Like a proverbial hen who suddenly remembered its chicks have been violently stolen by hungry kites, the Enugu youths have petitioned the state government over the continued wanton brutality of the masquerades in their community.
This is coming one month after one Hyginus Ezeja almost lost his life to masquerade brutality in the community.
The youths under the aegis of Concerned Igbo-Eze North Youths,CINY lamented the inexplicable humiliation and brutality meted out to the visitors and good of the area by the masquerades in the council.
In a petition entitled “Akatakpa masquerade bloody mayhem in our communities; government of Enugu state, please rescue youths subjects” release on Monday and made available to WITHIN NIGERIA, the group said urgent steps must be taken to curb the ugly trend.
Tracing the roles played by the masquerades in the ancient Igbo land, the group stated that “masquerade in Igbo land is from time immemorial, one of the core aspects of our culture/tradition which adds flavour and spice to the peculiar ways of life of each community, clan, town, etc. It has been an avenue for entertainment and intra-communal cooperation. The ancient myths have it that masquerades are spirits and just as the legendary writer, Achebe posited in “Things Fall Apart,” they come from ant holes. Long time ago when communities had their masquerade outings, it brought about the spirit of sportsmanship in them. While some danced to the chants of the women by the roadside or market square, some found pleasure in pursuing individuals who did not offer them money or other valuables. Those were the good old times when without coercion, brotherly love prevailed in the society.”
However, lamenting the current situation of things with regards to the roles played the masquerades, CINY stressed that “today, the same spirit which entertained the people and fostered good human relationship has started behaving as though it is human.
“So many communities in Enugu Ezike have engaged in serious inter communal clashes with one another because of masquerades. Some months ago, the two neighbouring communities of Umuagama and Imufu had a serious clash that took the efforts of the government and concerned stakeholders to quench when Umuagama community had their last masquerade outing. The youths of Imufu went on rampage when some masquerades inflicted injuries on their people. This nearly took lives of innocent citizens to the extent that the government had to step into the matter.
“Anybody returning from Nsukka to Enugu-Ezike on motorcycle or tricycle can never deny of witnessing the molestations and mayhem inflicted on the passengers by Oriokpa and Akatakpa of Nsukka or Iheakpu, Iheaka and Ibagwa respectively. Last year, a young lady, while running from watching Akatakpa masquerade along Nsukka road, was crushed to death by an oncoming vehicle and it became history while the owner of the masquerade still has his own life intact today. This was someone else’s daughter, mother or sister.
“This ungodly act has continued on this particular road even till today. Suffice it to say that it is going to be a very ugly story, any day a community in Enugu Ezike rises in war against any of these communities whose masquerades harrass, attack and molest their citizens on their way to or from Nsukka. This, we guess, is going to be the day our government will wake up to the realities of what is happening.
“Just last week at Ikpuiga, Enugu Ezike, a pastor with another missionary were on their motorcycle riding home when a group of masquerades descended on them, giving the clergyman many injuries that finally landed him in the hospital. As if that was not enough, the following Monday, these masquerades entered the church premises of St Mary’s Anglican Church to harass the congregations, Clergyman again, threatening to kill him before he completed his mission in Ikpuiga community.”
Explaining further, the CINY stated that “the question is: are we in an interreligious war? Why must young women and missionaries be the target of these masquerades ? When Muslims kill Christians at the North, we lament down here but here we are unleashing terror on our own brothers and sisters in the name of tradition.
This is just a few among the plagues of masquerade traditions in and around Igbo-Eze North.
Just last month at Umuopu Community, it was gathered that some masquerades from Etteh Community met a young man, Hyginus Ezeja from Umuopu, who was returning from work and stabbed him on the chest for refusing to offer them some money as they demanded. He survived by the grace of God.
“Ever since drug abuse became the order of the day in our society, the ingredients that once made human existence sweet and worthwhile has started turning sour and it is left for us humans to restore the humanity in us. We were never created to be cannibals.”
Appealing to the state government, the youth group stressed that “the Concerned Igbo Eze North Youths are on this note, pleading with the government of Enugu State and Igbo Eze North to help us curtail the excesses of masquerades in our town. If one thinks that peace is cheap, then one has to try violence. If masquerades will deprive us of the peace we have unanimously laboured to restore, then it’s better we put an end to it by suspending it till further notice. Since masquerade which was the effort of man to cohabit with the spirits is now being bastardized, it is better we suspend it than wasting lives and resources to obtain calmness when the tsunami starts; or shall we fold our alms and wait till when a reprisal attack is launched on a certain community before doing something? Enough is enough.
Concerned Igbo Eze North Youths (CINY) hereby demands justice for Hyginus Ezeja.”