ACT 4: JOJO Scene 1

1980.

JoJo is diligently washing clothes in the backyard when Mama steps out from inside the house.

MAMA:- (Sternly) Jojo!

JOJO:- Yes mama.

MAMA:- go and arrange my room for me.

JOJO:- but Mama, I'm washing clothes.

MAMA:- I said go and arrange my room!. Will the clothes run away?

Jojo grumbles but reluctantly rinses his soapy hands in clean water and headed inside Mama's room.

Jojo starts cleaning the room, focusing on the mirror. As he cleans, he becomes intrigued by his mother's makeup kit.

After finishing the cleaning, Jojo then took one of his mother's lipstick and walked to the boy's room.

He gently applied some lipstick on his lips and admired himself with a small hand mirror.

YOUNG PATRICK:- (walks in to see Jojo wearing lipstick and Initially surprised ) Jojo... ( Jojo was stunned and was speechless) you look funny (he bursts into laughter as Jojo also laughed nervously) you look like mama when she wants to go to church. ( they both laughed even harder) what did you put on your face?

JOJO:- it's mama's lipstick.

YOUNG PATRICK:- ( excited) ooh. can I put some on my face?

JOJO:- (smiles nervously) Why not? Here, let me put it for you. (he then applies lipstick on Patrick's lips)

YOUNG PATRICK:- ( be looked at his face through the small hand mirror and laughed ) look at me. I'm Mama ( he imitates their mother ) " Helen! go and wash plates!. Martina! go and sweep outside! " ( they both share a laugh)

MAMA:- (She walked into the room) why are you boys laughing...( she pauses, shocked to see both boys with lipstick on ) Ah!! What is going on here?...is that's my lipstick?!!! ( Jojo nervously remain silent as she snatched the lipstick from Jojo's hand) Jojo aren't you supposed to be cleaning my room?

JOJO:- I have finished cleaning..

MAMA:- is that why you are messing around playing with my lipstick?! Are you a woman?!!!!

JOJO:- N...No..

MAMA:- Then What's wrong with you? ( JoJo remained silent) you're supposed to be a role model to your younger ones yet you join them and act childish. now you have wasted my expensive lipstick that cost me 1 naira. The both of you did not see anything to play with but my lipstick! ( both of them remain silent) you are lucky your father is not around to see the both of you like this. He would have given you the Beating of your lives. Now go and Wash your faces before I count to three. (Frightened, Jojo and Patrick quickly ran out of the room)

1981

Sunday Morning

5:00 A.M.

The room is dimly lit as the first rays of sunlight barely seep through the windows. Mama enters the boys room to see Joshua, Patrick, Victor and Samuel all asleep on one big mattress on the beer floor.

MAMA:- ( she tapped only Jojo to wake up)

Jojo, wake up.

JOJO:- (he groggily opens his eyes, adjusting to the early morning light) Mama what is it?

MAMA:- my friend Get up and fetch some firewood. We need to prepare for church. (Jojo reluctant but obedient, rises from his bed while, Patrick, Victor, and Samuel continue to peacefully sleep. few minutes later Jojo returns with a bundle of firewood and drops it at the backyard next to her.) Good. Martina and Helen went to fetch water when they come back, make fire and put a pot of water on it. You hear?!

JOJO:- Yes mama

MAMA:- let me take some firewood so that I will start preparing your father's food. ( she then took some firewood from the bundle and started a fire at another side of the backyard. few minutes later Martina arrived with a bucket of water on her head) very good. now go and help Jojo make fire.

YOUNG MARTINA:- ok mama. ( she drops the bucket of water next to Jojo. )

JOJO:- where is Helen?

YOUNG MARTINA:- I left her at the Stream. Her best friend Esther also came to fetch water and they started gisting, I couldn't wait for them to finish so I left her there. what about Patrick and Victor...and Samuel?

JOJO:- ( he laughed) they are still sleeping (he then sets up a makeshift fire and places a large pot of water on it. few minutes later The flames dance as the water inside starts to heat up. Helen arrived at the backyard with a bucket of water on her head)

MAMA:- what Took You So Long?

YOUNG HELEN:- ( she nervously remained silent) I...

MAMA:- You what?!...

YOUNG HELEN:- I saw my friend Esther at the stream we only said hi and greeted each other.

MAMA:- for how many hours? did I send you to go and see your friend?!...or did you forget that we are going to church ?!. oya! go and continue sweeping the front yard. and when you finish fetch hot water and go and bath before you come and eat. Jojo! Martina! come and finish frying the remaining yams. let me go and serve your father. ( Jojo and Martina then moved towards the second fire and continued from where mama stopped)

JOJO:- ( steering the yams as it fries) Martina help me peel more yams.

YOUNG MARTINA:- ok ( she began to peel more yams as she watched Jojo Cook) your wife is going to be very lucky.

JOJO:- Eh?!

YOUNG MARTINA:- your future wife. she's going to be very lucky because you can cook.

JOJO:- oh...I see. Cooking is an act of love. when someone cooks for you it shows that they really love you. like the way mama cooks for us everyday.

YOUNG MARTINA:- I just hope my future husband knows how to cook.

JOJO:- I hope so too...

YOUNG MARTINA:- you hope your wife will know how to cook right?..

JOJO:- Hm..Yes...Yes I hope so too.

MAMA:- ( speaking from her room window) Jojo fetch some hot water from the pot and go and bath Samuel. Leave the remaining cooking to Martina

JOJO:- ( he walked back inside the boy's room and woke Patrick and Victor) Oya! wake up! Go and fetch hot water from the pot. ( He then lift up Samuel and carried him outside to bath him as The twins, still half-asleep, stumble out of bed and head to the pot) you better learn how to bath yourself because you are getting old. ( he sprinkle little water on the sponge and handed it over to little Samuel) oya start with your armpits.

LITTLE SAMUEL:- ( still half awake) ok...( then he yawns. An hour later they had all already bathed, eaten and are now well dressed and ready for church. They walked out of the compound as papa locked the roasted gate behind them then they began to walk to church.)

9:am

The church is filled with warmth as Mama and Papa exchange greetings with friends and neighbors. Reverend John warmly shakes Papa's hand.

REVEREND JOHN:- (Enthusiastic) Brother Kotin! How is the family?

PAPA:- (Smiling) Blessed, Reverend John. Blessed. And look, our eldest, Joshua, is soon to graduate from primary school.

REVEREND JOHN:- That's wonderful news! You know, Brother Kotin, you should consider letting Joshua apply for Nigeria Military Secondary School in Kaduna. It's a great opportunity.( he collected an application from from one of the church ushers and handed the application to Papa.) It's free, and they even pay students for their service. Plus, it opens doors to a military career, a direct entry to the Nigeria Defense Academy. And you know we are in the military regime it is a good time to be a military personnel.

PAPA:- Thank you so much Reverend. I will see to it that Joshua fills the application

REVEREND JOHN:- you're welcome brother Kotin ( he heads to the altar as the church service begins as the choir members began to praise and worship)

YOUNG VICTOR:- ( sitting next to Jojo) Jojo.

JOJO:- yes

YOUNG VICTOR:- let's sing together. ( Jojo smiled and held hands with Victor as they joined the melody of The Choir and the congregation)

REVEREND JOHN:- My dear brothers and sisters, we are blessed that we are alive and are able to gather here today. The AIDS pandemic has taking so many lives and will still take more tomorrow. End time is near!!

In this time of hardship, let us join hands in prayer and compassion. ( He looks around at the diverse congregation. He further preaches about how we should all beg for God's forgiveness and to punish homosexuals for creating such disease from the West. He went further to demonize homosexuality by preaching about leviticus.) God forbids such acts, my brothers and sisters. It leads to destruction and various diseases like what is happening now!... (Jojo, sitting next to Papa, uncomfortably listening to the hurtful words of Reverend John as tears fall out of his eyes.)

PAPA:- Jojo, what's wrong?

JOJO:- ( stutters, struggling to speak) I'm... I'm okay.

PAPA:- (Suspicious) Are you sure?

JOJO:- Yes, I'm all right.

PAPA:- (Strictly) Then stop crying like a woman for no reason. you are a man and start acting like one because You are going to military school.

JOJO:- but Papa, you are mama already decided that I'm going to the Government Secondary School here in Shiitake. That is where all my friends are going to after we finish Primary School.

PAPA:- I have changed my mind you're going to military school in kaduna state.

JOJO:- But papa...

PAPA:- shut up!...you are going to military school. You are the first born and first son so you have to have a bright future for our family. Now keep quiet and pay attention to the service. ( Jojo then kept quiet out of Fear, sniffed his nose and tried even harder not to cry)