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The scene breaks with Amope and Chume on a bicycle and they brake at Brother Jero‟s
house. The sudden braking causes a minor injury on Amope‟s ankle and she complains a lot
for that. Chume unties the bundle he had tied on his bicycle and places them down. Amope
has taken all the kitchen utensils required to prepare the meal plus a mat and goes to camp
in front of brother Jero‟s house.
After unloading everything Chume wants to leave saying that he is late for work.
Amope wonders the Chume is just a Chief Messenger in the Local Government office and
he calls it a job while his old school friends are now ministers riding in long cars. Chume
decides to leave. She wishes he would find another thing so that she may not go to her grave
as a wife of a Chief messenger.
Brother Jero is about to get out but he notices the presence of Amope. He wants to
escape through the window but she sees him and asks “Where do you think you are going?” He
Brother Jero is standing near his church wondering how Amope managed to find his
house. He says that he bought the Velvet not because it is a luxury thing but because it
would help to distinguish himself from others and finally they will start calling him the
Velvet-hearted Jeroboam, Immaculate Jero, Articulate hero of Christ‟s Crusade. This is his
ambition. He says that he does so because one must have a name that appeals to the
imagination of the spirit and much catch the imagination of the crowd. He says that one
must move with modern times because lack of colour gets one nowhere even in the
Prophet‟s business.
He curses Amope for making him uncomfortable and says the price is too high for
that cape. He is glad to get there before his worshippers whom he calls customers. He
admits that he keeps them dissatisfied so that they may keep going to him. That is the
reason he does not allow Chume to beat his wife so that he may not be contented and go
forever.
A young girl who has been swimming passes with clean, wet, and shiny face and
hair. Brother Jero follows her with his eyes then tells himself “Pray Brother Jeroboam Pray!
Pray for strength against temptation.”(p,11). Chume enters and he asks him to pray with and
for him against that weakness. They start praying together.
Chume seems to have something bothering him because he has come earlier than usual. As
he starts meditating Brother Jero says that his worshippers believe that he has no house and
he sleeps at the beach. When Chume finishes his meditation he suddenly asks for
permission to beat his wife just one sound beating. Brother Jero says it is against the will of
God. He tells Chume how he prophesied for him different positions and they came true and
now he has prophesied that he will be a Chief Clerk. Chume continues to insist about the
beating Jero commands him to kneel down for a prayer. Jero tells Chume that this woman
is his cross and he has to bear it and pray for strength.
Other worshippers have arrived and Brother Jero leaves them chanting. He talks
about a man that he has prophesied that he will be made a chief in his home town. For
another he prophesied that he will be the first Prime Minister of the new Mid-North-East
State when it is created. He says that it is a risky prophesy but he made it because he badly
needed worshippers around that time.
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Analysis of The Trials of Brother Jero Samson Mwita
Finally he manages to convince Chume not to beat his wife and he agrees. He sends Chume
to bring water then a boy enters beating the drum and a woman chasing her. Her wrapper
pulled so high up that half the length of her thigh is exposed. Jeroboam follows the woman‟s
exposed limbs with quite distressed concentration. Brother Jero leaves the duty to Chume
and follows them
Meanwhile a woman detaches from the crowd shouting Echa, echa, echa, echa,… etc.
Chume calls Brother Jero to come back but he is nowhere to be seen. He starts to minister
the penitent. He prays for forgiveness while the congregation responds Amen! Then Chume
prays for good life and promotions. He says for instance those who are clerk today should
be made Chief clerks, Messengers into Senior Service, Petty traders into big contractors,
those with bicycles to ride cars …
Prophet Jero appears a much altered man with his clothes torn and his face bleeding,
asking his Assistant, Brother Chume, to dismiss the congregation. In their discussions, it
was revealed, to the reader or audience, that it was Brother Chume‟s wife that Prophet Jero
had an unpleasant encounter with that morning. Brother Chume reported the way he
escorted his wife to Ajete settlement to the poor man‟s house, oblivious Jero was actual the
man the wife had forced him to carry her to his place to collect the money she was owed.
After hearing that Brother Jero discovered that the woman is Chume‟s wife. It was also
revealed that, initially, the prophet was not aware that, that woman was Brother Chume‟s
wife.
Paradoxically, the prophet‟s advice changed from prayer and forgiveness to
punishment and the use of whip as soon as Jero realised whose Chume‟s wife was. He
allowed him to go and take his wife home and beat her secretly. Before he leaves, Jero tells
him that the son of God appeared to him and gave him a new title Immaculate Jero,
Articulate Hero of Christ‟s Crusade.
Scene four:
Later the same day In Front of Brother Jero’s house.
Chume goes to his wife and is given the food. He orders his wife to pack up her things
ready to leave for home. Amope thinks the man is drunk because he came earlier than
usual. Chume insists on going home but Amope refuses that she won‟t leave until she gets
her money. Jero enters and hides to observe them. Amope says the amount her debtor owes
her is much more than his messengers pay. She tells him that he had better become a
sanitary inspector than a messenger. She advices him to take a job that has high pay or at
least chances for bribes. She mocks him that he does not drink, or smoke or take bribes but
he is still poor.
Chume threatens to beat her saying his period of abstinence and trial is over. He
commands her to get on the bike she refuses and runs to beat the boor asking to be let in. as
she cries for help she says that the husband must kill her first before he ties her onto the
bicycle. She asks Brother Jero to curse her husband and she will forgive him his debt.
Chume overhears it and asks her to keep quite so that she may explain to him well whether
it is Brother Jero who owes her the money. She continues to shout the words “Kill me”. He
turns to a nearest neighbour who confirms that, that was Brother Jero‟s house.
Chume discovers the hypocrisy of Brother Jero and knows that it is for that reason he
allowed him to beat his wife for his own convenience. Chume leaves her alone and takes his
bike ordering her to wait till he returns. Amope is surprised whether her husband is mad.
Reiteration.
Help him Lord help him Lord. (p.12)
David David, Samuel, Samuel. (p.12)
Help him. Help him. Help „am God. Help „am God. (p.12)
Job Job, Elijah Elijah. (p.12)
Abraka, Abraka, Abraka(p.12)
Abraka Abraka Hebra Hebra Hebra Hebra Hebra Hebra Hebra Hebra (p.12)
All she gave me was abuse, abuse, abuse …(p.15)
Sayings
In fact there are eggs and there are eggs. (p.1)
Personification
No scandal has ever touched my name. (p.3)
Synecdoche
I have not breathed it to a single soul (p.10) (soul here stands for a person)
Metonymy
…no scandal has ever touched my name. (p.3) (name here refers to Jero‟s reputation)
Allusion
There are biblical allusions that are used in the play to place the play in its real context.
The brotherhood of Jehu, the Cherubims and seraphims, the Sisters of Judgement day,
the heavenly cowboys…(p.2)
This woman whom you so desire to beat is your cross –bear it well. (p.15)
This is holy ground (takes off his shoes and sits) (p.32)
Anaphora
Forgive this sinner, father, Forgive him by day, Forgive him by night, Forgive him in the
morning, Forgive him at noon… (p.15)
Exaggeration.
I think I see Satan in your eyes. I see him entrenched in your eyes. (p.30)
CHARACTERIZATION
Brother Jero.
He is the protagonist. He is the main character portrayed as charlatan who attempts to
achieve his ambition as an important and distinctive prophet by appearing immaculate
in a velvet cape, which he had not yet paid for, and articulate in prophecy. His ultimate
ambition is to be called the Velvet-hearted Jeroboam, Immaculate Jero, and Articulate
Hero of Christ‟s Crusade.
He is a fake (phoney) prophet. Brother Jeroboam (Jero) is a self-professed man of God who
preaches water but drinks wine. He is a fake prophet but he has managed to convince a
group of people that he is God‟s prophet with divine powers to help them fulfil their
dreams.
IGNORANCE.
The worshippers in this play are portrayed as ignorant as they trust Brother Jero as a
man of God not realising the real man who has camouflaged himself behind the mask of
Christianity. He uses that opportunity to exploit them since they are not aware that he is
just a womaniser, a liar, and an exploiter. He says for example “I know they are dissatisfied
because I keep them dissatisfied. Once they are full, they won‟t come again”. (p.11)
Chume represents those ignorant and blind followers of Brother Jero who don‟t know
the true nature of their so-called-prophet. He serves Brother Jero faithfully and with
reverence and ends up becoming poorer and poorer as he has dedicated much of his time
to church service leaving his family starving. He asks Brother Jero to pray for him so
that he may become rich one day.
The M.P is also ignorant as he is cheated by Brother Jero that he had a prophecy for him
which showed that he would be appointed the minister for war. As it was his petty
dream to become a minister he grows optimistic and asks Brother Jero to pray for him.
Finally, ignorance is portrayed through the quarrels between Amope and her husband
and Amope against the fish trader. In both cases the quarrels are stirred by minor things
that are not strong enough to cause conflict for sensible and responsible people.
EXPLOITATION.
Brother Jero is portrayed as a chief exploiter in this play both as a priest and as an
individual. In one case, he exploits the petty trader Amope by buying a Velvet Cape
from her promising to pay her but it has been three months and no payment is done.
This is exploitation of the small scale businesswoman.
In another case, he uses his followers‟ ignorance of his true nature to exploit them
morally and materially. He fools them that he has no house to live in so that people give
him money in terms of offerings to God. This makes him refer to them as customers and
he takes his ministry as a trade. He says “I am glad I got here before my customers – I mean
worshippers – well, customers if you like. I always get that feeling every morning that I am a shop-
keeper waiting for customers” (p.11)
OPPRESSION.
Amope is oppressed by Brother Jero who takes her Velvet Cape and refuses to clear the
debt. He causes troubles to the woman to the point that she decides to camp at his door.
Amope is also oppressed by her husband who threatens to beat her. Chume seeks the
permission from the hypocritical prophet to beat his wife and the permission is granted
because Brother Jero wants to revenge against Amope through Chume. Chume forces
Amope to go home so that he may quench his thirst by beating her.