VENGEANCE OF THE SPIRIT - Maxwell Okwor Onyekachi

 Vengeance of the Spirit: A comprehensive Analysis 

 Author: Maxwell Okwor Onyekachi
Genre: Drama

SUMMARY OF THE PLAY 

Ngozi, a young beautiful village girl is betrothed to Okpoko whom she has a true and perfect love for. Okpoko has paid half of her bride price to her parents and for about two years back. 

But unfortunately,  Okpoko is unable to complete the payment of the bride price and have his heart throb, Ngozi as his lawfully married wife because he has financial constraints. His farm produces have been badly harvested and he remains poor.

Ngozi's father, Okoro called her attention to a young man named Obiekwe who has so much interest in her and his willing to marry her.  Obiekwe is a rich farmer who once paid the hospital bill of Okoro while Okpoko did nothing. Ngozi's parents strongly believe that Okpoko has been drowned in poverty and cannot complete the marriage rites,  Ngozi should rather be given to Obiekwe. Ngozi does not have any iota of love for Obiekwe despite all his wealth. She strongly believes in the marriage with Okpoko. This is because according to her, someone who is not rich today can become rich tomorrow. She believes and hopes that marriage with Okpoko will surely bring joy and fulfillment in her life despite his wretched status. 

But on the part of Ngozi’s parents,  its either she accepts their plan or nothing else. Her father even gave her up till friday of that week to change her mind and accept to marry Obiekwe. She makes it clear to her parents that Okpoko is the man she loves perfectly and would love to spend all her life with him. Ngozi tries to make her mother see reasons with her as a woman. Though her mother feels Pity for her, she believes that Ngozi cannot go against her father’s wish and that is for her to marry Obiekwe. 

Ngozi goes to meet her three friends, Chioma, Amaka and Ebere and tells them of her father’s plan and that she is still unhappy about it but Amaka, one of the girls,  blames her for wanting to marry somebody like Okpoko in the first place. The girls advise her to consider Obiekwe above Okpoko in the first place. Her friends told her those things Obiekwe will do for her and Okpoko will not. At the end of their discussion, Ngozi seems a bit confused but promises to have a careful thought on the matter. 

When she returned home, her mother asks her to get firewood from the forest and on her way, she stops by Okpoko's house and asked him to escort her to the bush. On their way, Ngozi shows concern about her parents move to end their relationship and she suggests that they elope. Okpoko disapprove of the idea. Okpoko says since her parents want her to marry another man there is nothing he can do and he would like to have a return of the part payment of her bride price he paid. This annoys Ngozi and calls Okpoko a coward and leaves him angrily. She regrets ever knowing him. 

Ngozi reports the whole issue to Rev. Father Amadi who questions her on the matter and finally tells her that parents meant good for her and that is the reason for their actions. He finally suggests that Ngozi gives the whole matter a thorough thought and with free mind too. 

Ngozi goes to meet Chioma and Amaka and expresses her disappointment at Okpoko’s refusal to fight for their love. The girls mock her and credits Obiekwe whom they describe as a better choice. She also tells them that it is possible for Okpoko to become rich someday. The two girls give Ngozi more reasons why she should marry Obiekwe instead of the wretched Okpoko. 

Ngozi’s parents prevail upon her and gets married to Obiekwe while her parents returned the part payment of bride price paid by Okpoko. Even though Ngozi is now living with Obiekwe as a wife, she still expresses deep hatred to him and shows her unreserved love for Okpoko.

 Ngozi refuses to cook for him and this result into a fight and Obiekwe becomes angry, he gives her a kick in her chest and accidentally kills Ngozi.

 The death of Ngozi sends fear into Obiekwe and he immediately cooks up story. He reported that Ngozi collapsed on her own while he was busy preparing for farm. People console him to take heart. 

After Ngozi’s death and burial, strange things begins to happen to Okoro and his household. A spiritual snake bites him.

 Okoro and his wife, Orji-Ugo make consultations from a native doctor, who tells them that Ngozi’s spirit is on a revenge mission and her intention is to kill both of her parents and Obiekwe. 

He asks them to perform a sacrifice so as to be saved. The native doctor takes them to Ngozi’s grave and told them that Ngozi is angry because she was forced to marry Obiekwe. He also reveals that it was Obiekwe who killed Ngozi. 

As the ritual continues, a scream is heard  and the trio rushed to the place only to see that Obiekwe had been killed by a snake bite. 

Setting

The play has its physical setting in the rural Igbo society of Eastern Nigeria. The time setting is in the mid twentieth century.The play has its physical setting in the rural Igbo society of Eastern Nigeria. The time setting is in the mid twentieth century.

Themes to

1. Material wealth and Greed: Ngozi’s parents, Okoro and Orji-Ugo accepted Obiekwe over Okpoko to marry their daughter out of sheer greed and love for material wealth. Even when Okpoko had already paid part of their daughter’s bride price. Ngozi’s parents decide to end Ngozi relationship with Okpoko because they discovered that Obiekwe is richer. Greed and quest for material wealth push them to force their daughter upon the wealthy farmer, Obiekwe despite the fact that their daughter, Ngozi does not have any iota of love for him.

2. True love and optimism: Ngozi expresses a true love to Okpoko. She believes that love should be the main ingredient of marriage and not money. She shows optimism that someone who is not rich today can become rich tomorrow. Even in death, Ngozi is not happy that she was forced to leave Okpoko for Obiekwe who she does not love.

3. Forced marriage: The play dramatizes the negative consequences of parents forcing their daughters into marriage. Ngozi does not love Obiekwe. She loves Okpoko but has to go ahead to marry Obiekwe because there is the threat of disowning her by her father if she does otherwise. 

4. Revenge: The play shows the powerful effects of vengeance as the spirit of Ngozi begins to avenge the ills of the forced marriage which her parents got her into. After the death and burial of Ngozi, strange things begin to happen both in Okoro's house and Obiekwe's house. The dead Ngozi is said to be angry as she unleashes three deadly snakes for her parents and Obiekwe. Okoro nearly die but Obiekwe was killed by one of the snakes bite.

5. Parental Concern over their children: Even though the Ngozi’s parents decision for her lead to forced marriage. The number one concern of her parents is to make sure she does not suffer after marriage. Her parents believe that Obiekwe will be able to take care of their daughter as against the poor Okpoko.

CHARACTERIZATION: Major and Minor Characters
 

1. Ngozi: she is the only daughter and only child of Okoro and Orji-Ugo. Every activity in the play revolves around her. Ngozi is a resolute girl who insist of marrying Okpoko in spite of the odds. She is also tough as she does not give in to her parents demands easily and after marrying Obiekwe, she let’s him see the tough side of her though this eventually culminated in her death.

2. Okoro: He is Ngozi’s father and husband to Orji-Ugo. He is more concerned of his interest than that of others. He forced Ngozi into marrying Obiekwe partly because of financial assistance he stands to enjoy from him. He goes ahead to give his daughter to Obiekwe not minding how hurt Okpoko feels.

3. Orji-Ugo: She is Ngozi’s mother and wife to Okoro. She does not behave as a mother would but supports her husband against her daughter caring less about how her daughter will feel.

4. Okpoko: He is the one that is supposed to marry Ngozi because he has already paid part of the bride price. His inability to pay the balance in time makes him to lose her. He is a gentle character because he takes situations the way they come. Attempts to make him cause trouble by Ngozi did not work because he has decided not to fight over a woman.

5. Obiekwe: He is the rich farmer who later marries Ngozi. He loves Ngozi but the love is not reciprocal. Ngozi’s parents become fond of him because he once settles Okoro’s medical bills and they want their daughter to marry him so she will not suffer after Marriage. Obiekwe kills Ngozi accidentally when Ngozi wouldn’t respect him. He dies later from a spiritual snake bite as part of Ngozi’s revenge mission. 

6. Chioma, Ebere and Amaka: They are all Ngozi’s friends who insists that Ngozi should marry Obiekwe who is very wealthy and forget about Okpoko who is wretched.

7. Rev. Father Amadi: A father in the Catholic Church whom Ngozi goes to for advice on decision of her parents to force her marry Obiekwe instead of her true love, Okpoko. Rev. Father Amadi advises her to think about it carefully and to remember that her parents' decision is out of love for her.

OPINION

Parents' influence on the choice of Spouse of their children is borne out of love. Do you think this assertion is right despite the loveless marriage as seen the in the case of Ngozi. 

Kindly drop your opinion in the comment section. 

Your feedback will be highly appreciated.