Anambra’s killer masquerader

IF the current trajectory of  masqueraders in some parts of the country misbehaving and engaging in misconduct and violent acts is not reined in by the local stakeholders, masquerades will be diametrically  demystified and soon lose relevance. For instance, a masquerade that is usually revered as the spirit of an ancestor was recently unveiled and Mr Ifechukwu Nweke, who wore the mask, has been declared wanted by the Anambra State government for going overboard to cause violence and death. The strange occurrence of making public the identity of the human person associated with a masquerade and declaring him wanted happened because the supposed spirit of the ancestor came to the earth and killed a 71-year-old  man, Mr Shedrack Okoye, on 25th December, 2023 during a festival at Umuawulu community in Awka South Local Government Area of the state.

And the family of the deceased is already demanding justice, claiming that the Umuawulu community is not doing anything concrete to get the culprit to face the law.  However, the  Commissioner of  Culture and Tourism, Mr. Don Onyenji, has allayed the family’s fears that the matter would be swept under the rug. According to him, the masquerader’s act is against the state’s law on masquerading enacted in 2022, which specifies that communities using masquerades as a form of entertainment during festivals or festivities should have an arena where people seeking such fun should go and enjoy themselves. According to him, the state’s law stipulates that on no account should a masquerade or masquerades obstruct people’s movement or block a community’s road or cause any problem in a community, since masquerading as a culture is all about fun and entertainment. The Commissioner also made it clear that the instant case verges on a murder and  must be tackled with all the seriousness it deserves, noting that the culprit must face the law no matter how long it takes.

Also, the traditional ruler of Umuawulu, Igwe Joel Egwuonwu, reportedly expressed shock when he learnt of the incident and subsequently banned masquerading in Umuawulu indefinitely. The steps being taken by the Anambra State government and the traditional ruler of Umuawulu are  somewhat reassuring. It is rather thoughtless and bizarre for any person to think he could just kill another human being under the guise of masquerading these days and get away with such heinous crime. And we hope that the relevant authorities will get to the root of the matter and ensure that the culprit is brought to book. Nigeria is not a banana republic even if some unscrupulous and misguided fellows are conducting themselves in a manner that tends to suggest that it is one.

Even in the ancient times when masquerades were seldom questioned regarding their actions, such liberty or impunity was not total. There was still some form of control or self-regulatory mechanism that empowered the senior masquerade cult members to weigh in as the need arose to ensure that masqueraders didn’t do those things that could “upset” the ancestors, like injuring or killing innocent persons as the ancestors were believed to detest oppression and injustice. And today that the society is well organised and structured and nearly every human activity is regulated by laws,  it is unconscionable and felonious for a masquerade to commit murder.

Ordinarily, masquerading is part of the celebration of Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage, but it has sadly been associated with violence in many places over the years. Cases of masquerades whipping people and inflicting serious injuries on them have been reported time and again, so much so that the essence of masquerading as a veritable source of fun and entrainment has been vitiated. The moment violence kicks in, the idea of showcasing culture and tradition becomes problematic and the cultural products become unsellable to decent people who otherwise would have appreciated them. Yet,  one of the objectives of cultural celebration is to attract both local and foreign tourists. That is why we have a number of festivals: Osun, Argungu, Ofala, Ojude Oba, and so on. Yes, in the process of thrilling the audience, people can appreciate the masqueraders with money and material things but they are not supposed to force people to show appreciation and certainly they should not attack the audience.

It is important that people are very careful when undertaking cultural activities, otherwise they risk portraying their cultural heritage in bad light to the outside world.  Cultural activities, including masquerading, ought to be celebrated and used for the benefit of the society and not as a source of violence and death.  It is regrettable that some people involved in the otherwise elevated and remarkable traditional and cultural activities have turned them into avenues for inflicting harm on others. It is the responsibility of the government not only to prevent this, but also to impose necessary punishment where it happens. The Anambra State government would appear to be proactive by enacting a law to regulate and moderate the activities of masquerades in order to forestall cases of misconduct and violence, but it must ask critical questions now as to why its law has been breached, resulting in the instant untoward incident.

We endorse the position of the Anamba State government in declaring wanted the masquerader who allegedly caused the death of a person in the state as nothing in masquerading should lead to the death of anyone. The masquerader should be fished out and taken to court for the alleged crime while the government should also make it clear that it would continue to hold those who misuse cultural activities for atrocious ends accountable. Also, leaders of the family from which the masquerade came out, if that is the custom and practice in Umuawulu, should be questioned for failing in their duty of care by not ensuring that only culturally mature and decent persons were allowed to wear the masquerade regalia. They too should be made to assume precarious liability. Perhaps if sanctions are extended to such people, they will, going forward, have more than a passing interest in who dons the family’s costume for masquerading. There have been too much bloodletting and killings lately in the land for the country to condone patently avoidable killings under any pretext.