BREAST CANCER, THE DEADLY DISEASE

BREAST CANCER, 

THE DEADLY DISEASE.

Writer/director–YAHAYA HABEEB KAYODE

© 2015 Yahaya Habeeb Kayode (jaypee-d-poet)

08090539107, yahayahabeeb@yahoo.com, juniorprof50@gmail.com.

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DEDICATION.

To Mrs. Bilikisu Wuraola Yahaya

My beloved mother,

The mirror of my heart

The sumptuous star,

That sparkles in the sky of my heart

My priceless gift from God

Myriads of words cannot express the status of my love for you

                                                                                            

            Yahaya Habeeb Kayode.

WRITER/DIRECTOR’S NOTE-this note is meant to facilitate the production process of the drama. it includes certain features of this drama such as the settings, the sound effects, the camera effect the cast, and the diction.

SETTINGS

The drama set begins and ends in the market. it is a one-scene play. The only scene in the market is a small groove spot covered with thatches.

THE CAST

The drama comprises four characters-

·         Mallam Audu –he is a Hausa-Fulani man who is appareled in a typical Fulani dashiki top and wool-weaved cap with red designs laced around it. He speaks pidgin English mixed with Hausa expressions.

·          Iya Awero- she is a typical Yoruba woman, she is chubby and short. She is clad in an iro and buba attire and turbaned with an elevated-styled gele. She also code mixes Yoruba and English together. she Speaks Yoruba-indigenized English.

·         Uche- he is an Igbo man and he is clothed in a wrapper and top with the usual Igbo cap. He speaks pidgin English mixed with Igbo expressions.

·         Strange man-he is an unknown man who, from his dress, one cannot tell which ethnic group he belongs to. He wears a Yoruba abeti aja cap, a Fulani dashiki top, and an Igbo wrapper clothing, covering the lower part of his leg. He is strange to the gathering of Mallam Audu, Uche, and Iya Awero. He speaks English fluently.

All the characters except the strange man must act humorously so as to bring out the comic sense in the play

Sound effects.

Noises of buyers' and sellers’ conversations plus continuous chants of traders who advertise their goods or services melodiously shall be played as a background tone to convey the settings of a market.

Picture effects- the following shots and camera prescription are advised to be considered by the production team for the play.

·         An aerial view of a market shall be shown at the beginning of the drama.

· established shot or the extreme long shot of the market shall precede and should be applied by the director of photography at selected intervals of the play.

·         An establish shot of the Characters in the groove spot

·         A medium short of the characters in the groove spot

·         A close short and extreme close shot of each character in active dialogues at selected intervals of the play

Premise

The script has been written to advocate and sensitize people to be aware of BREAST CANCER. Three of the characters are not aware nor have they been sensitized on the plight of breast cancer and to the effect of the advocacy theme of the drama, one of the characters (a strange man) sensitizes them, advises them to have their screening, and also urge them to educate others too.

CAST

MALLAM AUDU

UCHE

IYA AWERO

STRANGE MAN

Drama begins………...

In Wazobia community market, traders and buyers are dispersed in the nook and cranny of the local market. Noisy conversations coming from the buyers and sellers dominate the air as the buyers scavenge over the goods exhibited by the traders. other disturbing and indistinctive noises coming from the unceasing arguments of different groups of people also serenade the atmosphere. In the setting, melodious, captivating, and really hilarious expressions are chanted melodiously and continuously by some traders aiming at luring passing-by pedestrians into patronizing their goods or services.

Mallam Audu sleeps on a bench under a groove covered with thatches as Uche enters.

Uche-     Audu! Audu! Wake up (he thunders). Chai! Na sleep you dey sleep for this kind time? when your mate dey huzzul (hustle) for street. (he claps his hand and hisses contemptuously) Audu! (he nears him and taps him)

Mallam Audu-   (still feeling dizzy, he rises from his sleeping position, sits and looks around. He sights Uche and hisses then he yawns and stretches simultaneously) kai! I be bastard faa Uche. Aba! This is the third time wey I go wake me from my sleep. I dey craze? (he checks his watch) Allah wallahi, time I don go pwatapwata.

Uche-     (he sits beside Uche) this lazy Fulani man, you better stand up make you find something beta do.

(Iya Awero enters, holding a moribund radio set)

Iya Awero-     Awudu! Uche! Ekaaro o!

Mallam Audu-   kai! (he points his finger towards Iya Awero in a warning tone) How many times I don tell u sey make I no call me awudu en, Iya Awaro? Sunana Audu, no be Awudu. I don hear?

Uche-     chai! Chai! There is god o! from Iya Awero to Iya Awaro.

Iya Awero-     abi Uche? you see, Awudu is just like a pot saying charcoal is too black. (to Mallam Audu) Whatever I kalu your name just accept it like that ojare, that is not why ayaf come here. (She sits beside uche)

Mallam Audu-   ok! Iya Awaro. Wetin con bring you come here?

Uche-     Audu! Shey you wan talk sey u no sabi wetin carry Iya Awero come here? (he points at the radio iya Awero holds) you no see radio for her hand?

(Strange man enters carrying a bag, he sits on a bench facing others)

Strange man-   Good morning my fellow beloved Nigerians

(Mallam Audu, Uche and Iya Awero stare at him awkwardly and issue no words to him. He smiles and sits on the bench adjacent to them)

Iya awero–     (almost inaudibly) who is this man wearing Yoruba abeti aja cap, with Fulani dansiki top, and wrapper like the Igbos?

Uche-     him name na Yohaubo

Mallam Audu-   kai! Uche! u I sabi am before? How I know sey him name na Yohaubo?

Iya Awero-     yes? How do you know his name is Yohaubo?

Uche-     una no sabi anything joor. Yoruba-Hausa-Igbo na him I con join dem togeda sey Yo-hau-bo. Una no see im dressing ni?

Mallam Audu-   kai! Wallahi dis Uche I get sense faa.

(as they all convulse with laughter; strange man also smiles not knowing what transpires between them)

Iya Awero-     Ehen! I don’t want to miss the ten o’clock news. Please Uche helep me on this radio and put it in Wazobia FM. (she gives it to Uche)

Uche-          na Wazobia FM sure pass o.

(he switches on the radio. At first, the radio refuses to work. Uche hits it twice and a sonorous voice pierces through the radio. Uche amplifies the volume of the radio and places it gently on a shaggy table in the Centre of the groove and he joins the rest on the bench)

Voice-    Good morning. This is the news at ten coming to you from your favorite radio station, radio Wazobia 419.2 FM. Here are the bulletins.

“Unilorin emerges the best University in the world”.

(while the voice continues to cast the news in full, the conversations that follow dominate the atmosphere)

Strange man-   (talking to himself) hmmm! The university deserves it. The university was once upon a time a second-generation university in this country. But she has risen from that bunch. Not only did she leave them behind, she also caught up with many of the first-generation universities, competed with them, and soared to the altitude of being the top-ranked university in the world.

(Mallam Audu, Uche and Iya Awero stare at him as he has impressed them with his analysis)

Mallam Audu-   (to strange man) aboki! I sabi book welwel faa.

Uche-     my broda! how you tey know all dis yarn wey you dey yarn

Strange man-   I am a proud alumni of the school, I graduated from the university some years ago.

Iya Awero-     (shrugs)won tun de o! lies upon lies. Well! we are happy for the school because they have made Nigerians proud.

(the voice coming from the radio dominates again as they pay attention to the transmission)

Voice-    …...petrol price drops to #50 per litre...

(subsequently, Uche jumps up with exuberance while others rejoice too)

Uche-     ah! Nna! I go fill all my gallons before the price go rise up again

Iya Awero-     and when it rises again nko?

Uche-     I no fit dey dull mysef na, I go just start black-market business and before you know am I don turn milloniya be that o

Mallam Audu-   kai! You this man, I too like money flenti flenti

Uche-          na you no like money abi?

Strange man-   I am sorry to interfere again o (he pauses as Iya Awero clears throat contemptuously) it is only a slave that sees the truth and ties his tongue with silence. Mr. Uche! It is unjust when we exploit ourselves and still claim to be our brothers’ keeper. It is unheard of. We accuse our leaders of maladministration and yet we are also adding fuel to the fire consuming our country. The………

Iya Awero-     (interrupts)mister man, don’t think you are wiser than us because you speak current… em correct English

(strange man feels embarrassed and dips his hand in his bag and brings out a book. He dips his head into the pages and reads)

Mallam Audu-   yes o! Iya Awaro. Like sey him sabi English pass me? I go just tamunate u comot for here.

       Uche-   (bursts into a thunderous laugh) chai! Mallam Audu your girama fit causes earthquake.na tuminate o no be tamunate.

(a brief but tensed argument unfolds between Mallam Audu and Uche)

Mallam Audu-   na tamunate

Uche-          na tuminate

Mallam Audu-   make we ask this oyinbo man, u go see sey na me correct pwatapwata

       Uche-   oya ask am!

Mallam Audu-   mister man no vex. Dan ALLAH, just tell us who correct pass for our two

Strange man-   (closes the book he is reading) I am sorry to say that both of you have got it wrong. It is “terminate” not “tuminate” or “tamunate”. It is spelt t- e- r…………

Iya Awero-     (interrupts)thank you. I don’t think they ask you to spell it. (to Mallam Audu and Uche) abegi let us hear the remaining headlines before one strange man distracts us o jare.

(as they all keep mute, the voice coming from the radio transmission dominates the air again)

    Voice-     ………And the last in our news bulletins today is on “breast cancer” Breast Cancer Victim Dies at 25”

Iya Awero-     (switches off the radio immediately) ye! Mogbe! Olohun maje ka ri ino ni konga. make we no see fire for well o. After all the good headlines that we yaf listened to, this one just spoilt everything.

     Uche-     chai! Chai! Chai! There is God o. so breast cancer don send the young lady go meet our Oga at the top? Chidaalu! chineke.! Amadioha. Chai! (he caps his palms on his head)

Mallam Audu-   (almost crying) Allah wallahi! Death I no know young pikin faa. Death I dey kill anybody.

Iya Awero-     what is breast cancer sef (she dips her thumb in her point)?

Uche-          who sabi dat thing sef? I just dey hear am dis recent days.

(as Iya Awero stares at strange man, he quickly avoids her)

Iya Awero-     (stutters)Mr. Oyinbo! Ayam sorry for backlashing you since. I ask for your forgiveness. (Mallam Audu and Uche wear a confusing look). I just hope you will forgive me with your giramatik heart.

Strange man-   (smiles) giramatik heart indeed. Well, iya awero! you have not offended me in any way.

Mallam Audu-   (suddenly bursts into an annoying laugh) Uche! Kai! Now I understand wetin Iya Awaro I dey do. You no sey Yoruba fiful fear death pass anything.

      Uche-    ah! Audu! your sense complete o. in fact your medulla oblongata is very very active. Iya Awero! Iya Awero! Hmm!

Iya Awero-     (hisses)Uche! Mallam Audu! Abegi let me just say what is on my mind, because I cannot come and go and die o. (to strange man) buroda! Don’t mind them o. please what is this breast cancer that the radio people just mentioned and how did it manage to kill a 25-year old lady?

Strange man-   hmmm! Breast cancer! Iya Awero! Ok! I’ll tell you everything you need to know about it. My people! have your seat! (Mallam Audu, Uche and Iya Awero sit on the bench listen attentively. strange man continues) you see; breast cancer is a very deadly disease.

Mallam Audu-   Ubangidi!

  Iya Awero-   olohun o!

       Uche-   Chineke!

Strange man-   yes! A very deadly disease. You see, my fellow Nigerians. Breast cancer is a cancer that develops from breast tissue and it can damage the whole part when it develops. statistic has shown that large population of Africans die as a result of this disease.

       Uche-   (relieved)brodaa, thanks for the info. (to Mallam Audu) Audu, the matter wey dey ground no concern us, we no be woman now. Abeg I get one fresh mango wey I wan peel this afternoon.

Iya awero-     (cuts in) e no concern u abi? But you have forgotten that it concerns your wife and daughters. Ah! Uche small small o. I just pray you wunt have HIV. Na fresh mango today, tomorrow it will be green apple. I pity you o.

Mallam audu-   karuwa! Ashawo! You I no dey fear Allah Uche!

       Uche-   kalumu! Make you cool down en. I no fit get Hiv I dey use umbrella

Strange man-   Mr. Uche! Please, be careful. (pauses) That reminds me. Breast cancer doesn’t not only occur within females. Males too can have it.

Uche-          chai! Abeg tell me say you dey joke?

Strange man-   I am serious about it. Mr uche! We all need to be mindful of our body.

Mallam Audu-   (he tends his hands in the air like the Muslims do while praying) make God hep us faa.

Iya Awero-     yes o! but we need to help ourselves too o. (to strange man) abegi can you tell us the signs of this dreadful disease?

Strange man-   there are possibly many medically-proven signs of breast cancer, but I’ll tell you the few ones you need to know and you can also find out more from any close-by medical centre. the signs include a lump in the breast or a change in breast shape, the dimpling of the skin, fluid coming from the nipple or a red scaly patch of skin.so if you notice there is any swollen part within the breast you should not hesitate to report to a medical centre. That is why we are always advised to do a self-examination of our breast every, to check if there isn’t any of these signs.

Uche-          hmmm! Thank you broda. Please wetin me I wan ask you be say wetin be the things wey dey cause this cancer.

Strange man-   Mr. Uche! Mallam Audu! Iya Awero! (they all wear a solemn look) you see, female unsafe sex or early sex during prematurity, obesity, lack of physical exercise, drinking alcohol, hormone replacement therapy during menopause, ionizing radiation, early age at first menstruation, having children late or not at all, older age and family history. All these could cause breast cancer.

Mallam Audu-   kai! Family history? How that one fit happen?

Strange man-   I am very sorry (he examines his wristwatch) I must be on my way now. I have a very important meeting to attend.

(as he takes a step from where he stands, Iya Awero stops him)

Iya Awero-     my brother! at least tell us your name na

Strange man-   (smiles) my name is Yohaubo (Iya Awero, Mallam Audu and Uche convulse with laughter. Strange man becomes mystified)

Uche-          Yohaubo?

Strange man-   yes Yohaubo! My people! Please take all the information I’ve provided you with, on breast cancer very important. As I have sensitized you, do make sure you also sensitize others including your neighbours and daughters. Find out more details on this deadly disease, because the more you know the more you become mindful over it. And lastly, make sure you have your screening as soon as possible. That reminds me, Iya Awero! Please advise other market women to stop keeping money inside their braziers it can also cause breast cancer. Thank you. Bye

(they wave hands to him. strange man exits)

Mallam Audu-   my fiful I dey go shop. Later (Mallam Audu exits)

(Iya Awero rummages through her brazier and brings out few rough and dirty-looking cash notes)

Iya Awero-     may God bless this man o.

Uche-          Iya Awero! abegi bring these money na, them don get virus.

Iya awero-     virus ko virus ni.  You too like money. Uche Gerara here joor! see you later. I am going to my shop.

Uche-          me sef dey comot. Buyi bye.

(they both leave the scene in different directions)

BLACK OUT

THE END.