

2. OUTSIDE, AT THE DRINKING JOINT; IN THE DAY.

IT IS NOW NOISY AND CROWDED WITH GROUPS OF YOUTHS CLUSTERED AT TABLES HERE AND THERE…BUT EGODEDE IS STILL ALONE, NOW WITH MORE EMPTY BOTTLES ON HIS TABLE, STILL QUIET AND ANGRY WITH THE WORLD…A DISTANCE AWAY, ETU AND HIS FRIENDS APPROACH THE JOINT…AKO STOPS THEM AND TAKES A CAREFUL SCAN OF THE JOINT…

ETU: What?

AKO: We can’t drink at this joint. That is Egodede sitting over there.

OTI: Better to avoid open confrontations. Let’s go to our usual…

ETU (Cuts in): God forbid that I should be cowering like that. The woman is mine! If anyone should be cowering, it should be Egodede, not I! Even if you two don’t want to drink here, I will.

AKO: But we don’t want…

ETU CUTS HIM SHORT BY WALKING FAST OVER TO THE BAR, GREETING EVERYONE LOUDLY, AND ORDERING…AKO AND OTI FOLLOW HIM THERE AND GREET ALL TOO…SOON A TABLE IS ARRANGED FOR THEM, THEIR ORDERS DELIVERED, AND THEY SIT TO DRINK…

EGODEDE WATCHES ALL THIS FROM HIS LONE TABLE, ANGRILY PUSHES HIS TABLE FROM BEFORE HIM, AND BOTTLES FALL AND CRUSH NOISILY…EVERYONE LOOKS OVER THERE.

DEAD SILENCE ENSUES AS EVERYONE WATCHES KEENLY.

EGODEDE RISES FROM HIS CHAIR AND BEGINS TO WALK TOWARDS ETU AND HIS FRIENDS…

AKO: (Sotto voce): Etu, do not say or do anything, even if he insults or slaps you or even spits on you!

OTI (Sotto voce): Exactly! Thank God, everyone is watching! We have many witnesses.

ETU NODS…EGODEDE WALKS OVER TO THEM AND BEGINS TO JEER…

EGODEDE: Hello, cowards!

ETU OPENS HIS MOUTH TO SAY SOMETHING…BUT BOTH AKO AND OTI GLARE AT HIM SHARPLY…ETU SHUTS HIS MOUTH, PICKS HIS DRINK, AND BEGINS TO LIFT IT TO HIS MOUTH…EGODEDE KNOCKS THE DRINK OFF AND IT POURS ON AKO’S FACE…EVERYONE TAKES A SHARP BREATH…

EGODEDE: How dare you ignore me as if I were a fool to be ignored?!  Say whatever you have to say to me now! You keep going about behind my back vomiting rubbish! Get up and be a man if you think you are truly a man!

AKO (Gingerly): But I am the one on whose face you just poured beer!

EGODEDE: So…? You’re his friend, aren’t you? And it is the three of you that have been going about tarnishing my impeccable image, isn’t it?

AKO: But…

BOTH ETU AND OTI GLARE AT HIM AND HE SHUTS HIS MOUTH…

EGODEDE: Oh, I see. This is a plan, right? You idiots planned to come over here and make me look like an idiot, right? We will see who is really an idiot!

AND SO EGODEDE REACHES OVER, PICKS AKO’S BEER, AND EMPTIES IT ON ETU’S HEAD; THEN HE PICKS OTI’S BEER, AND EMPTIES IT ON OTI’S HEAD.  AND THEN HE BURSTS INTO LAUGHTER…

EGODEDE (Laughing): Who is the idiot now?

THEN HE DIPS HIS HAND INTO HIS POCKET, BRINGS OUT MONEY, AND THROWS IT AT THE OWNER OF THE JOINT…

EGODEDE: That’s for my beer. Keep the change.

EGODEDE WALKS AWAY LAUGHING…NO ONE LAUGHS AT ALL…

AKO (Bitterly, in undertone): He just filled his own cup of malady to the very brim. I am not going with you to old Ilaba anymore. I have no need to.

OTI: Me neither.

THEY RISE, WIPE BEER FROM THEIR HEADS AND FACES, PAY THEIR BILLS, AND WALK AWAY IN SILENCE…

A WEEK LATER…

3. OUTSIDE/INSIDE, ON A VERANDA/SITTING ROOM, IN THE DAY.

AJEDE THE INFIDEL WIFE OF ETU RUNS OUT WITH JUST A WRAPPER TIED ON HER CHEST, SCREAMING AND CALLING FOR HELP…

SOON, MANY PEOPLE RUN UP FROM HERE AND THERE…SHE LEADS THEM INTO OLD OBELE’S SITTING ROOM.

EGODEDE IS VIRTUALLY RETCHING HIS GUTS OUT AND LITERALLY BARKING LIKE A DOG IN BETWEEEN…

PEOPLE (In unison): What did you do to him?

AJEDE: I didn’t do anything to him! I swear to the gods!

AN OLD MAN (Thoughtfully, and examining Egodede closely): This is nothing but thunderbolt. We have no cure for it in these parts. He will die right away! It is a just boomerang anyway! This will teach other young men to stay away from other people’s wives!

RIGHT THEN, THE RETCHING AND BARKING STOP.

BUT EGODEDE SLUMPS AND STOPS BREATHING.

END.

By Michael Shaibu

This is where I come in with my kind of editorial, to embellish the ending of Mikey’s drama. Time to explain to our non-African audiences, a little more about the mystic “just boomerang” that the old man in the last scene spoke about. You have read the effect on Egodede the wife snatcher, but you have no idea how it came about, and what is behind it. In fact, you may not even believe it to actually happen because you don’t understand it, but, I tell ya, it does happen!  You have only seen one sample, but it comes in many and various forms in various parts of Africa. It is made possible by the gods of justice. Yeah, I know, you probably say, “What gods of justice?”

Okay, this is where my little philosophical adventure comes in. I will use my Christian brethren for my scenario, and I will tell you why, pronto! I believe that, generally, Christians are probably the most non-tolerant when it comes to claim to righteousness and efficacy of faith. Christians ignorantly tend to believe that good spiritual powers only come through belief in Christ. I use the word ‘generally’ advisedly, because the story changes when we talk about extremism. If you talk with an average non-extreme Muslim, he is more tolerant than an average non-extreme Christian. But when we talk about extremism, then the Muslim extremists have no match in intolerance. They go too far; simply evil! Anyway, I am talking about average Christian scenario here, thus:

If you are a Christian, then you obviously believe in the Almighty God and His awesome powers. You also believe in the powers that God has given Christ, no wonder, you are a Christian. By extension, you must believe that Satan exists, and you know why. The bible that you probably read every day establishes this; if nowhere else, it is addressed where it says that Satan tempted Christ, and Christ defeated Satan. You do believe, based on this and other instances, that Satan has powers. If you don’t agree with any of this so far, then you have no business calling yourself a Christian; you are a hypocrite! You know, or rather, you believe that the Almighty God and Satan exist. Fundamentally, you profess to understand that the spirit world exists. Yet, you are not opening the mind to all the related possibilities!

But if you do say that your mind is open, then, it behooves you to accept that the gods of “just boomerang,” and similar, do exists in Africa. Some of the people believe in them, just as you believe in the powers of Christ. And, you know what? They actually do obtain powers from those gods, just as you do from Christ. The next keyword is faith. If you truly believe enough, it happens for ya, whether from Christ, or from the other smaller gods. A key issue for me here is whether the powers obtained from whichever one of the smaller gods is good, or bad. In this case, do remember that the infliction that tortured and killed Egodede is called “Just Boomerang.” My point is that it works only for justice! The gods respond to the calls of believers when someone is truly doing them wrong. This is even more so when the wrong is done in the form of the mighty oppressing the weaker. Hence, in this case, Egodede the lover-boy might not have been struck by the “just boomerang” if he only slept with Etu’s wife. What did him in was his audacity to physically oppress the husband of his lover. He was not stealing the man’s wife; he was snatching her with impunity. And the African gods of justice don’t take such evil injustice lightly.

Now, it sounds very ignorant to me, if anyone even implies that powers that uphold justice come from bad smaller gods. Mind you, African communities were better off, in that aspect, in the good old ancient days. The people were closer to the gods, and the gods didn’t waste time to deliver justice.  For that, the people were kept in check against doing too much evil to others. The people of the community knew/know that those things happen. So, whosoever that is caught by the wrath of the gods of justice has his or herself to blame, for defying the gods. And, unlike the Almighty God, those smaller gods do not waste time to strike. Again, remember the two keywords—faith and justice. To request support from the gods of justice, you must go with clean hands and clean heart. You can’t plot or bear evil in mind for others and hope to be supported by the gods.

Please note that I have not said or implied that bad smaller gods do not exist with their powers of evil, too. I just did a piece on my theory on the entire gamut of smaller gods and their possible hierarchy in our universe—the good, the bad, and the ugly! That’s in my series, “On The Legitimacy of The African Traditional Religions,” Part 5. If you missed it, I have the link to it for you, shortly.

Believe it or not, there are tribes and communities in Nigeria, for instance, where the man’s dick gets stuck in the woman’s ‘pussy’ when a wife cheats on her husband. Umm huh! A certain mystic ritual must be performed before the cheaters can detangle themselves from each other. Anyway, this has been my titbit on the efficacy of the powers of the smaller gods of the people of Africa who believe in them. This is Harry Agina signing off for now.

HERE IS THE LINK TO EPISODE 1 OF “BOOMERANG,” WHICH ALSO LINKS YOU TO EPISODES 2 TO 5:

https://nobullshiting.com/nbb-afrocultural-dramas-featuring-boomerang-part-1/

HERE IS THE LINK TO EDISODE 1 OF OUR SERIES ON POLYGAMY IN AFRICA. EPISODE 1 WILL LINK YOU TO THE REST OF THE SERIES:

https://nobullshiting.com/afrocultural-dramas-on-polygamy-and-the-deal/

HERE’S THE LINK TO OUR SERIES ON MONEY RITUAL IN AFRICA, TITLED “BLOWBACK”:

https://nobullshiting.com/afrocultural-drama-on-money-ritual-in-africa-blowback-1/

HERE IS THE LINK TO “ON THE LEGITIMACY OF THE AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGIONS, PART 5, FOR MY THEORY ON HIERARCHY AMONG SMALLER GODS:

ON THE LEGITIMACY OF THE AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGIONS, 5

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