The Lock on My Lips: Lock on My Lips, The

ACT II

69 ACT II Scene I Shey’s Sitting-room Shey Ghamogha: (Installs himself on the cane chair. His wife perches on a stool. (Closes his eyes and tries hard to remember). “Use pillow diplomacy when all efforts have failed”. (Opens his eyes slowly and speaks alluringly). Maayuh, Mwerong is impatiently waiting for my reaction. Mwerong will personally supervise our departure from this compound if I allow a woman to own land. Woman, authority follows titles and dies with titles. I own this compound as long as I stay in power. We are living in a compound my father passed on to me. Remember, we have male children. Listen to me. A roofless man is worse than a barren reign. Woman, give me the Land and its papers. Mrs Ghamogha: Shey, women need to create their own jobs. Shey Ghamogha: Woman; that land is my manhood. Woman, refusing to give me the land title would mean taking off the thing I carry between my legs. Mrs Ghamogha: Shey, that name “woman” has disqualified us from the job market. If we empower the women, they will become self-reliant; they will develop greater creative skills and the possibility of achieving financial independence will be guaranteed. Shey, women need a permanent platform to educate themselves and the community. Shey Ghamogha: (Stares piercingly into her eyes). MANDJARA is misleading you. Mrs Ghamogha: Shey, MANDJARA has a responsibility to 70 train people who will go to their communities and share their knowledge with others. We forwarded an application for a funding assistance already. We can only receive aid from our foreign benefactors if we can prove that we have a large land to host our projects. (A voice is croaking outside. Shey and wife lift up their heads). Baa Medzefen: (Barges in). As Biy Wiiba comot house day before today, na dis morning tam my eyes see she own. Shey, talk for you woman massa oh. Because if I catch woman for Shey for my house again, I go comot cutlass make ngomna hear we. (Turns to go and stops). Shey, if I see you woman for my door again, Mwerong go hear. (Staggers away). Shey Ghamogha: (Wipes his ears).Woman, MANDJARA must cease to exist! Mrs Ghamogha: Shey, consider the significance of what we are doing. Shey Ghamogha: Woman, if anything happens to my cap, you may not live to witness the burial of MANDJARA. Mrs Ghamogha: Father of my household, our objective is to take women and the youths to a level where they are aware, responsible, and self-reliant. We only want to build their capacities. We need… Shey Ghamogha: Society did not see you before creating tradition. Tradition was there yesterday; it is there today and will be there tomorrow. Mrs Ghamogha: Shey, some decisions were wrong yesterday; they are still wrong today and will be wrong tomorrow. Shey Ghamogha: Do you realize that I’ve been extremely tolerant with you? For a very long time now I 71 have spent lonely nights in bed while you sit on a table for endless hours, writing stupid letters to MANDJARA. All your activities have been at the expense of my red feather and domestic duties as husband; duties that you well know I cherish so much. Maayuh, when I permitted you to go to Weijing, I thought I was sending you to go and learn how to become a better house wife. But what have I got in return? You now lead a group of mad women with whom you flock around street corners like a colony of famished bees combing the beehive for honey. I thought that by now you should even be “General Mayuuh”. Instead, you still move under my identity. It is the madness you contracted from your travels that misled you into thinking that you can create groups and own land in Kibaaka. Over my dead body will it happen. (A knock at the door. Shey cocks his head. The knock is persistent and louder than before). Shey Ghamogha: (Turns towards the door).Your hands are not hard enough. Why don’t you use a hammer? Look for a hammer and break the door with at once. (Turns to his wife).Woman. Another Baa Medzefen is at the door. His own wife has certainly not come back home yet. (The door opens slowly and Ability thrusts his head forward). Ability: What’s going on here? Shey...