Title: The Conquered Maiden
Playwright: Ngozi Chinedu Omeje
Publisher: ABIC Books Enugu
Price: Not Stated
Number of Pages: 74
ISBN: 978-022-156-5
Publication Date: 2015
Reviewer: Anaga Uduma U.
The Conquered Maiden presents the conflict between man, culture and the gods. The playwright lays emphasis on paranormal nature of the gods over human beings. The writer portrays man as subject of the gods. To Omeje, man must be submissive to the gods, man must not question the fate of the gods, the gods are always right, the decision of the gods is final and man cannot override the gods. The play centers on a young maiden named Akaego. Akaego is the only child of her parents and also a student of Dike Federal College of Education. Her dream and aspiration in life is to be a graduate teacher, secure a good job and marry Chris, the love of her life. Unfortunately, all her dreams and aspirations shatter because of supernatural forces. The chief priest of Omamuland lost one of his wives and Akaego is chosen by the gods to replace the dead wife. Through this, the playwright creates complication. Akaego questions the decision of the gods, bearing in mind her dream and aspiration in life, as she sorts help in women’s liberty group. But all her efforts prove abortive when lady, Silvy, the co-coordinator of women liberty group gives up the fight due to an encounter she had with Okpuku deity.
At this point, the chief priest of Okpoku deity is really mad at Akaego’s parents. Akaego is nowhere to be found. She wants to override the decision of the gods. Akaego ran to Densville where she started doing prostitution work. For years no one in Omamuland knows where Akaego is, how she is doing, whether she is alive or dead. They say that man cannot run away from his shadow as far as the deity remembers her. The gods strike her down and she becomes unconscious. Akaego returns home half dead by her friends in Denville. Her father rejects her and asks them to take her to the Chief Priest of Okpuku deity. The chief priest looks at her, laughs and demands some object of sacrifice and gives condition that she must marry the deity when she is resuscitated.
CHARACTER AND CONFLICT
Obedience, they say is better than sacrifice. These gods go a long way to show the level of punishment and disgrace that disobedient people go through. The act of disobedience by Akaego triggers the anger of the gods and this in turn creates conflicts in the play, though many feel that it is their fundamental right to secure their choice and aspiration in life. The setting and ambience of Omumaland has been employed by the writer to pass a message and show how powerful the superhuman are and the misfortune that befalls those that disobey the gods. Here, some characters confess:
Mr. Ogu: Nothing my dear. You know as well as I do that it is death to refuse the nomination of the deity… (Pg. 18)
Chris: I am sorry Akaego. It is death to defy the deity. I cannot struggle with the gods over you… (Pg. 22)
Lady Silvy: I am Afraid. I have never seen anything like this in my life… (Pg. 44)
These lines did not only speak of the powerful nature of the deity but imply that whenever a matter involves the gods and man, the wish of the gods must prevail; no matter the desirous nature of human needs. Again, the characters in the play are very feeble. Most of the characters are people who cannot fight for what they really desire in life. They give up easily. They prefer fate of nature over their desires in life. They are much more afraid of losing their lives. This is seen below as many give up their quest.
Chris: I cannot struggle with the gods over you. You belong to the gods. I will depart far away and there begin life anew. (Pg. 22)
Lady Silvy: I don’t want to die for a matter I know nothing about (Pg. 44)
Akaego: Dumbi left here some minutes ago. He came to cancel our engagement. He felt very sorry for having proposed to me at all (Pg. 61)
Akaego: Goodbye to all my dreams of being a graduate teacher, having a good job and a happy marriage… (Pg. 74)
Many are found with this attitude. There are good number of persons who live by fear and this fear often rob them off their true identity. Failure is part of human life, they are many who don’t want to be identified as failures and by so doing, they end up living by fate of nature; rather, than what they desire in life.
THEME
The theme revolves around man’s disobedience to the gods, the punishment that follows, the helplessness, state of man over superhuman and the quest to break from power be. The title of the play, The Conquered Maiden, does it many good as it falls in line with the actions of the characters and gives clear message of what will befall individuals if they eventually disobey the gods.
TECHNIQUES
The Conquered Maiden gives instance of total theater. The play incorporates voice, music, drum, action and costume. This is a clear evidence of a work created by an artist of high imaginative power and also a playwright of immense quality. Omeje effectively handles the theme from the beginning to the end. She makes use of flashback, which helps to give the play its powerful colour and beauty.
LANGUAGE
The language of the play is clear and simple as she makes little use of aphorism. The simplicity of the language is reflected in its oral effectiveness and conversational nature, again the dialogues are well-crafted.
CONCLUSION
The playwright has done a prodigious and an amazing work. The beauty of the play will be seen more if acted on stage before a live audience. The reviewer believes that with the help of costume, make up, props, lighting and other theatrical equipment, the play will be enjoyed the more. Nevertheless, the play has its own lapses too. The playwright in her quest to detect the quality of things the African gods accept or reject, created an aperture in the play. Omeje’s portrayal of African gods as gods that accept suboptimal sacrifice is something worth considering as posé in page 58. The maiden chosen by the gods ran to a certain city, prostitute for years and in page 72, the same maiden that had prostituted for years was presented to the gods for marriage. So, the gods turning back to accept the maiden is a very big irony. The gods, not just African gods, accept impeccable, unblemished, immaculate and seamless sacrifice. So, Omeje’s stand that the gods should accept the maiden again after being a prostitute was not perfect because the gods don’t accept defied sacrifice. But in all, it was a good creative work of art.
Short Bio:
Anaga Uduma U. was born on June 5, 1984 in Ndi Uduma Awoke Ohafia LGA of Abia State. He lives in St. Michael lodge Umuerem Nekede Owerri West.