Plot Account of Let me die

Plot Account of Let Me Die Alone by John Kolosa Kargbo is a play written in three short acts with rich dramatic and theatrical values. The play opens at Senehun in Gbanya's bedroom amidst Sanded rumming offstage, with Gbanya pulling a shouting Yoko, his wife, into the room. Yoko has just been dislodged from the company of her Sande women (a cult of womendancers and entertainers) to come and attend to the emotional urge of her husband. She protests as Gbanya forces her to his bed. This protest gradually changes to ecstatic and sensual moans but soon interrupted by violent knocking offstage. Gbanya who is the ruler of Mende Chiefdom receives a message that Governor Rowe, the British Colonial Representative will be visiting tomorrow. This kind of visit isunusual; Gbanya quickly summons ameeting of his warriors as hesuspects it might have something todo with the boys he hired out to John Caulker to fight against his brother, George. Yoko senses that her husband is troubled and he confirms that he is unwell and even fears to sleep at night because of the constant visits of his ancestors to him in his dream, imploring him to join them. It dawnson Gbanya that his end is imminent.Yoko suggests sacrifices to ensure a peaceful journey, believing that he should' not die without honour. Gbanya prepares to receive his enemy the Governor with the greatest of gifts but his wife Yoko thinks differently; the warrior must be put on the alert to forestall any eventuality. She reminds him further Of his promise to hand over the chiefdom to her at his death. Unfortunately, Gbanya wants to rescind this promise because of many enemies hovering around the chiefdom to wipe off his people and reasons that a man will hold the fort better than a woman at the helm of affairs. She insists and questions his sincerity and betrayal having encouraged her not to bear children because of the prerequisite initiation into the male Poro cult before she can be come king. She complied and nowat the verge of old age she is being abandoned. Gbanya prefers to handover the chiefdom to Ndapi but Yoko would not want to share her bed with Ndapi as custom demands that a new king inherits the wives of the old one.Yoke also draws his attention to the different women who have reigned successfully over some chiefdoms for many years, such as Take Yoya, Kema of Galu, Fangawa of Wando, Kpanda Gbello of leppiama Woki of Tunkia and Nancy Caulker in Sherbro land. Gbanya agrees they are good rulers and also good lovers in bed and drags her to the bed to show him how good she is too. Lamboi is equally interested in takingover the chiefdom from Gbanya but fears that his sister, Yoko, may succeed to persuade and compel her husband to hand over the chiefdom to her. He therefore connives with Musa, the seer and medicine man, through blackmail to plot the death of Gbanya before he makes any commitment to Yoko, his wife. Lamboi: "All I want you to do is to kill the chief and help me to prevent the chiefdom from falling into the hands of a woman" (p. 94).They both strategize and resolved to lure Gbanya to the Poro bush after the Governor's visit to drink from a medicine bottle poisoned with the gall of alligator. Final preparations to receive the Governor are underway. Gbanya wants to give five fat cows, five fat rams and sheep as presents to the governor. Lamboi thinks they are too much for Governor Rowe, but the chief insists. Musa prepares the chief's mind to visit the Poro bush after the Governor's visit, so they can carry out their evil plot to kill Gbanya. Yoko has a premonition that a great evil will be fall their household today and urges Gbanya to prepare for war as he receives the Governor and ambush him. He faults the judgement and berates her as a woman: "Can our chakabulas and spears, or machetes and slings withstand the guns of the Governor and his frontier soldiers?" Gbanya announces that his elaborate reception for the Governor is to sue for peace and protect his people from senseless killings. Governor Rowearrives and accuses the chief of sending his warriors to fight on John Caulker's side against his brother, which the Governor sees as a direct affront against his orders that there should be no more fighting. Gbanya continues to deny the accusation but the Governor humiliates him by ordering his soldiers to stretch himout on the ground and beat him with awhip. The chief is equally fined to pay fifty pounds in the equivalence of cattle and rice. The Governor and his team leave. Lamboi and Musa cash in on this development to give the chief a poisoned drink to kill him, pretending it is meant to relieve his pain. On realizing that death isinevitable, he curses his killers and instructs Yoko who just comes in to take charge of the chiefdom. Lamboi tries to persuade her out of the idea of becoming chief because she has to join the Poro cult which would consequently prevent her from bearing children. But she insists she is ready to be chief; she mourns her husband and she is coronated as the next ruler of Mende Chiefdom. Act Two opens with Jilo preparing to cook and Lansana her lover appears to have an affair with her. Jilo resists, fearing that her husband, Ndapi, mayshow up. He seizes her against her wish claiming that having failed to talk her into it, the other option left is to force her. Lansana gags her with his hand and drags her into the hut Just then Ndapi and Lavalie, a warrior, enter from opposite ends. They both express concern over the 'mysterious' death of their chief, Gbanya. There was something unusual about the funeral; the dead chief's skin wasblack as charcoal, yet no one couldgive any credible explanation, not even Ngo Musa, the medicine man who saw it all. Yoko now feels her life threatened and does not even trusther brother, Lamboi. She wants to embark on expansionist war of her warlords feel otherwise; Ndapi and Lavalie especially, who now leave to strategize on how to stop Yoko from embarking on war. Lansana and Jilo emerge from the hut; he got what he wanted and he is prepared to risk his life for a repeat performance at a safer place. Ndapi returns home and queries Jilo, his wife of her where abouts; why isn't food ready for him to eat? She blamesit on their sick daughter, Jeneba. Ndapi does not take kindly to her excuses, he steps on her big toe and slaps her. A guard enters and prostrates but warns him against the danger of beating his wife every day; he could lose self-esteem. Both men review Yoko's greed for war which they consider vain and provocative. Jilo also reveals Yoko's plan to move the chiefdom from Senehun to Moyamba. we meet Yoko in her royal splendour in her palace in Moyamba with many women attending to her needs. They all like it here in Moyamba; the chiefdom has expanded even more.Yoko reminisces her dead husband —Musu and Fanneh (her maids) think his spirit is guiding her because In Moyamba they have found peace and the Governor is very happy. Yoko however feels uneasy with the fear of the unknown, that she may be killed and her reign toppled. She also misses the joy of motherhood she lives under tremendous pressure from those who do not want her on the throne especially Lamboi her brother and Musa, the medicine man who she suspects killed her husband. Yoko asks after Jeneba (Jenneh), Ndapi's daughter who she adopted as her daughter with so much care and affection. She brought to Yoko and the little girl confirms that her father often beat her mother A guard announces the arrival of a messenger from the Governor who is well received and made comfortable. Yoko prepares for a meeting with the elders (Lavalie, Ngo Musa, Keke Lamboi and Ndapi); Ndapi beats his wife, Jilo, and drags her in before Chief Yoko. Jilo is accused of adultery with a member of Yoko's household, Lansana. He is already on the run to Taiama; Yoko deploys two warriors to apprehend him outrightly Yoko is disappointed with Jilo for the abominable act with Lansana, a rescued war slave andordered her detention as a reprimand. Jilo's three-month-old pregnancy is also wasted because of the illicit act.Yoko assures Ndapi that she will make Lansana pay all the damages.Yoko is visibly angry more than ever before; Lansana betrayed hisfriendship with Ndapi. Lamboi and Musa hatch up a plan to kidnap and kill Jeneba, the little girl Yoko is so fond of and loved by the community. The intention is to shift the blame on Yoko as the murdererand mislead the people to believe thather growing strength as a chief is because she sacrifices young children because she sacrifices young children to her charms by burying them alive. This plan they hope will whip up the sentiment of the people against her and ultimately force her to abdicate the throne or be forced into exile or be killed. With her out of the way, Lamboi hopes to ascend the throne. Musa does not believe it is a very good strategy, but Lamboi assures him that the searchlight will be on Yoko and not them. Madam Yoko with some of her elders receive the Governor's messenger in her palace with pompand pageantry. The Messenger appreciates the unprecedented reception accorded him and delivers the message of the Governor, servant of her Imperial Majesty the Queen of Great Britain. The Governor considers her a shining example of African leaders who blend grace,magnanimity, bravery, audacity, tranquillity, and majesty to her role ascustodian of the protectorate. He wishes her well in her reign. Jilo prepares to go and wash in the river but wants her daughter, Jeneba, taken to Madam Yoko by Fanneh but she is on an errand for Yoko to look forLansana. Fanneh wants to know why Jilo committed adultery She complains that her husband abuses her body with incessant beating andhe is not tender with her while, on caring and also makes her proud as awoman. A woman needs reassuranceand admiration, and Lansana gives all these. Jilo sees Fanneh off leaving Jeneba all by herself. Lamboi sneaksin, hypnotizes Jeneba with a fruit and some other medicinal liquid substances and takes her aways sleep walking. In the palace, Yoko announces to her elders in council that the Govemorhas sent for her to two chiefs in Taiama and she has to leave that evening. The elders want the council to discuss the property tax the Governor has imposed on their land, but Yoko suspends any discussion on the matter' as she opts to execute the Governor's order. She hands over the Chiefdom to lamboi to take charge in her absence, just then two warriors enters with lansana and yoke orders his detention without food till she returns from her trip as he is being led away Jilo breaks wailing and announces the disappearance of her daughter, jeneba. Yoko also orders an immediate search party for the missing to be found at all cost; appoints Musa as second in command to Lamboi for a few days and they direct orders to find the girl beforeYoko returns, but Jilo is devastated as she weeps uncontrollably In Act 'Three, Lamboi is alone in the palace (barre) and about his quest for power, control and dominion over his fellow men, his walk towards the throne and seat of supreme power, blood has been spilled and there no going back for him, his hands have bean soiled With the blood of Gbanya, Jeneba and Yoko 'Day be next because she stands between him and his ultimate dcsire to be the Chief' or Moyamba Chiefdom. Iavalic enters with no good news on Jeneba, He leaves to get palm wine and Musa enters. Musa has been busy spreading the rumour that Yoko has used Jeneba as sacrifice; buried her alive in a bigcpot to fortify her power and acquire more power to gain the favour of the Governor. The same dummy is sold to Ndapi, Cather of the missing girl; he buys it after some persuasions that Gbeni the oracle revealed it and also with the potent rumour mill spearheaded by the women. Sande women, a powerful cult, summons a meeting to dispose Queen Yoko for this supposed dreadful deed. Ndapisends word to the women to break up the meeting. Queen Yoko returns andis sumrised at the disrespectful reception she receives from hersubjects. Those she put in charge o the chiefdom, Lamboi and Musa, even call her murderer too. Ndapi confronts her to produce his daughter if she wants to be Queen again and sits on her throne with heavy thunder rumbling. She is accused of of sacrificing Jeneba and burying her alive in a big pot; she is defenceless in her innocence; she is subjected to great humiliation and insults by Lamboi, Musa, Ndapi and has come under the scorn of the entire chiefdonv, she is called murderer, witch, devil, and wicked. Ndapi even insults her with her childlessness — "you don't know the pain of childbirth, so you don't know the worth of a child. You have never had children of your own, so you don't know what motherly love is." She offers to swear by Poro to prove her innocence but she is not given a chance as no one believes her. Just then news comes that Jeneba's body has been foundbehind Sande bush with thebreastbone broken, the heart pulledout, her neck cut with a knife and her private parts removed. The nature of this dead body negates the claim of Lamboi and Musa that the child was buried alive. It is this revelation that necessitates a re think and Yoko gets a reprieve and seizes the opportunity to investigate the matter to discover the real culprits.At the Poro shrine in the night, it is discovered that Lamboi and Musa are responsible for the death of Jeneba. Queen Yoko is thereby vindicated and Queen Yoko is thereby vindicated and Ndapi promises to go after them to seek redress. The Messenger to the Governor brings a message to Queen Yoko at the Poro bush; he is stopped from entering by the guards because only initiates and members are admitted into the shrine. But Queen Yoko clears the Messenger as a member and he gains access to see her. He brings a message to reduce the territorial control of the Queen and she is upset by it and sees it as a disgrace. On hearing this message, she sends Lavalie for some herbs which he sends to her through aguard. She gives it to Musu to prepareas usual into a thick concoction. Queen Yoko turns, back to the Messenger to express her displeasure over the boundary demarcation. After her long years of service and loyalty to the Governor, this manner ofreward is least expected. She feels used and insulted and sends strongwords back to the Governor. Ndapi and Jilo come to seek forgiveness from the Queen claiming they were misled; Lamboi and Musa set a trap for them. The Queen will hear none of their apologies. she recalls that herclate husband warned her that "behind every set of white teeth there lurks an evil plotting mind". She dismisses the couple and the Messenger; theconcoction is ready AND Musu suspects it is poison and wanted to drink it first before the Queen. Yoko says no, "Let Me Die Alone" because she has savoured the fruits of power alone; known and enjoyed the grandeur of high office alone. She drinks the poison to die and avoid the humiliation of her power being whittled down by the Governor. Indeath she hopes to find peace and never to be used again. She connects with the noble ancestors of the land to receive her she slumps to the ground and sends word to the entire chiefdom not to be mourned as she did not bring a child to this world. She dies and a dirge rises.