•Nsukka LG reads riot act to Oriokpa, promoters of nasty cultural displays
From Felix Ikem, Nsukka
Masquerade display, an important aspect of Igbo culture and cosmology has remained a big concern to residents of Enugu North Senatorial District, aka, Nsukka Cultural Zone, Enugu State. Over the years, masquerades especially the Oriokpa, have tormented the people. Their soft targets are usually women, Christian worshippers and Reverend Sisters.
Recently, there was surge in the cases of women brutalised and dehumanised by masquerades in Nsukka. Some unscrupulous elements under the guise of masquerade perpetrate terror, brutality and mayhem in the zone, consisting of six local governments.
Some of the victims lost their lives in the process while the lucky ones were flogged and sometimes stripped. The despicable trend prompted religious leaders, women groups and residents to call on the authorities to either regulate the nefarious activities of masquerades or for them to be banned outright.
Nsukka town has been the hotbed of the barbaric activities of these masquerades given the high concentration of non-indigenes living in the area as well as huge commercial activities going on there. Some of these masquerades obstruct the free movement of people, indulge in indiscriminate beating and flogging of residents with cane, as well as harassment and extortion of money from residents.
Women groups at different occasions protested against the barbaric activities of these masquerades. Government and security agents also at different times intervened, arrested and prosecuted some of the perpetrators.
At community levels, measures were put in place by traditional rulers and council of elders to curtail the unpleasant activities of masquerades. But efforts have not yielded the much-expected results as residents continued to report cases of attacks and their ugly encounters with the masquerades.
However, their appeals received the attention of Chairman, Nsukka Local Government, Chief Jude Asogwa. He recently read the riot act to the masquerades and their followers.
After a series of consultations and meetings with Nsukka Town Federated Union (NTFU) and their youth wing, the council boss reached an understanding that masquerades in the area must be reformed and regulated to check their excesses. Hence, well-articulated rules and regulations were issued.
Ahead of the new masquerade season in most of the communities around Nsukka, the chairman visited areas such as Barracks Junction, Ikenga Junction, Urban Girls Road (Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi Drive), Obechara Junction and TTC Road, to assess level of compliance with the regulations by the ‘Oriokpa’ masquerades who recently marked the beginning of their festival.
He interacted with Oriokpa masquerade players and reiterated commitment to safeguarding life, property and the wellbeing of the people while preserving the culture of the people: “Our culture must be defended, and the use of canes is not part of our culture.”
He warned that his administration would not tolerate incidents of masquerades dehumanising people with canes and urged them to desist from acts that would bring the culture to disrepute: “A taskforce is already in place to monitor compliance with the new rules and regulations.
“Reform of the masquerade is aimed at promoting and preserving Nsukka culture while using the masquerades as tool for tourism attraction.”
President, NTFU told Daily Sun: “Within the larger circle of Nsukka zone, Nsukka town (Ishi Aya N’tegna) is the heart of cultural zone. Because of its strategic location in terms of the economic, social and political importance to Enugu State and Nigeria in general, most things that happen within the town cannot go unnoticed.
“Activities of the Oriokpa masquerades have continued to draw negative attention to Nsukka, from within Nigeria and abroad. It is important to state that most reports in social media may not represent the true situation of things on the ground as they don’t capture the efforts and measures put in place to make sure that the activities and outings of Oriokpa masquerades are regulated.
“Both NTFU and Nsukka Town Youth Association (NTYA), have put a lot of measures in place to make sure that Oriokpa masquerades play within the limits stipulated in the guidelines.
“Among the measures put in place by NTYA are, setting up of taskforce that will be going around every masquerade outing to make sure that any masquerade that deviates from the rules and regulations guiding their activities will be arrested and handed over to appropriate authorities for punishment.
“In addition, there will be sensitisation programme aimed at educating the Oriokpa masquerades on the way and manner they should act in order not to destroy the good image of Nsukka culture which is a viable tourist attraction and economic development.
“Going on air to tell indigenes and non-indigenes on how to act when they come in contact with Oriokpa masquerades. From what was put in place, Oriokpa masquerades were banned from operating along major roads in Nsukka which include Enugu Road, University Market Road, University Road, Odenigbo Road etc.
“Masquerades in the area are not allowed to operate within the markets and parks, university environment and areas mostly populated by non-indigenes.”