Half of a Yellow Sun Page #3

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...let's have a child.

Let's have a child,Nkem.

A little girl... just like you.

We'll call her Obianuju.

Because she will come into a place

where there is plenty.

Or a little boy.

Let's have breakfast in bed.

Or is this one of your Sundays of faith?

I won't go in today.

Good.

Because we have work to do.

We will have a beautiful child,Nkem.

We will have a brilliant child.

'Our enemies are the political

profiteers, the swindlers... '

Nkem! It's happened.

There's been a coup.

Major Nzeogwu is speaking

from Kaduna.

What's happening in Lagos?

Did they say what's happening

in Lagos?

Your parents are fine.

Civilians are safe.

Operator...

- It's not going through.

- They're fine. It's just for security.

The lines will come back once they've

fully taken control of the government.

- Those soldiers are true heroes.

- This is the end of corruption.

That's the Finance Minister. He sh*t

in his trousers before they shot him.

I knew Okonji.

He was a friend of my father's.

The BBC is calling it an Igbo coup.

And they have a point.

It was mostly Northerners

who were killed, after all.

It was mostly Northerners

in government.

The BBC should ask who put

the Northerners in government

to dominate everybody.

If we had more men like Major Nzeogwu,

we would not be where we are today.

Isn't he a communist?

You Americans are so predictable.

Do we have time to worry about that?

'The coup did not

succeed in Lagos itself.

'Those politicians that survived

asked the army to take control.

'And Major General Ironsi, an Igbo,

took over.

'He concentrated authority in Lagos

'and cut down the power of the regions.

'It looked as if the Igbos were

beginning to run the whole country

'and the north was suspicious. '

My son told me you had gone

to the village to see your mother?

Yes, Mama. Welcome, Mama.

Welcome, Auntie Amala.

Go and rest, Ugwu.

I am preparing my son's dinner.

I will stay in case you need help, Mama.

Do you cook Ofe Nsala well?

- I have never cooked it.

- Why? My son likes it.

My madam has never

asked me to cook it.

"Madam. "

She is not your madam, my child.

She's only a woman

who's living with a man

who has not paid her bride price.

Richard, did you say

you were going to Lagos tomorrow?

Yes. Yes, I am.

To give Kainene moral support?

Not quite, Lara.

It's Chief Ozobia's 60th birthday,

and they're having a party at...

See? Richard is a gentleman.

He's going all the way to Lagos

to give Kainene, who doesn't need it,

moral support.

And you, what are you doing

when Olanna has had to rush

to Lagos all by herself?

How's your book coming along?

- I'm ploughing on.

- It's a novel, isn't it?

- Yes.

- More wine?

Yes, please.

Odenigbo, you're not trying

to get me drunk, are you?

What's it about?

As soon as it's finished,

you'll be the first to read it.

Ugwu, more wine!

UgWu!

I brought fresh palm wine for my son.

Our best wine-tapper

brought it to me this morning.

Ugwu!

My point is, the only authentic identity

for an African is his tribe.

I am a Nigerian because

the white man created Nigeria

and gave me that identity,

and I am black

because the white man

constructed black

to be as different from his white

as humanly possible.

But I was Igbo

before the white man came.

But you became aware that you were

Igbo because of the white man.

- The Pan-Igbo idea itself...

- Go ask your elders in your village!

The problem is that Odenigbo

is a hopeless tribalist,

we need to keep him quiet.

I will go powder my nose.

Sorry, Richard.

She doesn't look as though

she wants to go home today.

Sure you're not planning

to do something with her?

- Don't talk rubbish.

- Nobody in Lagos would know.

Look, look, look.

- I know you're not interested in her.

- I'm not. And that's that.

I can't wait for Tuesday.

I can't wait either.

Tell Ugwu to air the rug

in the bedroom.

- 'Why?'

- Why what?

'Why do you want the rug

in the bedroom aired?'

Because it hasn't been aired

for some time.

You sound so glum.

Are you all right?

'Oh, my mother is here.

I had no idea she was coming. '

- Will she be gone before Tuesday?

- 'I don't know.

- 'I wish you were here. '

- Well, I'm glad I'm not.

Did you have a conversation with her

about breaking the spell

of the educated witch?

'I'll talk to her,Nkem...

'I'm sorry.

'I'm so sorry. '

- Richard.

- Yes, dear?

You were in Nsukka two days ago.

You saw the revolutionary.

Did you notice

anything unusual about him?

Was he anything other

than his smug, self-righteous self?

I'm not waiting till Tuesday.

I'm leaving for home today.

Olanna, do you want me

to come with you?

Let me come with you.

No.

Nkem?

Nkem. What a pleasant surprise.

It's good to have you back.

So good.

- Good afternoon, Mama.

- Olanna, how are you?

Mama and Amala are just leaving.

I'm taking them to the motor park.

Amala, how are you?

I didn't know you came too.

Have you got your things?

Come on, let's go.

- Have you eaten, Mama?

- My morning meal is still in my stomach.

- I have a game scheduled for later.

- Amala?

- I hope you ate something.

- Yes, Auntie, thank you.

Let's go.

Give Amala the key

to put things in the car.

OK.

- Go well.

- Hm-mm.

Mah, will you eat?

Should I warm rice?

Not now.

Go and see if any avocados are ripe.

Yes, ma'am.

Did anything happen?

Yes. Yes, indeed.

One of my students missed the last test,

and this morning he tried

to offer me money to pass him,

the ignoramus.

I didn't know Amala came with Mama.

Yes.

You touched Amala?

You touched Amala?

Olanna...

Olanna.

Nkem?

Nkem?

Nkem, please open. Please!

Nkem!

Nkem,please open!

Please open, Nkem.

Nkem!

Nkem, please. Please open!

Nkem!

I was drunk, Nkem.

I was drunk,

and Amala forced herself on me!

It was brief... rash... lust.

It meant nothing,Nkem,nothing!

Get out.

I think I'm going to postpone

my programme at Nsukka

and stay here in Kano.

No. Mba.

You will go back to Nsukka.

I can't just go back to his house, Auntie.

I am not asking you

to go back to his house.

I said you will go back to Nsukka.

Do you not have your own flat

and your own job?

Odenigbo has done what all men do

and inserted his penis

in the first hole he could find

when you were away.

Does that mean somebody died?

When your uncle first married me,

I worried because I thought

all those women outside

were coming to displace me

from my home.

I now know that nothing he would

ever do would make my life change.

My life will change

only if I want it to change.

What are you saying, Auntie?

He is very careful now,

since he realised I'm no longer afraid.

I have told him that if he ever

brings disgrace to me in any way,

I will cut off that snake

between his legs.

You must never behave

as if your life belongs to a man.

Do you hear me?

Your life belongs to you and you alone.

You will go back on Saturday.

Let me hurry up and make

some abacha for you to take.

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