If there is some difficulty in Igbo these days or books in short supply, it is books of Igbo drama. It is true that there was the first one called "Peace is best," and there was one small one written in an extinct Owere dialect called "Umu Ejima," but after one read those two there were no others. Maybe many others will come out in the future.

This is why I had my Igbo drama students consult each other, put their heads together, and write the plays that are in this book. It is not that these plays will be  the last word in Igbo plays, but I reviewed them and saw that if they were published it would stimulate a wealth of books of this type and also cause many others to try on their own or to collaborate in the writing of others. This will cause things seen in other languages to have their places in Igbo language as well, because it is said that a child rejoices that the market people are returning because his mother is among them--apart from her the others are just traders.

These plays will be imitated by others as well as demonstrate that efforts like this are being made and that impediments holding back Igbo language and culture will come to an end and make it progress well. The book of Igbo plays is like a new farm--whoever knows how should plant in this farm so that we find out how it will grow. 

B. I. N. Osuagwu, 1977
 

This first play, Akuuwa, tells about what is happening these days concerning various religions that are springing up like mushrooms, along with "good" things their leaders like Akuuwa are doing. If you keep on tricking a foolish person, he becomes wise. Also, the house rat tells the bush rat that the mound of pumpkin seeds is in the basket. "Follow what I say but don't follow what I do" is a bad thing. It is bad enough when it concerns an ordinary person but it is worse where it concerns a church leader. 

Indeed, worldly wealth is useless. Searching for it requires that there be dignity according to the work one should do and says that at best it should become a work of love. But the amassing of worldly wealth by hook or by crook is a bad thing. It is the worst if the life of the person seeking this worldly wealth has no peace. Something like this brings ruination of the reputation and a bad life whose end is destruction.

In the play "Akuuwa," a man whose name is Akuuwa has not found peace in all the places he worked, whether in teaching or in company work, because of  great desire, greed and the pleasures of the world. Even when he took himself to be
the leader of the Holy Spirit Church, he could not forget his past life. It is said that what makes the muskrat smell is inside its body, for if it were outside its body the rain would have beaten it out. Read this play, discover the type of life Akuuwa lived
and where it led him.

It was written by Mrs. Constance Nlemadim, Mr. Harold Ewelukwa and Anunobi Okezie.

The second play, "The Matter Already Discussed," shows the love between two young people, Ibe and Ugomma. Their love began when they were still in high school and continued, despite the disapproval of Ibe's father, until the two of them said their vows and became husband and wife. It will be something for young boys and girls to consider and to decide if that type of behavior is good for them to follow.

Mr. Basil Joe Nwakuba wrote this play.