EP 5: Hospital, 1970
The scene is set in a hospital in Enugu, the capital city of Biafra. It is a day time and the hospital is crowded and chaotic, with wounded and sick people lying on beds or on the floor. The hospital is running low on supplies and staff, as the war has taken its toll on the health system. The hospital is also under constant threat of attack from the Nigerian Army, which has surrounded and besieged the city.
We see Chinedu lying on a bed in a ward. He is wearing a bandage and a cast. He is a soldier and a poet. He joined the Biafran Army, the military branch of Biafra, after the Nigerian Army captured Ibadan and forced him to flee. He fought bravely and fiercely for Biafra's independence and survival, but he was wounded and captured in a battle near Enugu. He was taken to the hospital by the Red Cross, an international humanitarian organization that helps victims of war.
He is in pain and in despair. He has lost his home, his family, his friends, and his love. He does not know if Aisha is alive or dead, or if she still loves him or hates him. He does not know if Biafra will win or lose, or if he will live or die.
He writes poems on scraps of paper, using a pen and a bloodstain as his ink. He expresses his feelings and thoughts through words. He hopes to find some meaning and comfort in his poetry.
He writes:
I lie here in this bed of sorrow
Waiting for the dawn of tomorrow
Wondering if I'll see another day
Or if I'll fade away
I think of you my love my life
The one who filled my heart with light
Wondering if you're safe and sound
Or if you're lost or found
I dream of you my soul my mate
The one who made my life complete
Wondering if you still love me
Or if you've set me free
I miss you my angel my star
The one who's always in my heart
Hoping that we'll meet again
Or that we'll never part.
He finishes writing and puts the paper under his pillow. He closes his eyes and sighs.
He hears a sound near him. He opens his eyes and sees a woman standing next to him. She is wearing a white coat, a red cross, and a stethoscope. She has a clipboard in her hand and a smile on her face. She is Dr. Ngozi, a 25-year-old doctor and a volunteer. She works for the Red Cross, an international humanitarian organization that helps victims of war.
She sees Chinedu and recognizes him. She walks towards him and greets him with a friendly tone.
Dr. Ngozi: Hello, Chinedu. How are you feeling today?
Chinedu: Hello, Dr. Ngozi. I'm feeling the same as yesterday.
Dr. Ngozi: Well, that's not bad. You're lucky to be alive.
Chinedu: Am I? Sometimes I wish I was dead.
Dr. Ngozi: Don't say that, Chinedu. You have so much to live for.
Chinedu: Do I? What do I have to live for?
Dr. Ngozi: You have your poetry, for one thing. You're very talented and inspiring.
Chinedu: Thank you, Dr. Ngozi. You're very kind.
Dr. Ngozi: No, I'm serious. You're very special and unique.
Chinedu: Thank you.
Dr. Ngozi looks at him with compassion and admiration. She likes his gentle and intelligent demeanor, as well as his handsome and refined appearance. She wonders what he thinks of her, if he feels the same way or not.
She decides to take a chance and flirt with him. She smiles and says:
Dr. Ngozi: You know, Chinedu, you're not only a poet, but also a hero.
Chinedu: Me? A hero? How so?
Dr. Ngozi: Well, you fought bravely for your cause, even though you were outnumbered and outgunned.
Chinedu: That's not heroism, that's desperation.
Dr. Ngozi: No, that's courage, that's dedication.
Chinedu: Thank you, Dr. Ngozi.
Dr. Ngozi: No, thank you, Chinedu.
Chinedu looks at her with surprise and curiosity. He likes her bold and confident attitude, as well as her beautiful and radiant appearance. He wonders if she is sincere or joking, if she is flirting or teasing.
He decides to play along and compliment her. He smiles and says:
Chinedu: You know, Dr. Ngozi, you're not only a doctor, but also an angel.
Dr. Ngozi: Me? An angel? How so?
Chinedu: Well, you saved my life, even though you didn't have to.
Dr. Ngozi: That's not angelism, that's humanity.
Chinedu: No, that's kindness, that's generosity.
Dr. Ngozi: Thank you, Chinedu.
Chinedu: No, thank you, Dr. Ngozi.
They look at each other and feel a connection and a chemistry. They like each other's personality and style, as well as each other's voice and smile. They wonder if they have a chance or not, if they should pursue or drop it.
They decide to take a risk and ask each other out. They smile and say:
Dr. Ngozi: So, Chinedu, do you have any plans for tonight?
Chinedu: No, not really. Why do you ask?
Dr. Ngozi: Well, I was wondering if you would like to go out with me.
Chinedu: Go out with you? Where?
Dr. Ngozi: Anywhere you like. Maybe we can go to the church or the market or the park.
Chinedu: That sounds nice. But are you sure? I mean, I'm a prisoner of war.
Dr. Ngozi: That doesn't matter to me. You're a human being first.
Chinedu: But what about the war? Isn't it dangerous?
Dr. Ngozi: The war is everywhere, but we can find some peace and joy in each other.
Chinedu: But what about your work? Won't you get in trouble?
Dr. Ngozi: My work is important, but so are you. I can make some time for you.
Chinedu: But what about Aisha? Won't she mind?
Dr. Ngozi: Aisha? Who's Aisha?
Chinedu: Aisha is... Aisha is...
Chinedu hesitates and feels a conflict and a dilemma in his heart. He remembers Aisha, his first love, his true love. He wonders where she is, what she is doing, how she is feeling. He wonders if he still loves her, if he should be faithful to her.
He looks at Dr. Ngozi and feels a temptation and an opportunity in his eyes. He sees Dr. Ngozi, his new love, his possible love. He wonders how she is, what she wants, how she feels. He wonders if he loves her, if he should be open to her.
He decides to follow his heart and say:
Chinedu: Aisha is... Aisha is someone I used to love. But I don't know if I still do. I don't know if she's alive or dead. I don't know if she's still in Nigeria or in Biafra. I don't know if she's still my love or my enemy.
Dr. Ngozi: I see. I'm sorry, Chinedu. That must be hard for you.
Chinedu: It is. But you know what? You make me feel better. You make me feel alive. You make me feel hopeful. You make me feel loved.
Dr. Ngozi: Really? I'm glad, Chinedu. Because you make me feel the same way.
Chinedu: Do I? Then maybe we should give it a try. Maybe we should go out with each other.
Dr. Ngozi: Maybe we should, Chinedu.
They look at each other and feel a joy and a relief in their souls. They decide to forget about the past and the future, and live in the present. They decide to forget about the war and the pain, and enjoy the peace and the pleasure.
They lean closer and kiss each other passionately. They feel a thrill and a bliss. They love each other and cherish each other.
They hug each other and whisper in each other's ears:
Dr. Ngozi: I love you, Chinedu.
Chinedu: I love you, Dr. Ngozi.
They smile and cuddle with each other.
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FINAL EP : Cemetery, 1971
The scene is set in a cemetery in Lagos, the former capital city of Nigeria. It is a day time and the cemetery is solemn and silent, with graves and tombstones of different shapes and sizes. The cemetery is also the site of a mass burial for the victims of the Nigerian Civil War, which ended in January 1970, after Biafra surrendered to Nigeria. The war lasted for two and a half years, with over two million deaths and millions more displaced.
We see Aisha standing near a grave. She is wearing a black dress, a black veil, and a black ribbon. She is holding a bunch of flowers and a piece of paper. She is a widow and a survivor. She lost her husband, her home, her job, and her love in the war. She was living in Ibadan when the Nigerian Army captured it and forced her to flee. She was separated from Chinedu and never heard from him again. She later married another man, a soldier who fought for Nigeria, but he was killed in action near Enugu. She now lives in Lagos, where she works as a teacher for war orphans.
She is in grief and in guilt. She mourns for her husband, her family, her friends, and her people. She also feels guilty for betraying Chinedu, her first love, her true love. She does not know if he is alive or dead, or if he still loves her or hates her. She does not know if she did the right thing or the wrong thing.
She reads the paper that she is holding. It is a poem that Chinedu wrote for her before they parted. It is titled "Love in the Time of War". It expresses his feelings and thoughts for her.
She reads the poem aloud in a low voice:
Love in the time of war
Is like a flower in the desert
It blooms against all odds
It shines amidst the darkness
Love in the time of war
Is like a star in the sky
It guides us through the night
It fills us with hope and light
Love in the time of war
Is like a song in our hearts
It soothes us with its melody
It lifts us with its harmony
Love in the time of war
Is like a gift from above
It blesses us with its grace
It saves us with its embrace
She finishes reading and puts the paper on the grave. She places the flowers on top of it. She closes her eyes and says a prayer.
She breaks the silence
Aisha: Chinedu, my love, my life. I'm sorry for what I did. I'm sorry for leaving you. I'm sorry for hurting you. I hope you can forgive me. I hope you can find peace. I hope you can rest in peace.
She opens her eyes and sees a man standing near her. He is wearing a suit and a hat. He has a cane and a scar. He is Chinedu, alive but broken. He survived the war, but he lost his leg, his eye, his poetry, and his love. He was wounded and captured by the Nigerian Army near Enugu. He was taken to a prison camp where he was tortured and interrogated. He was later released by the Red Cross, an international humanitarian organization that helps victims of war.
He is in anger and in pain. He hates Aisha for betraying him, for marrying another man, for forgetting him. He also loves Aisha for being his first love, his true love, his only love.
He sees Aisha and recognizes her. He walks towards her and confronts her with an angry and bitter tone.
Chinedu: Aisha! What are you doing here? How dare you come here?
Aisha: Chinedu! Is that you? You're alive! Thank God!
Chinedu: Don't thank God! Don't pretend to care! You don't care about me! You never cared about me!
Aisha: That's not true! I do care about you! I always cared about you!
Chinedu: Then why did you leave me? Why did you marry him? Why did you betray me?
Aisha: I didn't leave you! I didn't marry him! I didn't betray you!
Chinedu: Don't lie to me! Don't insult me! Don't mock me!
They glare at each other and feel a clash of emotions and memories. They remember their past and their present, their love and their hate, their joy and their sorrow.
They decide to end their relationship and say goodbye to each other. They say:
Aisha: Chinedu, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry for hurting you. I'm sorry for losing you. I'm sorry for loving you.
Chinedu: Aisha, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry for hurting you. I'm sorry for losing you. I'm sorry for loving you.
Aisha: Chinedu, goodbye. Goodbye forever.
Chinedu: Aisha, goodbye. Goodbye forever.
They turn around and walk away from each other.
END
The message or the lesson of the story is that love is a powerful and beautiful thing, but it can also be a painful and tragic thing, especially in the time of war.
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