ODA-OAK ORACLE _A PLAY

ODA – OAK ORACLE

The play was published in 1965. Oda – Oak oracle is set in a fictional valley. It tells a story of Shanka who is the son of the valley tribe, for whom a bride is chosen but he is told by the oracle that he must sacrifice his first born to appease the ancestors. Shanka refuses to perfect his love for his bride Ukutee. Shanka’s best friend Goaa who is inhibited by the strangers’ ways (the foreigners) tries to convince tries to convince him to be with his bride Ukutee but Shanka refuses for fear of losing his first child to the gods. Goaa, who has always been admiring Ukutee promises to go the Oracle to plead that the prophecy be erased. However, Goaa fails to but goes ahead to sleep with Ukutee. Ukutee becomes pregnant for Goaa which is not meant to be. In a period of nine months Ukutee is ready to put to birth. Goaa now blames Ukutee for tempting him into defiance. Goaa takes Ukutee to the Oda-oak.
The Odaman condemns Goaa for taking what does not belong to him. He declares that Goaa should be banished and Ukutee would not be able to deliver the baby, she is carrying. Few minutes later, Shanka and the elders of the valley arrives. The elders and the oracle blames Shanka for refusing to lay with his betrothed wife so as to stop the child from being sacrificed to the ancestral spirit.
Shanka is asked to fight with Goaa to death. He refuses but after much words from the elders and Goaa, Shanka fought and killed Goaa. Ukutee is asked to flog Shanka out of the valley across the waters but she refuses. She delivers a baby girl and dies. Since there was nobody to flog Shanka out of the valley, and the baby cannot do same, the oracle opts for Shanka and the baby to be given to the wailing crowd outside the oda Oak abode. Shanka took the baby as she was crying and went to meet the wailing crowd outside the Oda Oak abode and the play ends.