THE GREAT MISTAKE

ACT ONE SCENE THREE:THE LAST WORDS. ACT ONE SCENE FOUR: AN EMPTY HOME

THE GREAT MISTAKE

ACT ONE

SCENE THREE

(The curtain rises. It is early morning. Tobi is lying on a small bed, looking very weak. Ajike enters quietly with a bowl of warm pap and some medicine. She looks worried but tries to remain cheerful.)

AJIKE: Good morning, Daddy. How are you feeling today?

TOBI: (Weakly smiling.) Good morning, my daughter. I’m feeling a little better.

AJIKE: That’s good to hear. Please, drink this pap before taking your medicine.

TOBI: (Takes the bowl slowly.) Thank you. You’ve been taking good care of me. You’re such a blessing.

AJIKE: Daddy, don’t say that. You’re my father. It’s my duty to take care of you.

TOBI: (Holding her hand.) Ajike… promise me something.

AJIKE: Anything, Daddy.

TOBI: Never allow hardship to make you hate people. No matter what happens, always choose kindness and honesty.

AJIKE: I promise, Daddy.

(Tobi smiles proudly and strokes her hair.)

TOBI: Your mother made her own decision. Don’t hate her because of it. If you ever see her again, respect her. Bitterness only destroys the person carrying it.

AJIKE: (Tears filling her eyes.) Daddy… I miss Mummy, but I can’t understand why she left us.

TOBI: Sometimes people make decisions they later regret. We should pray that one day she’ll realize her mistake.

(Tobi suddenly begins coughing violently. He clutches his chest. The bowl falls from his hands and breaks.)

AJIKE: Daddy! Daddy! What’s happening?

TOBI: (Struggling to breathe.) I’m… alright…

(He tries to stand but collapses back onto the bed.)

AJIKE: (Running toward the door.) Help! Somebody help! Please! My daddy needs help!

(Their neighbour, Bayo, rushes into the room.)

BAYO: What happened?

AJIKE: Please help me! Daddy can’t breathe!

(Bayo checks Tobi and immediately becomes worried.)

BAYO: We need to take him to the hospital immediately!

(Together they try to lift Tobi, but he is too weak.)

TOBI: (In a faint voice.) Ajike…

AJIKE: Yes, Daddy… I’m here.

TOBI: Be… strong…

(He smiles faintly at Ajike one last time before closing his eyes forever.)

(His hand slowly falls to his side. There is complete silence.)

AJIKE: (Shaking him gently.) Daddy…? Daddy…? Please answer me…

(She shakes him harder.)

AJIKE: Daddy! Daddy!! Please don’t leave me!

(She breaks down in tears, holding tightly onto her father’s lifeless body. Bayo lowers his head sadly. The stage becomes silent except for Ajike’s crying.)

LIGHTS FADE.

THE GREAT MISTAKE

ACT ONE

SCENE FOUR

(The curtain rises. A few weeks have passed since Tobi’s burial. The Aro residence is empty and quiet. Dust has gathered on the furniture. Aunty Simi enters slowly with a small bag in her hand.)

AUNTY SIMI: (Knocking gently.) Ajike… Tobi… Is anyone at home?

(There is no response.)

AUNTY SIMI: Ajike! My daughter!

(She knocks again. Their neighbour, Bayo, comes out.)

BAYO: Good evening, ma.

AUNTY SIMI: Good evening. I’ve been calling, but no one is answering. Where is Ajike?

BAYO: (Sadly.) Ma… you’re too late.

AUNTY SIMI: (Confused.) Too late? What do you mean?

BAYO: After Mr. Tobi died, Ajike stayed here alone for a few days. She cried every day. She had no food, no money, and no one to care for her.

AUNTY SIMI: (Covers her mouth in shock.) Oh, my God…

BAYO: One morning, she disappeared. Nobody knows where she went. We’ve searched everywhere, but we haven’t found her.

AUNTY SIMI: (Begins to cry.) No… no… this can’t be happening.

(She sits down on a wooden bench, overwhelmed with grief.)

AUNTY SIMI: I promised Tobi I would come back with money for Ajike’s school fees. I never imagined I would return to an empty house.

BAYO: We all tried our best, but there was little we could do.

AUNTY SIMI: (Looking toward the audience.) One wrong decision has destroyed an entire family. If only Kemi had stayed… if only she had been patient…

(She wipes away her tears.)

AUNTY SIMI: Wherever you are, Ajike… I pray that God protects you until we meet again.

(She slowly walks away as the lights dim.)

LIGHTS FADE.