National Book Awareness Week:Wedlock of the Gods

Wedlock of the Gods

Wedlock of the Gods is a postcolonial style play about breaking from the oppression of tradition in a male lead society. This three act play was written by Zulu Sofola, the first published, woman playwright from Nigeria.

Major Characters (in order of appearance)

• Odibei- Adigwu's mother and Ogwoma's mother in law.
• Otubo- Odibei's friend
• Ogwoma- The widow of Adigwu and the lover of Uloko.
• Anwasia- Ogwoma's best friend
• Uloko- Ogwoma's lover
• Nneka- Ogwoma's mother
• Ogoli- Uloko's mother
• Ibekwe- Ogwoma's father

Synopsis

Act One

Scene One:

The play begins in Ogwoma's house. Odibei enters and begins to examine the items and furniture in the room, searching for something. She wonders out loud about the death of her son when Odibei enters looking for Ogwoma. Odibei continues searching for some kind of murder weapon or poison while the two converse about her son, Adigwu's, death. Otubo states wisely that people are born and people die and that is how life takes course but Odibei insists that her son's wife, Ogwoma had something to do with his death. She firmly believes that Ogwoma murdered him and has hidden the cause of his death in her house. Otubo insists that Ogwoma could not have killed her husband but Odibei won't hear it and is still searching the house, muttering to herself in somewhat of a crazed state. Odibei goes on to complain that Ogwama hasn't even been mourning her son properly during the three-month mourning period. Eventually Otubo is able to calm Odibei enough to lead her away from the Ogwoma's house to rest. Ogwoma and Anwasia enter carrying goods back from the market. Ogwoma is dressed suitably for mourning. As they enter it is clear that they were just having a very serious conversation. Anwasia goes on to reveal that the two friends were just talking about how Ogwoma is pregnant with another man's child even though she is still only on the second month of her three-month mourning period. Ogwoma doesn't want to talk about it but Anwasia pushes the subject saying that what she has done is unheard of in their culture and that she at least should have waited another month before letting another man in her bed. Anwasia also reminds her that it is custom for the widow to marry the brother of the deceased husband Ogwoma comes back by saying that Uloko is not just another man, she is the love of her life and because of that not she could not have waited. She goes on to say that she is not in mourning because her husband dying was no loss to her. She never felt anything for him and was forced to marry him through an arranged marriage for money. Anwasia reminds her that that is simply how it is in their culture and even goes on to say that Ogwoma should be grateful for the money the marriage brought her family because it saved her terribly ill brothers life. Anwasia warns Ogwoma about her mother in law, Odibei, when Uloko enters. The lovers embrace with passion and Anwasia announces that she is leaving. As she exits she insists that Ogwoma tell Uloko about the child. After a lot of pleading on Uloko's part Ogwoma finally tells him that his child is growing inside of her. Uloko is filled with joy. He lifts Ogwoma up and spins her around while he cheers with excitement. He claims that now that his child is inside of her there is no way she can be married to Adigwu's brother. Ogwoma stops the short celebration because she hears something outside. Worried that Odibei is sneaking around she tells Uloko that he must leave. Uloko doesn't understand the severity of the situation and stays put saying that they should just let Odibei catch them. Ogwoma insists that he go and says that he shouldn't underestimate Odibei's cruelty. Ogwoma admits that she plans to run away before her pregnant belly begins to show. Odibei enters and immediately advances on Ogwoma to slap her but Uloko gets in between them, defending his love. Odibei, in a rage, says that Uloko should be looking for marriageable women and not hanging around a woman in mourning's home. Ogwoma says that she always hated her son and that God has freed her to be with Uloko. Odibei goes to leave saying that no one messes with her. Uloko demands that she keep Ogwoma out of her evil plans but Odibei exits and simply says, “We will see.” Ogwoma breaks down into Uloko's arms in despair over Odibei catching them. Uloko promises that he will handle her and that no one can hurt them. Ogwoma continues to sob.

Scene Two:

The scene begins in Ogwoma's house. She is with her mother Nneka and the atmosphere is very serious. Nneka says that she heard that Odibei found Uloko in her daughter's home and says she is filled with shame. She calls her daughter a harlot for professing her love for another man other than her husband but Ogwoma again states that Adigwu is dead and therefore she is free. Nneka says that Adigwu has a brother but Ogwoma blurts out the news that she is pregnant to silence her. Nneka is horrified. She states that Ogwoma has defiled the worst taboo in the land and that Uloko will pay. Even knowing that her daughter is pregnant with Uloko's child Nneka continues to insist that Ogwoma is Adigwu's brothers's wife. Ogwoma cries that she will not let Nneka marry her to another man that she doesn't love. Nneka makes for the door swearing that she will get Uloko for what he has done. Ogwomas demands her not to touch him but exits saying, “He will know that Nneka still breathes.” ^[3] Anwasia enters and tries to calm Ogwoma. She states rationally that it is normal in their culture for a widow to take the hand of the brother when the husband dies, especially if she had no children by her deceased husband. Ogwoma stands firm in her belief that she should be with whom she loves. Ogoli enters calling Ogwoma a dog and says that he has raised his son Uloko to be respectful and declares that she must had enticed him into bed with her. He yells at her to leave his son alone and then storms out of the house. Ogwoma begins to cry and Anwasia consoles her saying that God has a plan.

Act Two

Scene One:

Act Two opens during meeting of the men of the Onowu family and Okolie (the brother of Adigwu). The men chastise Ogwoma for refusing to marry Okolie and for taking another man into her bed during her period of warning and therefore shaming her entire family. They call on Okolie to speak his wisdom but what he says shocks them. Okolie states that Ibekwe, Ogwoma's father, should have asked his brothers for money when his son was so sick. He said that marrying Ogwoma to someone who she hated just for money was out of line when he could have asked his family for help. This starts an argument between Ibekwe and Okolie where they bash and insult one another's families. Nothing is really settled during this meeting and Ibekwe apologizes for wasting his family's time. His brothers say that they hope Ibekwe isn't afraid to ask for more help from them.

Scene Two:

Udo, a member of the Onowu family, visits Uloko at his home and advises him to find another wife. Nneka enters in a storm of anger and promises that Uloko will never have her daughter as a wife. She says that what he has done is an abomination and has never been done before. She warns him to stay away from Ogwoma. She says that their bastard child will never see his face or taste his mother milk and at this Uloko demands that she stays away from his child and his Ogwoma. Nneka theatrens that Uloko's mother will warn in when all of a sudden Ogoli enters. She is shocked that Nneka would threaten her son's life because her daughter is the one who enticed him into bed with her. They go back and forth insulting each other's children until Nneka storms out. Udo follows her out the door and Uloko and his mother Ogoli are left. They argue about the shame that Uloko has brought on their family and then Ogoli leaves hurt and in distress. Anwasia enters looking for Ogwoma. She states that she can't find her anywhere and that she is worried. Uloko, worried as well, states that Odibei has done, Odibei has taken Ogwoma away. He grabs his cutlass (short sword type of weapon) and leaves with determination.

Act Three

Scene One:

Act Three begins with Odibei entering Ogwoma's house carrying herbal medicines and wearing a vicious expression. After doing some business with the medicine Uloko barges into the house asking where Ogwoma is. He theatrens Odibei with the cutlass but she continues to say that she doesn't know where Ogwoma is. Otubo enters and is shocked by what she sees. Uloko lowers his weapon and leaves after telling Otubo to find Ogwoma. Otubo pleads with Odibei to reveal where Ogwoma is but Odibei is silent. When Odibei is once again alone in Ogwoma's home she returns to conducting her dark magic. Nneka enters and is shocked and enraged by what she sees. She order Odibei to eave the house and Otubo returns to lead Odibei away from the house. Nneka set up her own medicinal objects and states that her daughter Ogwoma must not enter this house, evil things will happen if she does.

Scene Two:

Odibei's dark medical magic has put Ogwoma in a trance. Odibei order Ogwoma to drink from a jug she has poisoned in her house. Ogwoma, still in a trance, goes back to her house and does has she is told. She drinks from the poisoned water three times and then falls to the floor. Uloko comes running into the house and cries in despair as he sees his love on the floor. Ogwoma, still alive but barely, tells Uloko that she drank the poison water and then dies. Uloko is wild with pain. Anwasia, Nneka and Ibekwe enter and are distraught by what they see. Uloko dashes out of the house and then reenters with a bloody cutlass moments later saying he has killed Odibei. He then picks up the pot holding the poisoned water and drinks it. The others in the room, confused and distraught, try to stop him but he succeeds in drinking the poison. He dies next to his lover saying he will meet her in the afterlife.

Themes

• Culture and Tradition - Ogwoma and Uloko defy their deep set culture and tradition by making love during Ogwoma's three-month mourning period. Chaos issues after this "evil act" of breaking tradition.
• Society Rules and Standards vs. Self Morales and Values
• The Woman's Role (in the family and in society)
• Arranged Marriage - A known driving force of arranged marriages during this time is poverty. Ogwoma's family married their daughter to the man with the most money instead of the man that she loved because they didn't have enough money for their ill son.

Zulu Sofola (1938-1995)

Nwazuluoha Onuekwueke Sofola, more commonly known as Zulu Sofola, was a key artist in the development of modern theatre Nigeria. She was a very educated female during a time when most parents did not send their daughters to receive a higher education out of fear that it would hinder their daughters from finding a husband. Zulu's parents broke tradition and because of that a fiery, feminist, tradition breaking playwright was born. Not only was she a leader in the development of Nigerian theatre  she was also a pioneer female playwright in the country and a very prominent feminist writer of the time. She was a very versatile playwright as well. She wrote for the stage, television and radio. Her plays reacted to issues that plagued her society. The plays tend to include characteristics such as ritual, myth, magic, tradition and legend, but her feminism is the characteristic that shines through most of her plays, especially in Wedlock of the Gods. She creates characters that fight her fight as an oppressed woman in a male dominated society. In Wedlock of the Gods not only is Ogwoma trying to break out of her culture and tradition to marry the one she loves, she is also trying to break out of the male dominated society to stay true to herself. Zulu makes it very clear that the rules set by this traditional society are set by the dominating men but largely affect the woman. Zulu showcases that women have no hand in their own destiny because it is set and established by the man. "Zulu Sofola’s writing style is simplistic and her knowledge of self and pride in her heritage is demonstrated in her plays, some of which portrayed Issele-Uku  culture and names. In her plays, she shared her extraordinary knowledge of her country’s history and traditions and present circumstances, particularly as they related to women." Zulu helped shaped Nigerian theatre into what it is today and gave voices to those who needed raising and shed light on issues that needed to be seen.

References

·  "Post-colonial Drama." Drama Online Database. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.

·  ·  Ṣofọla, 'Zulú. Wedlock of the Gods. London: Evans Bros., 1973. Print.

·  ·  Ṣofọla, 'Zulú. Wedlock of the Gods. London: Evans Bros., 1973. Print.

·  ·  Elizabeth, Gunner. "Zulu Writing: The Constraints And The Possibilities, With Special Reference To Osibindigidi Bongqondongqondo And Ikhiwane Elihle By Lawrence Molefe." 1.2 (n.d.): 149-162. Web. 22 Apr. 2016

·  ·  Gilbert, Helen, and Joanne Tompkins. Post-colonial Drama: Theory, Practice, Politics. London: Routledge, 1996. Print.

·  Engel, J. W. (1984). Marriage in the People's Republic of China: Analysis of a new law. Journal of Marriage and the Family, pages 955-961

National Book Awareness Week:Under the Udala Trees

Under the Udala Trees

Under the Udala Trees is a novel by Nigerian-American author Chinelo Okparanta written in 2015. It is set in 1960s Nigeria and follows the story of Ijeoma, a girl growing up in war-torn Nigeria who must come terms to term with her sexuality and the conflict this presents in society.

The novel is told in a first person narrative from the protagonist's viewpoint, namely Ijeoma, and as such, the story is told with her voice and perspective.

Okparanta's mother had watched her father die in the same way during the Nigerian Civil War that the novels protagonist sees her father die, linking with how Okparanta's own real life experience has informed her in the context of writing the novel.

The novel is Okparanta's first, following her short stories collection Happiness, Like Water (2013), and has received generally positive reception since its publication in 2015. In 2016, as part of the Annual Lambda Literary Awards, the novel won an award for "Best Lesbian Fiction".

Plot

The novel opens in 1960's Nigeria, following the tale of Ijeoma, a young girl who lives in a small town called Ojoto with her mother, Adaora and father, Uzo, in the middle of the Nigerian Civil War.

Following an air raid at the start of the novel, Ijeoma and her mother Adaora escape unharmed but her father is killed. This leaves Ijeoma under Adaora's care. The death of Uzo has a profound effect on Adaora's mental health, sending her into a trance-like state. Eventually, Adaora soon decides to send Ijeoma away to the far away town of Nwewi, to live with family friends, under the idea that it's safer and the right thing to do although Ijeoma is reluctant to move due to the strong bond she has to her mother as well her young age.

Ijeoma is taken in by a School Teacher, where she soon meets Amina, who becomes the object of her affection. The illicitness of the relationship and hesitation stemming from homophobic views from society puts strain on their relationship. Adaora, through frequently visiting Ijeoma, slowly begins to realise the affection that Ijeoma and Amina have for each other and expresses utter disapproval, quoting the bible and making Ijeoma swear allegiance to God and ultimately, to end the relationship and stop having 'wrong' feelings for each other. Eventually, Ijeoma is sent back to Ojoto to live with Adaora again while Amina remains with the school teacher. Ijeoma's relationship with Amina slowly fizzles out thereafter.

Back home in Ojoto, Adaora makes it her goal to turn Ijeoma straight and preach (from the Bible) that homosexuality is wrong and that she must change (become straight) to make it right. Adaora preaches that no lesbian relationship is right and that Ijeoma will feel the full force of God's wrath if she doesn't change her ways and end this lifestyle. Ijeoma is initially resistant to the strong influence exerted by her mother but eventually succumbs to the power of the Bible and tries to change and become straight.

Having succumbed to the bible preaching, Ijeoma then takes a new, heteronormative outlook on life and is determined to become straight, marry a man, with the objective to appear 'normal' in Nigerian society. She however eventually meets another female, Ndidi, whom she falls in love with. Adaora eventually realises the affection between the two and once again repeatedly bellows her disapproval and objection to her daughters love for Ndidi. Ijeoma soon afterwards finds a man named Chibundu, and ultimately in order make her mother happy and fit in with heteronormative standards, she marries him. Not too long afterwards, the two eventually have a child together.

Ijeoma's marriage and relationship altogether with Chibundu eventually takes a turn for the worse when he finds some love letters Ijeoma had intended to send to Ndidi, and confronts her over this. The two end up fighting, Ijeoma eventually realises, through critically reinterpreting the very Bible that Adaora has used to preach homophobia, that if God truly loves everyone, then that includes members of the LGBT community such as herself as well. Ijeoma then decides to leave the marriage with a man she ultimately never loved or was attracted to. The novel ends on a hopeful and more positive note, with Adaora also being able to critically reinterpret the very same Bible that preached homosexuality was wrong, and ultimately concludes that God accepts Ijeoma for who she is, ending the tension that plagued the mother-daughter relationship throughout the novel.

Characters

Ijeoma: The young female protagonist of the novel and the voice of the first person narrative. She is sent away from her mother early in the novel to live in Nwewi with a grammar teacher which is reportedly safer for her. Ijeoma is lesbian and must come to terms with her sexuality in a homophobic society. While growing up as a young girl, she falls in love and enters two separate relationships with two other female characters in the novel, Amina and Ndidi, neither of which last as Ijeoma eventually succumbs to fierce backlash from her mother. She reluctantly marries a man later in the novel, Chibundu, and has a child with him to comply with heteronormativity. Ijeoma eventually divorces Chibundu after growing tired of living in a marriage with a man she genuinely doesn't love while Chibundu disapproves of Ijeoma's previous affection towards Ndidi when it comes to light, and Ijeoma subsequently then moves back in with Adaora.

Adaora: Ijeoma's mother. Shortly after her husband, Uzo, dies, she falls into a trance of following the Bible and its messages, which influences how she raises Ijeoma. Adaora preaching disapproval of Ijeoma's homosexuality and associated relationships with other females is her wanting to do what's 'right' for her daughter in terms of society, rather than attempting to be outright homophobic. Adaora becomes Chidinma's grandmother when she is born, and by the end of the novel, eventually accepts that Ijeoma's homosexuality is not able to be changed.

Uzo: Ijeoma's father. Killed in an airstrike at the start of the novel, an event which has mental health consequences for Adaora and pushes her to resort to the Bible for solace, a move which affects how she treats Ijeoma for the rest of the novel. Uzo's critical thinking skills displayed at the start of the novel, which Ijeoma herself inherits, and are vital for her to be able to critically reinterpret the bible herself and use this to eventually shut down the bible's oppressive power.

Amina: A young girl who is Ijeoma's first love interest in the novel. Like Ijeoma, Amina has also been impacted by the war and has been separated from her family and soon lives with Ijeoma and the School teacher. Amina and Ijeoma's romantic and sexual relationship eventually falls apart from other authoritarian characters' (such as Adaora and the School Teacher's) disapproval and shaming upon finding out about the relationship.

The School Teacher: An elementary School teacher who takes in Ijeoma after Adaora sends her away to Nwewi. He eventually also takes in Amina after persuasion from Ijeoma.

Ndidi: Another teacher that Ijeoma falls in love with and starts a romantic and sexual relationship with, but as with Amina, it eventually crumbles when Adaora finds out and relentlessly oppresses her daughter into ending the relationship.

Chibundu: A young man that Ijeoma marries in order to comply with heteronormativity. Although Ijeoma lacks physical attraction to him, the two get along well enough to eventually have a child together, Chidinma. Ijeoma's relationship with Chibundu turns sour when he discovers, through unsent letters, her previous affection for Ndidi and becomes hostile. Ijeoma then eventually grows tired of a marriage with a man she doesn't love and divorces him.

Chidinma: Ijeoma's daughter, who is born late in the novel during her marriage with Chibundu. When Ijeoma ends her marriage and relationship with Chibundu, she takes Chidinma with her when she goes back to live with Adaora.

Themes

The novel draws on several themes relating to war, family, mother-daughter relationships, homosexuality, religion and Bildungsroman.

Okparanta, in the context of writing this novel, has described herself as "a champion for love", linking with the novels focus on homosexuality and drawing attention to the associated same-sex relationships within.

Okparanta has also made important reference to the theme of women, describing the novel as very "women oriented". She further reiterates the significance of Ijeoma and Adaora's mother-daughter relationship in the novel stating that "That family, that mother and daughter, will always be mother and daughter and will have to find a way even if forever they are fighting. They will find a way to coexist.”, the latter sentence in the quote making reference to Adaora eventually accepting Ijeoma's sexuality and that it cannot be altered.

Religion has also been seen to be an important theme in the novel in regards to the bible specifically being a catalyst behind the Nigerian gay community's plight, with another critic noting "A narrow reading of the Bible, she [Okparanta] suggests, is partly to blame for Nigeria's vicious treatment of the gay community."

Other critics have noted the importance of Bildungsroman, namely, the focus of the psychological and moral growth of the main character, Ijeoma's, psychological and moral growth in accepting herself and her homosexual identity in a hostile society. Courtois remarks in regards to Bildungsroman how being a woman would also contribute to her journey of self discovery and growing up, noting that "Ijeoma becomes aware of the limitations to her self-construction that society imposes on her because she is a woman.".

Critical Reception

Critical Reception for Under the Udala Trees has been generally positive, praising the structure of the prose, writing style and discussion of themes while more negative criticism has been directed from some readers at not being able to sympathise with the plight of the LGBT characters in the Nigerian context.

Wisner (2015) has described the novel as exceeding his expectations, in that it "quietly undermines the readers expectations". Wisner (2015), in the context of the political themes within the literature, also praised the novel for reading naturally like a story, "unlike others, Under the Udala Trees never reads like a position paper or protest speech" (2015). Osinubi (2018) meanwhile, makes note of both the significance of Opkaranta's first published novel as well as the themes that are addressed within, in that it "makes critical interventions in literary history".

Geary has meanwhile praised the novels use of intersectionality, remarking that "her intentions of not narrowing the focus to just a lesbian story shine through". Geary furthermore praised the novels 'scene-painting' and ability to communicate cultural context to a Western audience, remarking that "American readers would not have a backlog of information about the landscape of Nigeria - geographical or political - but Okparanta makes it accessible to non-Nigerian readers."

However, negative reception, in the context of a Western audience, found it hard to understand the plight of the LGBT characters in Nigeria. Okparanta noted negative reception towards her novel primarily revolved around some Western readers being oblivious to the anti-LGBT climate in Nigeria, with criticism such as "we've moved on from that - LGBTQ people don't struggle here (America) with that anymore" as well as "Africa and Nigeria are so behind. Here, people can marry now,”.

References

·  "Finding Love And Self-Acceptance 'Under the Udala Trees'".

·  ·  "28th Annual Lammy Award Winners Announced". Lambda Literary Review. 2016. ProQuest 1795685759.

·  ·  Gilette, Courtney (2015). "Chinelo Okparanta: On Her New Novel 'Under The Udala Trees' and Being a Champion of Love". Lambda Literary Review. Archived from the original on 20 June 2019. Retrieved 19 February 2020.

·  ·  Lombardi, Bernie (2018). ""Where Paradise Will Hopefully One Day Be": An Interview About Sexuality, Home and Diaspora With Chinelo Okparanta"". The Black Scholar. 48 (3): 17–26. doi:10.1080/00064246.2018.1475837.

·  ·  Popescu, Lucy (2016). "'Under the Udala Trees', by Chinelo Okparanta". The Financial Times. ProQuest 1768493509.

·  ·  Courtois, Cedric (2018). ""Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind: It is abomination!": Lesbian (body-) 'Bildung' in Chinelo Okparanta's 'under the Udala trees' (2015) [online]". Commonwealth Essays and Studies. 40: 119–133. doi:10.4000/ces.302 – via Informit.

·  ·  Wisner, Geoff (2015). "'Under the Udala Trees' examines the potential for cruelty in ordinary life". The Christian Science Monitor. Archived from the original on 3 February 2019. Retrieved 19 February 2020.

·  ·  Osinubi, Taiwo Adetunji (2018). "The Promise of Lesbians in African Literary History". Johns Hopkins University Press – via Project MUSE.

·  Geary, Shannon (2016). "'Under the Udala Trees' is an Intersectional Triumph". University Wire. ProQuest 1765708832