"Sizwe Bansi is Dead" by Athol Fugard.

This play is set in apartheid South Africa. 

At the beginning of the play, Styles (a photographer) is reading a newspaper in his studio. From his own mouth, we learn that he formerly works with Ford Motors. He later leaves the job (which he considers unprofitable) and opts for photography (his childhood hobby). 

Then Sizwe Bansi enters the studio to take a snap. He tells his own story: 

Sizwe has left his home , King William's Town, to seek employment in Port Elizabeth. A week after staying with his friend Zola, he is discovered to be an illegal immigrant and ordered to leave. Sizwe moves in with Zola's friend Buntu. 

Buntu and Sizwe are returning from a beer parlor one night when they find a corpse on the street. The dead man is Robert Zwelinzima who, unlike Sizwe, has a workseeker's permit. Buntu advises Sizwe to take up the dead man's identity but he refuses, saying, "I don't want to lose my name. What about my wife,Nowetu? Her loving husband, Sizwe Bansi, is dead! And my children! ... They're registered at school under Bansi" (page 37). 

Buntu lists the advantages: employment opportunity, regular pay, improved living standards and freedom to reside without police harassment. Sizwe eventually succumbs. He exchanges the pictures in his and Robert's passbooks. He then burns his own passbook and takes Robert's passbook and name.

So when he first enters Style's studio, he introduces himself as Robert Zwelinzima.

"The Black Temple" by Mohmed Tukur Garba.

Mansir (a native of Kofir in Kano State, Nigeria) is a poor man whose father works as a gardener for a rich family. One day, his employer's spoilt sons ask him to pluck fruits for them against their father's wishes. When Mansir's father refuses, one of them (Daudu) throws a stone at him, blinding him. The owner of the garden throws out Mansir and his sister after their father's death. The sister becomes a prostitute in Kano city.

Mansir later leaves for Lagos in search of greener pastures with one Ibiang. Ibiang introduces him into a secret society, "The Black Temple" (camouflaged as "The Amoto People's Church" during the day). The cult- cum-church is headed by "The Father" and participates in smuggling and human sacrifice. 

Mansir returns to Kofir 2 years later, wealthy. To settle an old score, he takes Daudu with him to Lagos, stabs him to death and brings his heart and blood to the Black Temple. Ibiang,too, donates his niece who lives with him. The police find Daudu's body in the street and begin investigations but their chief (Biodun) is uncooperative. 

After some time, Mansir becomes tired of the Black Temple and decides to quit. However," The Father" says he must return all he acquired after joining the society, including his wife and son. Out of desperation, Mansir goes to the church and shoots "The Father" on the pulpit. He has earlier contacted the police, who later swoop in to search the church. They find stolen goods and the list of the names of the members. Among the names are "Chief Biodun, Linivia Island Police" and some other influential persons. When Inspector Nur phones Chief Biodun to tell him,he decides to shoot himself to prevent being caught alive. The policemen bomb the building used by the Black Temple. 

Inspector Nur commends Mansir for his efforts but says he'll have to spend 3 years in prison. At least, that is better than death, which is the fate of a murderer. He also has a restaurant to return to.

"The Lonely Londoners" by Samuel Savlon.

"The Lonely Londoners" is about the experiences of some West Indians
who have left their homeland for London in search of greener pastures.

The central character, Moses Aloeta, is an experienced immigrant who
helps newer immigrants (including Henry Oliver) to settle down.

However, the new immigrants face problems like inclement weather,
racial discrimination, unemployment and accomodation problems. Their
people back home are desperate to go to London, yet the ones already
there are suffering. The boys are uncomfortable in London but cannot
return home because there is nothing to show for their stay.

"Lord of the Flies" by William Golding.

The novel is about the adventures of a group of English children left alone (or marooned) on a tropical island. They degenerate into savages, due to lack of adult supervision. 

The boys have been evacuated from a war zone and dropped by plane. They choose 12-year-old Ralph as their leader. Of course, there are much younger boys in the group. Things go well for some time. Then troubles start. 

One day, the boys are making a fire on the mountain so that any ship coming near the island will notice and rescue them. The fire spreads beyond their power and kills one of them.

The boys kill pigs on the island for food. Sometimes they see beasts (real or imagined). The younger boys (or "littluns") once talk about a beast from water and the "biguns" allay their fears. Then, a dead airman dropped by parachute to the island is mistaken for a beast with wings. 

Later, Jack Merridew becomes rebellious against Ralph and the group splits into factions. Ralph's factions contains Ralph, Piggy, Sam and Eric. The other boys support Jack. 

One day, Jack's group attack by night and take Piggy's eyeglasses. Piggy has to be led. When Ralph's group go in search of the specs and leave Piggy behind,he is killed by Jack's group. Simon (in Jack's faction) has earlier died. Ralph escapes but the twins (Sam and Eric) are captured. 

Ralph is now alone,feels lonely and makes attempt to reconcile with the others. Jack's group hunt Ralph the following day and Jack dies in the battle. 

Just then, a naval officer comes with a ship to rescue them. All the boys weep over the deaths of their 4 colleagues - the burnt boy, Simon, Piggy and Jack.

"An African Night's Entertainment" by Cyprian Ekwensi.

The novel highlights how the quest for vengeance often leads one into greater problems. Vengeance is best left to God. Also, we should try and submit to God's will. 

Mallam Shehu is the richest man of his time in Galma but he is childless after 35 years of marriage with 3 wives. He is unhappy about this and always asks Allah for just any child. 

One night, Mallam Shehu dreams that he saw a horse he liked at the market. However, the seller told him someone had already bought it for 3 pounds. Mallam Shehu offered the seller 3 pounds 10 shillings to get the horse, to the annoyance of the first buyer. The horse had a foal and Shehu loved both of them. When the foal became rideable and Mallam Shehu rode it into the fields for the first time,it stumbled. He fell and broke an arm and a leg. 

Mallam Shehu wakes up from the dream and sends for Mallam Sambo to interpret the dream for him. Mallam Sambo tells him, " The horse represents your future wife and the foal is your son with her. She is the only girl likely to give you a child. However, you will find her already engaged to another man. If you succeed in snatching her from him, she will give you a child but you will suffer a lot and regret having gone against the will of Allah. It is better to accept your fate". However, Mallam Shehu is desperate to have a child, no matter the consequences. 

Mallam Audu's daughter, Zainobe, has been betrothed to Mallam Abu Bakir ever since they were children. Zainobe initially rejects Mallam Shehu's proposal but he later charms both her and her mother with a magic scent prepared by Mallam Sambo. Zainobe dumps Abu Bakir and marries Mallam Shehu against her father's wishes. The bride price rejected by Zainobe's father is offered to Abu as compensation for his investments on Zainobe. Yet, Abu rejects the gifts and money and decides to seek for vengeance. He leaves his mother in the care of his older brother, ignoring their calls to leave vengeance to God. 

A year later, Zainobe bears a son, Kyauta ( "Allah be thanked") for Mallam Shehu. Kyauta grows up to be both handsome and well-mannered. 

Meanwhile, Abu goes from one village to another in his quest for vengeance. He runs into a gang of thieves who ask him whether he can't find another woman to marry and leave him unhurt. Abu finally arrives Birnin Zauna da Shirin Ka (" the land where everyone holds himself in a state of readiness"), a town peopled by lawbreakers who ran away from other towns. It is a bad town where people did not do wrong in secret. Abu is referred to their leader, Tausayinka da Sauki (" the sorrow in your heart is little"). But even Tausayi fears the vengeance of Allah and makes Abu swear that the punishment for the evil Abu insists on doing shall be on his own head. Tausayi now sends him to his father at Kobonka Naka ("your penny is yours"). Tausayi's brother is to show him the way to Kurmin Rukiki (the forest containing the deadly tree whose sap will be used).

 

Tausayi's father persuades Abu in vain against visiting Kurmin Rukiki, telling him that no man he knows has gone there and returned alive. On his way, he runs into some evil men in the forest who take his money and horse and also cut off his left ear. He is tagged a thief at the next town because of his lost ear and jailed for 3 months. After his release, he still heads for Kurmin Rukiki. "Why would I turn back from my quest after suffering so much and almost getting there?", he tells whoever tries to persuade him.

Kurmin Rukiki is dark even at mid-day (because the sun can't penetrate its depths) and completely trackless. Abu loses one of his eyes while wandering about in the forest. A glittering object (the only source of light in the dark forest) eventually turns into an old woman, helps Abu get the sap from the right tree into his gourd, turns into a leopard and chases him out of the forest. 

Abu goes back to Tausayi, who uses the sap and some other ingredients to prepare a mixture. Abu is to rub the mixture on Kyauta's skin while he is asleep, cut off some of his hair, mix the cut hair with the preparation and bury it in a newly-dug grave. Tausayi gives Abu a talisman to make him invisible while doing all these. 

Abu returns to Galma, does as instructed and even wakes up Zainobe to tell her Kyauta shall be a curse to her. Zainobe assumes it is a dream because she can only hear Abu but not see him. Kyauta runs wild the following morning and becomes a disgrace to his parents as a habitual thief. He even serves a prison sentence in Kano before his father captures and handcuffs him. Two days later, he escapes and leaves for Lagos where he meets and joins forces with Dogo in robbery. 

Kyauta's parents leave Galma out of shame for a faraway town where they become rich and famous again. Kyauta and Dogo wander to the town 6 years later and rob the house of Mallam Shehu ( known there as Mallam Usuman from Daraman). Kyauta slaughters his own father before knowing because he doesn't know his parents have left Galma. Zainobe helps Kyauta escape and gets Dogo arrested. Dogo later dies in prison.

Zainobe and Kyauta (who is now free from Abu's spell) return to Galma. When she tells him her "dream" about Abu, Kyauta too decides to revenge. He beheads Abu and runs away for one year, eating wild fruits and sleeping in the rain and in the sun. He returns home prematurely aged and lives with his heart-broken mother for the rest of his days. 

Both Abu and Kyauta live wretched lives from avenging themselves while Mallam Shehu is killed by the son he sought for 35 years.

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"Kurunmi" by Ola Rotimi

This play is about the war between Ìjàyè and Ibadan in 1860.
The Alaafin of Oyo depended on Ibadan and Ìjàyè for defence. The ruler
of Ibadan was named Basorun (or Prime Minister) while the ruler of
Ìjàyè , Kúrúnmi, was named Aare-ona-Kakanfo (or Generalissimo).
In 1858, Alaafin Àtìbà sensed he was about to die and called his
leading chiefs to get them to acknowledge the crown prince Adélù as
his successor. This was contrary to tradition, which required the
crown prince to commit suicide on the Alaafin's death. Ibadan
supported Alaafin Àtìbà's move while Ìjàyè (under Kúrúnmi) opposed it.
This led to a war between Ibadan and Ìjàyè . They camped on either
side of River Ose.
Initially, Ìjàyè had the upper hand especially when its Egba allies
supported it. Things changed when the Ibadan warriors discovered from
their witch-doctor that the Ìjàyè will be destroyed if they cross
River Ose. The Ibadan charmed the Ìjàyè to ensure this. So the Egba
and Ìjàyè warriors ignored Kúrúnmi's warning and crossed River Ose to
capture the "fleeing" Ibadan warriors. Thousands of Egba and Ìjàyè
warriors were killed in the river. Kúrúnmi's 5 sons were killed while
manning Iwawun, a town under Kúrúnmi. Kúrúnmi committed suicide while
the enemy were setting the city wall on fire, to avoid capture.

"The Victims" by Isidore Okpewho

The novel highlights the destructive rivalry in polygamy and its
resultant consequences for everyone involved.

Obanua Ozoma has 2 wives : Nwabunor and Ogugua. He and Ogugua are
both from Ozala while Nwabunor is from Aje (between Ozala and Benin
City). Nwabunor has her first child, a son, Ubaka after 3 years of
marriage. For 9 more years, they can't have another child. Then,
Obanua marries Ogugua (who has had 2 teenage twin daughters with
another man at 17 and is a stubborn daughter to her own parents) as
his second wife . The family lives in Ozala.

Obanua has only 2 rooms : one for himself and the other for Nwabunor.
Nwabunor(determined not to be pushed to the second place) moves into
her husband's room with her only child before Ogugua's arrival. Ogugua
and her daughters occupy the other room. A few months after Ogugua has
moved in, she gives birth to a boy, Bomboy. About a year later,
Nwabunor has a miscarriage. This makes her bitter and suspicious of
Ogugua. Besides, Obanua shows open favouritism to Ogugua.

The struggle for supremacy between Obanua's wives drives him to
drunkenness. They have stopped cooking for him and he , in turn, has
stopped giving them money. He finds the bar woman more understanding
than his wives and makes the bar his second home with his friend
Nwanze, the town-crier. Each wife works hard (Nwabunor as a wares
seller and Ogugua as a tailor) to take care of only herself and her
children. Obanua and Nwabunor fight almost everyday because of his
inability to pay their son's school fees. While Ogugua and her
daughters watch the fights with sadistic delight and refuse to
intervene (even when challenged by outsiders), Bomboy truly
sympathises with Ubaka.

One particular morning, Nwabunor tears Obanua's driver uniform and he
has to wear his personal clothes to work. He beats her before rushing
off to work and she faints later. Ogugua calls in the neighbours and
blames Nwabunor for the fight until the neighbours tell her to shut up
and call Nwosisi, the local "doctor" ( an unskilled attendant at the
local dispensary). When Nwosisi leaves after telling Ogugua to make
pap and àkàrà (bean cakes) for Nwabunor, Ogugua serves her children
food without leaving anything for Ubaka.

Obanua arrives work 2 hours late and meets an angry boss who reminds
him of his earlier offences (losing a uniform earlier in a fight with
Ogugua, delivering people's property in a damaged form,
drunkenness,etc) and gives him the last warning. Still , he heads for
the bar from there. He sleeps off while queueing for the ferry with
his truckload and the ferry officers tell his boss (at Umukoro & Sons
Transport Ltd), who immediately send another driver with another truck
on the mission. He is sacked for this. When Obanua returns home and
meets more troubles at home, he leaves home at night with his
"severance benefits" for the bar.

Meanwhile, Ndidi and Ogo have stolen 2 tins of sardines from the stock
of the sick Nwabunor. After lying in bed for one week after the fight,
Nwabunor sets up her wares and discovers that 2 tins of sardines are
missing. The wives are about to engage in physical combat when their
mother-in-law, Ma Nwojide, walks in and stops them.

Ogugua now has a secret lover, Odafe Gwam ( a widowed politician who
plans to take her away to be his wife). During a vacation, Odafe
engages Ubaka among the 20 schoolboys gathering sand for him (after
laying off 3 adult labourers for being too demanding for his liking).
This is his way of seeking acceptance with the family and
concealing his secret affair with Ogugua. Ubaka welcomes this
opportunity to work for his school fees and stop his parents' fights.
Each boy will get £3 (for fetching 10 buckets daily) at the end of
the vacation. Meanwhile , Ogugua's children continue stealing from
Nwabunor.

Obanua gets a job nobody else wants as a nightwatchman for the nearby
Catholic Mission. The previous nightwatchman has run out on the job
because the rocks and the sand dredged from the nearby river during
the day are carried back into the river at night by mysterious
white-robed figures. However, the job provides Obanua with money and a
safe haven from an unhappy home. The rocks are safe for the first few
nights under Obanua until he falls asleep from drunkenness one night.
He gets another "last warning".

Again, Nwabunor discovers her 15 Shillings gone and gets beaten to
coma by Ogugua for questioning her children. Nwabunor goes to her
ever-demanding soothsayer , who says he doesn't harm people (unlike
his rival, Ese Nwozomudo, a female hunchback). On pay day, both the 20
boys and the 3 adult ex-labourers are disappointed as Odafe has
disappeared to an unknown destination (after seeing a nosedive in his
political fortunes against Enyinabo's) . Ubaka doesn't get the £3 to
pay part of his £5 debt accumulated over the years so he is sent out
of school. Nwabunor sees this as a conspiracy between Odafe and Ogugua
, who actually has no foreknowledge of his flight but is too arrogant
to admit this to Nwabunor. Obanua has been sacked (without any
severance pay this time) for sleeping off and letting the rocks
disappear again.

While Nwabunor and Ogugua are in yet another shouting match , Ma
Nwojide walks in with Ndidi and Ogo who were fighting. Ogo openly
confesses they were fighting over the 3 packs of biscuits they stole
from Nwabunor. Ignoring Ma Nwojide, the wives fight brutally until
Nwabunor slumps heavily to the ground.

After the usual treatment by Nwosisi, Ma Nwojide tells Nwabunor to go
to her hometown the following morning for full recuperation before
deciding whether to come back or not. Angry Nwabunor goes to Ese
Nwozomudo and returns at midnight to poison Ogugua's pot of soup (in
their shared kitchen) before leaving. While she lingers behind to
watch all of them eat the poison, Ubaka walks across to Bomboy (unseen
by their mothers, as Nwabunor is bathing) and accepts a morsel from
him.

Predictably, Ogugua and all her children die at home while Ubaka dies
during the journey. Nwabunor runs mad in her hometown, Aje. Ma Nwojide
visits her son's home, sees the corpses and carries Bomboy's body to
his father at the bar. Obanua becomes momentarily sober but
eventually gets drunk again at the end of the novel.

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