Half of a Yellow Sun Page #5

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What's happening?

No, no!

- Madam!

- Auntie!

Auntie!

No! Auntie!

Please, Madam, please.

We have to go!

There's only troubles here.

We have to go.

Murderer!

Get in the car!

You have to get in the car.

Get in the car!

We have to go now, Ma'am.

I'm sorry. We have to go.

Please, please, leave us alone.

Leave us alone.

Sorry, Auntie.

'The Military Governor of

the Eastern Region, Colonel Ojukwu,

'was questioned

about the extent of the killing. '

'I can't give you the total figures,

but this I know,

'that the May 29th rioting

'did in fact take toll

'of some 3,300 easterners

in the north.

'I know that on the first night

of the September rioting...

'... in Zaria alone there were 670.

'In Kano,

definitely over 1,000 to 1,500.'

And what about our university

colleagues in Ibadan and Zaria?

They kept silent while white expatriate

encouraged the killing!

You would be one of them

if you didn't happen to be in Igboland!

- How much sympathy can you have?

- Don't dare say I do not have sympathy!

To say secession is not the only way

to security

doesn't mean I have no sympathy!

Did your uncle die? You're going

back to your people in Lagos,

and nobody will harass you

for being Yoruba.

Is it not your own people

who are killing the Igbos in Lagos?

Didn't your chiefs go north

to thank the emir

for sparing the Yoruba people?

So what are you saying?

How is your opinion relevant?

You insult me, Odenigbo.

Then the truth has become

an insult. Olanna.

This is unacceptable, Odenigbo.

You owe her an apology.

It is not a question of whether or not

I owe her an apology.

It is a question of whether or not

I spoke the truth!

You owe her an apology!

All right, yeah, 1 will.

When you are ready, mah,

your food is here.

What did you cook, Ugwu?

I used fresh tomatoes from the garden.

- Has baby eaten?

- Yes, mah. She's playing outside.

'Is love this misguided need

to have you beside me most of the time?

'Is love this safety I feel

in our silences?

'Is it this belonging,

this completeness?'

Operator, I'd like to make

a trunk call, please. Nigeria.

- 'Charged to yourself, sir?'

- Yes.

'One moment, please. '

'Hello? Hello? Kainene?

- 'Is that you Kainene?'

- Hello, Richard.

- How was your cousin's wedding?

- It was fine. Are you all right?

I miss you, Richard.

I'm flying home tomorrow.

- Are you all right?

- Hurry home.

This is our beginning

This is our beginning

Don't cry, baby,

you're a Biafran now.

'... Military Governor

of Eastern Nigeria,

'by virtue of the authority,

'and pursuant to the principles

recited above,

'do hereby solemnly proclaim

'that the territory and region

known as and called Eastern Nigeria,

'together with her continental shelf

and territorial waters,

'shall henceforth be

an independent sovereign state

'of the name and title

of The Republic of Biafra. '

War is looming.

Port Harcourt is going crazy.

It's the oil.

They can't let us go easily

with all that oil.

There won't be a war.

'If civil war comes,

and I do think it is imminent,

'our people have for a long time

been prepared for this eventuality.

'And I am confident of their readiness.

'I think...

'... that when it does come...

'... the people on the other side

will be surprised...

'... as to what they're going to get. '

What is that?

Did you hear it? Ugwu!

- What is that? Odenigbo!

- The Federals are advancing.

I think we should plan on leaving today.

Evacuate! Evacuate now!

Let's go. Let's go now.

Evacuate now.

The Federals have entered Nsukka!

We are evacuating now. Right now.

I am going to all the other houses.

Lock up quick.

Don't forget the Boys' Quarters.

Put a few things together,Nkem.

I'll check the engine.

What things? What will I take?

It won't be for long, we'll be back soon.

Just a few things, clothes.

- I was still cooking.

- Put it in the car.

Ugwu!

Ugwu!

I'm fine.

Are you a little early?

Yeah, we finished early because

there's going to be a general meeting

in the square tomorrow.

- Why?

- The elders decided it was time.

There's all kinds of silly rumours

about Abba evacuating soon.

Some ignoramuses even say

the federal troops have entered Awka.

Will you come?

To the meeting? I'm not from Abba.

But you could be, if you married me.

You should be.

- We're fine as we are.

- We're at war.

My mother will have to decide

what will be done with my body

if anything happened to me.

- You should decide that.

- Stop it! Nothing will happen to you.

I know nothing will happen to me.

I just really want you to marry me.

We should marry.

It no longer makes sense.

It never made sense.

You'll have to take wine

to my father, then.

Is that a yes?

Yes. It is a yes.

Mum.

I wasn't sure you got my message

about the wedding.

What wedding? Where is he?

Odenigbo? He's at work.

Mum, what is all that for?

I carry them everywhere I go now.

My diamonds are inside my bra.

Nobody knows what's going on.

We are hearing that Umunnachi

is about to fall

and that the Federals are very close by.

The vandals are not close by.

Our troops are driving them

back around Nsukka.

But how long is it taking

to drive them back?

Anyway, your father and I have

finalised our plans.

We have paid somebody

who will take us to Cameroon

and get us a flight

from there to London.

We paid for four places.

Your father's gone

to Port Harcourt to tell Kainene.

You know I won't go.

But you and daddy should go,

if it'll make you feel safer.

I'll stay with Odenigbo and Baby.

We'll be fine.

We are going to Umuahia soon

for him to start work at the Directorate.

What's that?

The Directorate of Labour

and Manpower.

As soon as Nsukka is recovered,

though, we're going back.

But what if Nsukka is not recovered?

What if this war drags on and on?

It won't!

How can I leave my children

and run to safety?

We'll be fine, Mum.

You can still change your mind,

the four places are paid for.

Wedding? What wedding?

Good evening, Mama.

Odenigbo's not back yet.

Smoking is bad for you, Mama.

That may be so, my daughter,

but I am too old

to die young from smoking.

Is my grand-daughter well?

Baby is well.

- She's inside, asleep.

- That's good.

I have not come to see Odenigbo.

It is you, my daughter,

that I have come to see.

Supposing Odenigbo's cousin,

Aniekwena,

were to take wine to your father,

how would you feel?

- I am asking...

- I know what you're asking, Mama.

If you would marry my son.

But why, Mama?

What has changed about me?

Did Odenigbo put you up to this?

Did he come to you

on his way home last night?

Did he tell you

that he was going to ask me?

I have not seen my son

in three days, my daughter.

Will you marry Odenigbo?

Yes.

Yes, I will marry Odenigbo.

It's too good to be true, don't you think?

Where's the catch?

There's no catch,Nkem.

It's Mama's way of saying sorry.

We are ready to go, Odenigbo,

and your mother has refused

to pack her things and come.

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