wedLock of the gods By Zulu Sofola

WEDLOCK OF THE GODS BY ZULU SOFOLU

ANALYSIS BY EGURIASE S. M. OKAKA

Ogwoma, the widow has been forced by her parents to marry Adigwu because they needed money from her bride wealth to cure their son who was very sick. Ogwoma the victim of circumstance had nothing but hatred for Adigwu. She was very much in love with Uloko whom she could not marry because he did not have the money his parents needed. Fortunately for her the loathed husband died and she considers herself freed from whatever bands them together. Rather than complete the period of mourning and be inherited by her husband’s brother in the tradition of levitation, she became pregnant by her lover who eternally holds her heart.

Taboos are broken, her parental families are disgraced and her mother-in-law was filled with a sense of vengeance for her son who she believed was intentionally killed so that both lovers might have their way.

 The play reveals Odibei searching seriously for the medicine Ogwoma used in killing her son. My son Adigwu did not die a natural death she said. As the case is he died with his belly swollen like that of a pregnant woman, a man who dies like that cannot be said to die a natural death. Somebody killed him. She said. That only should be a cause for alarm. This death is beyond normal Eguriase S. M. Okaka concludes.

 Otobo convinced Odibei many times before she still believes that her son did not die a natural death. There is every reason to believe what she says. Ogwoma was found pregnant during her mourning period it give us cause to worry and it rise a big conflict in the play. You may wonder who made her pregnant. Was it her dead husband or who? 

 

The mid plot throws more light on this revelation of Ogwoma’s pregnancy. A taboo was broken as she in her mourning period allows Uloko her lover to gain entrance into her in Ashes and got her pregnant:. The preceding word by Ogwoma shows the love she has for Uloko:  

                                          

                                    Ogwoma:     Oh God, Uloko has blinded me

                                                            I go to the market

                                                            It is Uloko I see in every stall

                                                            I go to the farm

                                                            It is Uloko I see in every tree

                       
                                                            The wind blows,

                                                        It is his hands that touch me;

                                                            The birds sing,

                                                            It is his voice I hear;

                                                            Oh God his child moves in me.

 

That is shameful and unheard off. It is most disgracing to the spirit of her late husband whom she mourns. This is the main reason why Odibei is of the opinion that his son Adigwu did not die a natural death and she became crossed with Ogwoma. This shameful act spread round the village and neighboring clans even those who are related to her became ashamed to walk in the village and market places.

 

A popular saying states that when a brother is dancing shamefully in the market place his relatives becomes ashamed, that is the case with Ibekwe who gave her hand in marriage against his wish and hers because he wants to save the life of his son Edozie from a terrible sickness that would have taken the life of this young man. Thus he puts in:

 

Ibekwe:        So I gave my daughter away against my wish and hers to the man from whom I could get enough money to add to what I had to save my son’s life. We talk about speaking the truth: Okolie is the person who needs to hear the truth.

Ogwoma’s father called a meeting to find solution to the shame caused by his daughter instead the meeting ended up breeding more confusion among them; by some family member who never wishes him well especially Okolie.

 

Odibei on her part decides to teach Ogwoma and her lover Ukolo an unforgettable lesson for disgracing the spirit of her dead son. odibei is seen here as an avenger who vows to repay the consequence of her son’s death on Ogwoma. She strongly believes that Ogwoma was responsible for her son’s death. She holds the allegation against her that she became pregnant for her lover while she was still mourning her dead husband; why didn’t she wait for the mourning period to be over before getting pregnant for the other man? That is one big question everyone will keep asking when they come across this literary piece.

 

Odibei:          I do not allow anything to end in my hands. I suspected this dog a long time ago it is now clear that my son died as a result of the taboos harlot broke.

Ogwoma:     You will not have me for your evil plans.

Uloko:           Not Ogwoma.

Odibei:          We will see. (Turns to leave)

Uloko:           You will have my Ogwoma for your evil plans. She was my wife before the devil gave her to your son. I God has freed her for me and you  cannot stop it this time.

Odibei:          We will see. (Exit)

 

This excerpt tells you the seriousness at which Odibei took Ogwoma’s

Misbehaviors and why she was bent on revenging.

 

            What Uloko did was not wrong in his sight but it was a big shame to both families. He saw his act as fate and destiny coming together in their actions.  He said he was merely watching helplessly when circumstance snatched Ogwoma away from him. Thanks to the gods who never sleep, Adigwu died and Ogwoma seize the opportunity to return to her true love Uloko and immediately became pregnant for him to avoid been inherited by his brother-in-law Okezie as is the tradition. He speaks thus:

 

                        Uloko:           My joy! It has happened. It has come to us!

                        Ogwoma:     Uloko. Uloko, don’t….

Uloko:           Oh where is Anwasia? (Talking to her as if she were there) Your tongue has given me the sweetest news and I am blessed. (Turning back to Ogwoma) My love, it was in our stars that we be one. That son in you has sealed it all. No one can now take my love away from me. (He embraces her tenderly)  I love you very much.

            The end plot depicts the fulfillment of Odibei’s evil plans on Ogwoma. Odibei is seen in Ogwoma’s room with some medicinal powder and a herb containing kolanut and other objects. From her actions we could see an oncoming death looming around Ogwoma.  She summons her in a trace and she appears and Odibei demands her to go down to her room and drink the medicine near the water pot. She obeys and make straight for her room like a remote control. Ogwoma drank it and fell slowly to the ground. Almost immediately, Uloko enter and saw her dying:

 

Uloko:                       Oh no! (Ruches to her, falls on her, and shakes her) Ogwoma! Ogwoma! (She stirs a bit) Ogwoma, look at me it is Uloko.

Ogwoma:                 (Faintly) Uloko!

Uloko:                       Yes, it is Uloko.

Ogwoma:                 (Reaching out her hand to him and speaks faintly) I drank it.

Uloko:                       You drank what? (Shakes it) Tell me, where it is?

Ogwoma:                 (Still more faintly) In a pot. Here.

Uloko:                       Which pot?

Ogwoma:                 (dying) I am tired…………

Uloko:                       I must take you to Ajuka.

Ogwoma:                 No. Tells them Odibei took me.

Uloko:                       Ogwoma, you cannot leave me.

Ogwoma:                 (As Uloko shakes her) Meet me there. (She dies)

The death of Ogwoma brought great indignation as Uloko now move straight to Odibei’s hot and poured his anger on her and killed her. He returns to where Ogwoma’s dead corpse, drops the cutlass and puts in.

                       

                        Uloko:                       I have done it. Odibei is dead.

Anwasia:                  Oh God! (Uloko goes to Ogwoma’s corpse and speaks directly to it)

Uloko:                       Your love will now come with you

                                    Ours is the Wedlock of the gods

                                    Together we shall forever be lighting

                                    And thunder inseparable!

                                    Our love shall live forever;

                                    Your light to keep aglow,

                                    My thunder demolished all obstacles.

                                    We shall leave this cursed place;

                                    We shall ride on the cotton of the heavens;

                                    We shall ride on to where there is peace,

                                    The rains shall cool our sweats and pains,

                                    The sun shall dry our tears,

                                    The stars shall crown heads.

                                    The night shall ride and protect us,

                                    Over and round we shall forever roam;

                                    Beatifying as we impress!

The wedlock of the gods depicts true love expressed by Uloko and Ogwoma in the story. This is one play that shows in clear term the Tragic flaw which is exhibited in every human situation. This makes drama the closest genre of literature to man because it always depicts characters in the society that we can easily relate with. We can see these characters in the various roles in the play; there is passion and wickedness, love and hate etc.

There are devise lessons to learn from the story. The story depicts the instrumentality of man as a tragic entity using him as an agent of fate to show that drama is really the closest genre of literature to man because it makes use of characters we can easily relate with to pass it message across to us.

By

Eguriase S. M. Okaka