Abu: (pressing his phone) Uhmm… Rasheedah, come and help me check what’s wrong with this phone. It doesn’t seem to be working well.
Rasheedah: Abu, I’ve been telling you this phone is too old. Let me buy you another one, but you keep refusing.
Abu: You won’t understand. I don’t want the kind of phone that if it falls, my blood pressure will rise.
Rasheedah: (checking the phone) Honestly, this is outdated. You’ve been using it for six years now.
Abu: Just do what I asked and give me back my phone.
Rasheedah: Wait… you have a call.
Abu: From who?
Rasheedah: (picks it up) Hello… yes, good evening… (her voice suddenly trembles) What happened to her?
(Her mother rushes out of the kitchen immediately.)
Rasheedah: Inalilahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un…
(The phone slips from her hand as she collapses to the floor. Her parents rush to her, panic written all over their faces.)
Ummu: What happened? Rasheedah, talk to me. What’s wrong?
Abu: Rasheedah, speak up, please.
Rasheedah: (tears streaming uncontrollably, her voice breaking) It’s… Aunt Khadijah…
Ummu: (her body trembling) What about her?
Abu: (shouting) Speak up!
Rasheedah: (struggling to form words) She had… she had… Aunt Khadijah had an accident five minutes ago… she was hit by a car.
Ummu: (collapsing instantly, wailing) Inalilahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un… La ilaha illallah! Wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul mulk wa huwa ala kulli shay’in qadir… (she rolls on the floor, crying out) Ya Allah!
Abu: (sinking into a chair, tears rolling silently down his face, unable to speak)
Rasheedah: Sister mi! (she screams, crying) Inalilahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un!
Ummu: (suddenly rising and grabbing Rasheedah’s clothes) She is alive, right? Nothing has happened to her… and the baby too, right? Who called you? You know what, let’s go to the hospital right now. It can’t be her… it can’t be my daughter. We dropped her safely at the gate. What would bring her out at night? Who called you, Rasheedah?
Rasheedah: (crying) It was her husband… he said she has lost a lot of blood… she’s in the emergency theatre now. They are trying to bring out the baby… he said the chances of survival for both of them are fifty-fifty…
Abu and Ummu: Inalilahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un…
Abu: (standing up abruptly) Let’s go to the hospital. Everybody, get up! Nothing will happen to my daughter or the baby, bi idhnillah. (They hurriedly gather their khimars, shaking and crying.) I’ll be waiting in the car.
(Curtain)
At the hospital
(Adekunle paces restlessly in front of the emergency theatre. His clothes are stained with blood. His hands tremble as he mutters prayers under his breath, tears falling without restraint. From a distance, Khadijah’s family rushes toward him.)
Ummu: (grabbing his shirt tightly) Please tell me she is alive… please! Nothing must happen to her. We dropped her at your gate without a single scratch. Tell me she is alive! (she cries loudly)
Abu: (his eyes red, wiping his tears silently, choosing prayer over words)
Rasheedah: My sister must not die. If anything happens to her or that baby, you and your family will face me. I swear you will! (she yells through tears)
Adekunle: (unable to speak, he breaks down completely, his body shaking with sobs)
Mum: (running toward him, breathless) Okomi, what happened? How did this happen?
Ummu: (turning to Adekunle’s mother and grabbing her clothes) If anything happens to my daughter, I swear to God you and your son will pay for this. Is it a crime that we gave you our daughter? Tell me!
Rasheedah: Allah will judge you, but I will not let this go. You will face me first. Wicked, heartless woman… so this is what you wanted, abi?
Mum: (speechless, frozen in fear and shock)
Abu: Rasheedah! I don’t want to hear another word from you. This is not the time. Pray for your sister instead. Your anger won’t save her.
(A heavy silence falls. Time stretches painfully. After a few minutes, the doctor steps out of the theatre. Everyone rushes toward him.)
Everyone: Doctor, how is she?
Adekunle: How is my wife? And my child?
(They bombard him with questions. The doctor hesitates, his face heavy with emotion, searching for the right words. He waits until they fall silent.)
Rasheedah: Doctor, please… say something. (crying)
Adekunle: Please, doctor… tell me.
(A faint cry of a baby echoes from inside the theatre.)
Adekunle: (his eyes widen) Is that… is that my child?
Ummu: My daughter… she’s alive too, right?
Doctor: (taking a deep breath) First… the baby survived. She is premature and currently in the incubator. She will be moved to the pediatric ward for proper care.
(He pauses. His voice softens.)
Doctor: But… I’m sorry. Your wife didn’t make it. She kept whispering… that her baby must live… even if she doesn’t. I’m so sorry.
(He walks away quickly. The silence shatters instantly.)
Adekunle: I am doomed! Yeeeeehhhhh! My life is finished! (he cries bitterly)
Ummu: (rolling on the floor, wailing uncontrollably) My child’s fire is burning me! Yehhhhh! Ahhh! Ya Allah!
Rasheedah: (crying uncontrollably, her body shaking)
Abu: (sits down slowly, tears falling quietly) Inalilahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un… Ya Allah… who are we to question You? You have taken what belongs to You… (his phone rings) As-salamu alaykum… (he answers, voice heavy with grief)
Edrees: Wa alaykum salam, Abu. Good evening sir, it’s me, Edrees. I just got home and I can’t find anyone. Where is everybody? What’s going on? Why are you crying?
Abu: Come to Oxford Hospital… next to my shop…
Edrees: What happened? You’re scaring me. Who is at the hospital?
Abu: Khadijah… passed away a few minutes ago. (he ends the call and breaks down again)
Rasheedah: (on the phone, her voice firm despite tears) Make sure everything is ready. I will fight this case to the end. My sister’s death is not ordinary. (she ends the call)
Adekunle: (also on the phone, frantic) Hello, police… arrest everyone in that house. Especially someone named Kelvin. Don’t spare anyone!
(Abu walks slowly toward him and his mother, his face hardened by grief.)
Abu: What happened to my daughter?
Adekunle: (shaking, crying) Sir…
Rasheedah: Yes, what happened? We dropped her safely in your house. What did you do to her?
Ummu: (standing silently, tears streaming down her face)
Adekunle: I… I swear… it’s not what it looks like…
Abu: (his voice explodes, filled with rage and pain) Then speak! Don’t make me lose my patience! I said, what happened to my daughter in your house?!
Edrees: (running in, searching frantically until he sees his family gathered) As-salamu alaykum, everyone.
Ummu: Wa alaykum salam… Okomi… (she calls him, breaking into tears as she rushes into his arms) Khadijah is gone… your sister is gone… she left her child for us.
Edrees: (his eyes fill instantly, tears rolling down as he looks around in disbelief)
Adekunle: (his body stiffens the moment he notices Edrees in his soldier’s uniform, fear flashing across his face)
Edrees: (his voice hardens) And who is he?
Rasheedah: (holding her brother tightly, crying) That is her husband… and his mother. They are the reason she is dead. They never gave her peace. They tormented her until this happened. You better explain what happened, or you will be arrested immediately.
Edrees: (rage rising, his voice sharp) Young man… you better speak up right now, or you won’t like what will happen in the next two minutes. Speak! (his shout startles everyone around)
Adekunle: (shivering, his voice weak) I… I can explain… but no matter what I say… none of you will believe me…
Edrees: (grabs his shirt and slams him against the wall) Then talk! Or you will join my sister in her grave!
Doctor: (stepping in) Please, I would like to see the father of the deceased in my office.
Abu: (his heart sinks at the word, tears spilling again) Inalilahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un… I am the one.
Doctor: Please come with me.
Abu: (nods weakly) I’m coming.
(He walks away slowly with the doctor.)
(Adekunle tries desperately to explain himself, his words stumbling over each other, but before he can finish, Edrees loses control and begins to punch him. Adekunle does not fight back. He only takes the blows, tears streaming down his face. His mother rushes forward, crying and begging.)
Mum: Please, I beg you… he didn’t kill your sister… please! Your sister killed herself!
Rasheedah: (furious) You this woman! Egbon, she is the one… she is the cause of everything! She is the one that destroyed my sister!
Edrees: (still punching, blinded by anger)
(The police arrive just in time.)
Rasheedah: Officer, please arrest them… both of them. They must be investigated properly. This is not ordinary… this is murder. Take them away.
Police: (firmly) Sir, you are under arrest for the death of your wife. Anything you say may be used against you in a court of law.
(They handcuff Adekunle and his mother.)
Mum: You are making a big mistake! You are punishing innocent people! You will regret this… you don’t know who we are!
Edrees: (turning away, then pulling his mother into an embrace, his voice breaking) I’m sorry, Mum… I’m so sorry I wasn’t there… if I had known… I would have come back sooner… my innocent sister… she was so quiet… so gentle… Inalilahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un…
(Other family members begin to arrive, their cries filling the hospital.)
A few minutes later
Abu: (walking out of the doctor’s office, eyes swollen and red) Where is Adekunle… and his mother?
(At that moment, nurses wheel Khadijah’s body out toward the mortuary. The sight shatters whatever strength the family had left.)
Ummu: Inalilahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un… Khadijah! This cannot be real! This cannot be happening! Khadijah, please… don’t go… come back to me! (her cries echo through the entire reception)
(The atmosphere becomes unbearable, filled with grief and wailing.)
Ten minutes later
Abu: (looking around) Where is Adekunle and his mother? Don’t tell me he ran away.
Rasheedah: Don’t worry, Dad… they have been taken where they belong.
Abu: (frowns) What do you mean?
Rasheedah: Didn’t you hear what he did? He threw a party in his house… Khadijah caught him with five prostitutes on their matrimonial bed. That is what led to everything… that is what killed her!
Abu: (his face tightens) And what did you do to him?
Rasheedah: The police arrested him and his mother.
Abu: Who called the police?
Rasheedah: I did. (crying)
Abu: (his voice deep, controlled but firm) And who gave you the right to do that?
Rasheedah: Abu… he is responsible for her death!
Abu: You still haven’t answered me. Who gave you the authority to arrest him? Who are you to punish him? Why can’t we leave them to Allah? Tell me, will arresting him bring back my Khadijah?
Edrees: Dad, they deserve it. We lost our sister because of them.
Abu: (turns to both of them) Listen to me carefully. Call the police now and tell them to release them if you truly respect me as your father. Look at your mother… she needs you now more than ever, and this is what you are thinking about? And you, Edrees… just because you wear a uniform does not mean you take the law into your own hands.
Rasheedah: (softly) I’m sorry, sir… I will call them now.
Abu: (sits beside his wife, gently placing her head on his shoulder as she cries even harder. The pain spreads again through the family.)
At the police station
(Adekunle and his mother sit in the cell. The room is quiet except for Adekunle’s sobs. He sits in a corner, broken, then suddenly begins to hit the wall with his fists. Again and again. Blood begins to stain his hands, but he does not stop.)
Mum: Adekunle, Okomi, please! You are hurting yourself! Please stop! Officer, please release us… we will give you anything… please! Look at my son!
Police: Keep quiet. Anything you say can be used against you in court.
Mum: (crying) You don’t know who you are dealing with, Rasheedah… Adekunle, please stop… I can’t bear this…
Adekunle: (suddenly turns on her, shouting) This is all your fault! You ruined my life from the beginning! Why did you even give birth to me? Why?!
(He breathes heavily, his pain spilling out uncontrollably.)
Adekunle: You never raised me right! The friends you brought into my life destroyed me! You never cared about my deen… you never sent me to learn… all you cared about was your parties… your Lagos lifestyle… look at me now!
(He breaks, his voice cracking.)
Adekunle: You killed my wife… you are the reason she left me… you treated her like nothing… and I… I kept quiet just to please you… she never knew peace with me… never…
Mum: Don’t talk to me like that! I did not kill her! She killed herself because she had no patience!
Adekunle: (screaming) I hate you! I don’t ever want to see you again! You are wicked! You destroyed everything!
Police: Keep it down!
Adekunle: Don’t ever call yourself my mother again… if you do… I swear…
Mum: (broken, whispering) Adekunle… me?
D.P.O: Release them. They have been bailed.
Police: Yes, sir. (opens the cell) You can go.
Mum: Thank you, sir… (she turns quickly) Adekunle, let’s go home. We can settle this.
Adekunle: (pulls away sharply) Don’t touch me. If you do, whatever happens next is on you. Leave. I’m not going anywhere. This is where I belong. This is my punishment.
Mum: What do you mean you are not coming home?
Police: Move quickly or I lock you back in.
Mum: (steps out reluctantly) Adekunle… please…
Adekunle: (sits on the floor, turning his back, crying deeply) Khadijah… my Khadijah… I’m sorry…
Mum: (wiping her tears) Then I’m not leaving either. Officer, please… open the cell. I want to stay with my son.
Adekunle: (jumps up angrily) I said don’t call me your son! Are you deaf?
Police: Mind how you speak to your mother, or you will rot here.
D.P.O: (walking closer) What is going on here?
Mum: Please… help me… he refuses to leave…
Adekunle: Sir… I beg you… please don’t send me out… let me stay here… please…
D.P.O: (after a pause) If that is what you want… lock them up.
Police: Yes, sir. (locks the cell again)
Mum: Adekunle! (she breaks down, grabbing his clothes) Why are you doing this to yourself? Please… I’m sorry…
(Curtain)