Effiong

Efiong Edem Advicing his daughter to accept one of the men who come to ask her hand in marriage

(Behind the house)

Effiong: My dear daughter. Why are you refusing these men, who are coming to marry you? You         know you are now a big maiden and ripe for marriage 

Afiong: Father, these men are old and ugly. I will only marry a fine young man who would love and    take care of me

Effiong: ...but these men are rich and capable of taking care of you my daughter. You know you are   the daughter of Effiong, the well-known chief of Cobham and it would not be good to the ear that you reject all the men coming to marry you. Your fellow maidens would be very jealous, you know.

Afiong: Father, let them be jealous. I will not marry these ugly old men.

Father! Let me go to the stream, I have to help mother in cooking soon.

(Afiong leaves her father's presence and heads to the stream)

Itoro: Afiong, what is it I hear about you refusing suitors? Don’t you want to marry?

Afiong: How can I marry those old men? I will not oh. I will marry the finest man, strong and rich. Someone who would take good care of me, not these old cargoes.

(Iniedo cuts in) 

Iniedo: keep refusing them until you are old... then nobody would want to marry you. As for me any good looking man that comes my way… I will agree.

(Afiong cuts in interrupting)

Afiong: you said it! Good looking man! I will direct them to your father’s house so you can choose one.

Take a good look at me (turning round). A beauty like me to marry those old men? No! Such will not happen! “Birds of the same feather flock together” you know. So therefore, I will marry the finest man

Itoro: please let us go!

Iniedo: you two should wait for me!

Itoro: walk up fast o!

 Ekaite: Afiong! what is this I hear about you refusing suitors? I hope all is well.

Afiong: yes! all is well. I have not seen my kind of man yet. Don't worry, once I see him you will know.

 The Skull: I need borrow the best head and body, I will be visiting the land of the living.

The Skull: Yes, now I am complete and good looking, There is no maiden that will reject me in Cobham. I will first go to their market.

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