Wild masquerades

• 6 arrested for attacking priests, Ebonyi Assembly bans parade in Ohaukwu LG 

From Uchenna Inya, Abakaliki 

Masquerades have seemingly become serious threat to peace and safety in Ngbo, Ohaukwu Local Government, Ebonyi State. This is because they recently, wreaked havoc in the community by attacking clerics and injuring three of them in the process.

Some of those attacked were Rev. Father Christian Oku serving at Mata Dei Umuogudu Oshia, his cook and a Methodist Church priest, Rev. Oyibe who pastors at Ekwashi Ngbo in the community.

Oku and Oyibe were currently battling for their lives in undisclosed hospitals following injuries inflicted on them by the masquerades.

A Catholic priest in the , Rev. Fr. Peter Agbo, urged the State House of Assembly to enact law against masquerades operating in public places in the area. He stated this in a homily commemorating one year anniversary of the seventh Assembly: “People come out in their numbers especially the youths, they embark on masquerading in season and out of season.

“Sometimes they beat up priests and pastors especially those who are in the rural areas and are using motorcycles to do their work. Even on Sundays, they come and block the way. 

“When they see priests and other women, girls they pursue them. They lash and beat them up bitterly, they complain, we hear them and sometimes they even give wounds, they make such people who are scampering for safety sustain varying degree of injuries.

“Some other times they use it as an avenue for evil or revenge against one or another. If you can extend your hands of generosity or leadership towards that area; it will help curb the activities of masquerading in different communities.

“One of us who work in Ngbo Mater Dei parish was beaten and his cook was also beaten when they were going back to their parish.  They lamented bitterly and some of the priests working within that jurisdiction gathered to do something about it. 

“We have reported that to the local government chairman who also has done something about it. If you can, when you go back to your chambers think of what law you can make about it.”

Before this period, some masquerades allegedly attacked traders in the market and snatched their goods, thereby forcing the community to wield the big stick. The people arrested six masquerades for parading in the market and disrupting buying and selling.

Ngbo people also sacked native doctors from the Okwor Market for allegedly endorsing the dastardly activities of the masquerades. The masquerades were arrested by the local vigilante and men of the Nigeria Police Force.

A member of the community, Ezeson Jonah, told Daily Sun that the Deputy Speaker, Chinedu, was visibly angry over the activities of masquerades and native doctors in the market. So, he initiated a bill to checkmate the activities of masquerade.

Jonah lamented that their actions were affecting people from different parts of South East, South South and North Central, who came to the market to buy commodities and farm produce.

 He noted that their activities were unbecoming and embarrassing: «Culture is seen as the way of life for an entire society. As such, it includes codes of manners, dress, language, religion, rituals, art. You can showcase your masquerades in the market without humiliating or molesting our people. 

“But a place meant for masquerades’ parade is the playground. Every community has a playground for masquerades display. Culture is not masquerades entering into market to distract buying and selling especially on the market day. Shun evil today.”

Although he disclosed that the apprehended masquerades have been released on bail, he noted the displeasure of the Deputy Speaker.

 He maintained that the community was not averse to cultural displays but stated that masquerade parade should be restricted to various village squares and playgrounds: “Okwor market is a place for exchange of goods and services and host people from different places and cultural backgrounds and masquerading distracts the business activities and subject people to unnecessary tense and running around which has led many to sustaining serious injuries and therefore should be stopped entirely.

“Consequently, it has been aired and further announced that any masquerade caught around the aforementioned places will face the wrath of the law as hoodlums use the opportunity to display their cultic fracas, witch-hunt people and further give people injuries which is the opposite of the original intents of our forefathers.

“More so, all the native doctors in Okwor market are also advised to take all their activities and enchantments out from the market but to their different destinations as anyone caught in such act will have more regrets than gains.”

Speaker, Moses Odunwa, disclosed that the Assembly has passed a motion prohibiting masquerade display in public places in the local government. He explained that the motion was aimed at bringing immediate and permanent end to barbarism in the community.