The Nation Newspaper

Category: Life – The Midweek Magazine

  • Rotary donates furniture to schools

    The Rotary Club of Lagos, Palmgrove Estate, has donated 50 desks and benches to Ilupeju Junior Secondary and Ilupeju Senior Secondary School.

    The handover held at the school premises in Ilupeju.

    President of the club,  Ravindra Kamat, said the donation of furniture to the schools was aimed at helping the pupils in advancing their knowledge, adding that education is important.

    He said: ‘’It is for this reason that my team has been supporting education and health in Palmgrove and Ilupeju vicinity.

    “It is like giving back to the society, that’s the core values of Rotary.

    “Not just anyhow people, but for those who are much in need. All our project are heading towards helping the under-privileged communities and we will keep ensuring they are the ones who benefit from our various projects.’’

    He continued: “Our focus is to assist needy people within the vicinity so that we make adequate provision and ensure continuous maintenance of our projects. As you can see the benches and desks are wooden and iron structure that cannot be damaged easily and if at all, in some years the benches get damage, it just the plywood.”

    Kamat, however, urged the teachers and pupils to ensure good maintenance of the furniture, so that other set of student can benefit from it in the coming years.

     

  • In Bakassi, sordid images of children in IDP camps

    It is common knowledge that at the height of the Boko Haram crisis, an estimated 1.8 million people escaped from the Northeast zone. Of these, one million are children who now live in Internally Displaced Camps (IDP). The Virtual Reality documentary, In Bakassi, revisits how the deplorable state of one of the camps affects children, Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME.

    Eleven-year-old orphan, Modu Mustapha, is one of the children who escaped for safety with his younger siblings after his father was killed in a suicide bombing. He has lived in Bakassi IDP Camp for three years. His narrative  took viewers on a journey through his new home, which houses over 35,000 IDPs. Bakassi IDP Camp is one of the most populated.

    “They planted a bomb in the market … that’s how my papa died,” little Modu recalled in a five-minute Virtual Reality documentary, titled: In Bakassi screened to a select audience at a viewing centre, Hub-NG, Yaba Lagos.

    The documentary produced and directed by Mr. Joel ‘Kachi Benson, made its debut at the Cairo International Film Festival as first Nigerian VR film to screen at an international film festival last month.

    Apart from living in squalid conditions, the children, many of whom are orphans, have little or no access to proper education. Uprooted from their homes and forever disconnected from their parents, these orphans now live in Bakassi, where life is hard, food is scarce, and every day is a struggle to survive.

    From scavenging for food to learning under poor conditions, and inadequate security of life and property, the children at Bakassi are metaphors of a failed society. For Modu, life at Bakassi is more than a challenge as he took up the responsibility of providing for the family at 12.  He pushed wheel barrow, assisted people to do menial works in order to earn some money, which he also saved to pay his school fees. Undaunted, Modu remained optimistic of getting a better education in the city, a dream that later came to pass.

    Benson described the screening, the reactions and discussions generated from the documentary as stimulants to put the issues on front burner. He noted that ‘if discussions like these do not take place, no action will be taken about the situation in IDPs.’

    According to Benson, who has travelled around the Northeast region in the past three years, filming the impacts ofthe Boko Haram insurgency exposed him to the damage not just to property and infrastructure but also to lives, especially children.

    “In Africa, we have a saying: “when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers. The biggest victims of the Boko Haram insurgency are the children, and every time I visit the Northeast I try to return with at least one story, to share. On one of my trips to Yola, I met a young IDP who’d been shot while fleeing for safety with his siblings. He survived, but his left leg was amputated.

    “Whenever I’m asked to recount some of my experiences in Northeast Nigeria, I usually just say some things are better experienced than told. Of course, as much as they would love to, not many people would brave a trip to the Northeast to see things for themselves, but with this new technology, VR, they are able to not just see but”experience” as though they were there. In Bakassi is a film that gives you a glimpse into what life is like for a child in an IDPCamp; where everyone struggles to survive, and where the next meal could be dead meat in a rubbish dump,” he said.

    He observed that many people were making money from the bad situations in IDPs, adding that if ‘’Aljazeera and CNN can come here to tell us our stories, why can’t we do the same using the VR medium?’’

    On the use of VR camera, Benson said: “It involved the use of 360 degrees cameras and we did lots of pre-production works. In fact, lots of takes, sometimes a nightmare. Lotso f planning went into it and experiences as regular film maker gave me some level of trust. You must also keep your eyes open and hope for the best. In Bakassi took us about three weeks to complete.

    Jumoke Sanwolu, a female artist working on VR documentary titled: Lagos at large, who was at the screening of In Bakassi, said she was interested in using sound to tell the Lagos story while exploring three aspects of sound, city and people.

    “I am excited at the project because we can tell our own stories. We don’t have the excuse not to learn the technology to tell our stories. We need to use it to tell positive stories, see us as object and not as subject,” she said.

  • Epa mask links people with ancestors

    THE Ekiti people of the Yoruba in Southern Nigeria honour their leaders, warriors, farmers, kings, hunters, mothers of twins through the Epa masquerade.

    It is used to honour people/ancestors who, at one time, performed those roles in the time past. The mask is very massive with a pot-like helmet and a super structure on it. Usually carved from a single soft and wooded trunk of a tree called e’ruku tree when not in use are kept in shrines where they are focused of prayers and offerings from community elders.

     

    Features of  Epa mask

    • Carved from single trunk of tree.
    • It is divided into two parts – pot-like helmet and super-structure.
    • There are always toe faces on the helmet; one shows a face with open eye which is always watching the living, and the other face shows closed/sealed eyes contemplating the realm of the divine and the ancestors.
    • The bearer sees through the opening of the mouth.
    • Epamask have elaborate super structures.
    • The superstructure usually has an equestrian figure at its centre.
    • It has figures representing traders, hunters, musicians, mother of twins etc. surrounding the figures.
    • An EPA mask can weigh up to 80 pounds and can be as tall as six feet.
    • Some shows the figure at the centre with crested hat.
    • It shows elaborate hair styles, facial mask, adornment signifying the social status and lineage of the person memorialised.
    • Mrs Aharanwa is Assistant Director/Head of Department, Education Unit, National Museum, Lagos.

  • Asidere’s Open Studio goes to new location

    Six years ago, one of 0 Nigeria’s renowned artist’s, Duke Asidere, launched PlayspotStudio in Egbeda, Lagos with Protest Art concept in focus. It was a studio he started out of passion for artists to interact    through workshops, open studio and seminars.

    Today, the studio has opened at Gbagada area of Lagos, leaving its maiden location as a result of undue traffic that has delayed its activities over the past few months. At its large freshly white painted space at the ground floor of a two-floor building, artists and friends of Asidere gathered to interact with him over his works in the new space which is more accessible. As a visual arts parlance, Playspot Studio is not uncommon. It has always gathered artists for interaction and exchange of ideas in an informal setting.

    At the new space which opened last week, Asidere assures that Playspot will continue its workshops in the coming years, “It will be more expansive and inclusive,” he said. He invites non-artists such as collectors, other observers of art and members of the press to come to Playspot Studio for an engaging muse on art, while disclosing that his solo exhibition of 12 paintings and few drawings will take place at Omenka Gallery mid next year.

    During the interaction on social values and decadence that abode today, Asidere insisted that art must engage societal issues. He advised that before artist could use their art to address societal ills, they must internally cleanse themselves, adding that artists need to lift their game and conduct themselves professionally, “Art has the power to change our society for the better only if artists take the lead,” he said.

    Art critic and advisor, MrTajudeen Sowole during the interactive session urged artists to invest their time in promoting art appreciation. He said: “Every artist should take a cue from Asidere’sPlayspot Studio by organising art workshops for people at the grassroots, particularly youths. When youths identify with art, they will patronise artists when they become adults irrespective of their professions.”

    For Asidere’s impactful workshops during the time he was at Orelope area of Egbeda, Sowole recalled how Asidereorganised a workshop for 30 artists who took form of street painting as part of activities that marked his 50th birthday, “I commend Asidere for taking art to the people via his Orelope workshops organised by Playspot in five spots across Lagos few years ago. I can assure you that from next year, Playspotwill continue the workshop here in its new space, Gbagada,” he said.

    Asidere who is a full time studio artist was first trained in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (ABU) with first class honours in painting and a MFA in painting from the same school. He once worked as a lecturer at the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo.

  • Between Gelede and Egungun masks

    Gelede is used in a cult connected to the elderly women. Among the Yoruba, the purpose of the cult of the Gelede is to appease the spirit of witches to use their powers for the protection of the community against malevolent forces.In fact, Gelede performance is like a sacrifice to appeal to forces in the world using the aesthetic (beauty) of the mask, costume, dance and music. The origin of this mask can be traced to Ketu, Awori, Anago, Egbodo, Shadein Yoruba land. The followings are the characteristics of Gelede and its usage:

    • Ceremony is done annually and at funeral of members.
    • Membership of the society is open to both sexes, while most of the important offices are held by women.
    • Mask worn by men to disguise like women.
    • Only headdress while face is covered with thin light veil material.
    • Performer can be identified and commended for good performance.
    • Effort is on forces in the world on like Egungun mask.
    • Can be only headdress or with sub e.g. structure.
    • The mask reveals beauty of women with or without marks e.g. polished face, eye brow, make up sometimes, beat coiffeur.
    • Superstructure.
    • Reveals male and female roles activities.
    • Images are to provoke explicit reaction from audience.
    • All masks express social or spiritual commentary or both e.g. Hunters their weapons and prey, foreigners, male factors, criminals, fool in satire sculpture.
    • Mimic the character and dressing of foreigners.
    • Features like sewing machine, motorcycles, intertwined snakes banana among others are found.

    Egungun:In traditional Nigeria societies, dead ancestors, gods, or legendary heroes are believed to often return to earth in the form of masquerades to give the magical, held upon which success in the world depends or possibly to pass judgement on wrong doers and also to provide entertainment.

    Egungun represents soul of the deceased ancestors who return to the world of the living to interact with his relation, settle disputes and pray for the sick and needy.

     

    • Funmiluyi is Assistant Chief Museum Education Officer, National Museum, Lagos.

  • Olatunji Dare, Ray Ekpu to receive DAME Lifetime awards

    Emeritus professor of mass communication and veteran columnist, Olatunji Dare and former editor in chief of Newswatch magazine, Raymond Ekpu have been named Lifetime Achievement awardees of the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence for 2018.

    Both men will be decorated at the 27th edition of the awards on Saturday, December 15 in Lagos alongside mainstream journalists in various sectors of media practice.

    Educated at the University of Lagos where he earned a first class bachelor’s degree in mass communication in 1973, Prof Dare later obtained a master’s degree at Columbia University, and a doctorate at Indiana University, Bloomington. He was for many years a lecturer in the department of mass communication at the University of Lagos. He later served as Editorial Page Editor of the Guardian before relocating abroad where he taught at Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois for 19 years.

    Dare is one of Nigeria’s longest serving newspaper columnists having been at it for almost four decades. DAME noted Dare’s “lifelong devotion to advancing the frontiers of knowledge and strengthening the media as a pillar of democracy.” DAME commended him for producing “many journalists and administrators who are today holding important positions in various media institutions worldwide.”

    Ekpu, a former President of the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), in a similar tone is being honoured for his life long devotion to advancing the frontiers of knowledge and strengthening the media as pillar of democracy. Also a graduate of mass communication from the University of Lagos, Ekpu has been a dominant name in the media for almost four decades. A former editor of the Nigerian Chronicle, he edited Sunday Times before berthing at National Concord as chairman of the editorial board. A founding father of Newswatch in 1984, he has been part of the struggle for press freedom. Today, he keeps a weekly column in the Guardian. As a celebrated media manager, Ekpu has mentored many outstanding journalists who are holding important positions in various media institutions worldwide.

    The lifetime award is DAME’s highest honour for communication professionals who have distinguished themselves and brought uncommon honour to journalism practice in the belief that such honorees can continue to serve as positive role models.

    With this recognition, both Dare and Ekpu join 24 previous inductees into the DAME Hall of FAME of Lifetime Achievers who have brought honour and meaning to media practice and scholarship.

    They include eight deceased men and sixteen living legends. The deceased are: Alhaji Babatunde Jose, Anthony Enahoro, Mr. Alex Ibru, Professor Alfred Opubor, MallamTuri Muhammadu, Hadj. Alade Odunewu, Chief Segun Olusola and Mr. Ted Mukoro.

    The living giants are: Mr. Sam Amuka, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, Dr. Christopher Kolade, Henry Odukomaiya, Mallam Mohammed Ibrahim, Chief  Segun Osoba, Prince Tony Momoh, Prince Mrs. Omobola Onajide, Mr. Felix Adenaike, Dr. Doyin Abiola, Senator Akin Odunsi, Mr. Biodun Shobanjo, Prof Idowu Sobowale, Mr. Dan Agbese, Mr. Kevin Ejiofor and Mr. Dapo Olorunyomi.

  • ECOBA honours Omeben, others

    Retired Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) and Archbishop of Jesus Family Ministries Church, Lagos, Most Rev. Dr. Christopher Omeben, has been honoured by the Edo College Old Boys Association (ECOBA), Lagos Chapter with its prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award.

    The honour was conferred on him by the association during their 2018 annual dinner which held last penultimate Sunday at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja.

    Other award recipients were Desmond Guobadia, a former member of the Presidential Legal Advisory Committee, Senior Partner at Guobadia and Guobadia, a firm of Barristers and Solicitors, Chairman, Technical Work Group for the Assessment of the Impact of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement on Nigeria who was conferred with the Distinguished Old Boy of the Year award, and Jude Eluemunor, who received the ECOBITE of the year award for hard work and dedication to the development of the association.

    Omeben expressed appreciation and commended ECOBA for its culture of recognising hard-work and integrity among members.

    “I will like to appreciate ECOBA for this precious award and appreciate God Almighty for his grace,” he said.

    Mr Guobadia praised the association for the recognition and promised to put more effort in ensuring the growth of the law profession in Nigeria and the development of the association.

    Chairman, ECOBA, Lagos Chapter, Mr. Aigbeolotu said the awards are bestowed on deserving old boys who have made exceptional life time contributions to a profession, industry, government, arts, sciences, business or any vocation and by doing so, have brought honour to Edo College.

    He further stated that the award recipients deserved the honoured they have disttinguished themselves in their various professions.

    Olotu revealed that apart from winning and dinning, the event is also a time to work with the national association on how to give back to the school in terms of coporate social responsibility (CSR) ubutuatuves such as the Edo College endowment fund.

    Highlight of the occasion was a lecture presentation by Dr John Isemede, an international trad expert on export and international trade.

  • Artistes’ coalition petitions board of National Troupe

    The Nigerian Artistes United (NAU), a coalition of cultural workers and art patrons, has petitioned the Chairman, Governing Board of the National Troupe of Nigeria (NTN), on alleged continuous abuse of office and financial impropriety by the Artistic Director/CEO, National Troupe of Nigeria, Comrade Tar Ukoh.

    The petition signed by Patience Aghomo and AdekibaGodspower and dated November 26, 2018, specifically urged the governing board of the troupe to request anti-graft  bodies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to investigate the alleged fraud and corruption under the leadership of Ukoh in the last 19 months.

    The coalition alleged that  Ukoh spent N21million capital expenses the troupe received last year without any single production to show for it. They also alleged that the Artistic Director cornered jobs meant for the National Troupe such as Nigerian Port Authority and the Embassy of China performance deals. “He was paid to perform for NPA and the Embassy of China, amongst others, of which monies were paid directly to him…He blew the N2.5million that NPA paid for the performance,” the group alleged.

    According to the petition, the group listed instances where funds were allegedly misappropriated and expended without observing due procurement process. These include:

    *alleged fraudulent retirement of the sum of N10.5million for a one-day ego tripping talk show branded as sharing the green grass;

    *alleged retirement of the sum  of N11.5million on a sham that he called National audition for artistes that he wanted to recruit into his personal musical band, the National Orchestra,

    *that Ukoh allegedly expended the sum of N5.5million, which he retired as community theatre project and children’s theatre project that were never reported by the press,

    *that in July 2018, Ukoh allegedly gave approval for the release of 5.4million for purchase of drums and musical instruments be withdrawn from a personal account it was paid into and paid to him in cash. He returned to Lagos two weeks later with four small size Djembe drums, which he claimed were shipped in from Ethiopia each at a cost of 1.4million.

    The Nigerian Artistes United described the situation in the National Troupe of Nigeria as that of the ship without a captain as “Mr. Tar Ukoh refused to officially resume work in the parastatal head office in Lagos…and has continued to run the NTN on telephone from Abuja and most times from his residence in Jos.”

    In his reaction, Ukoh who spoke on telephone dismissed the coalition as a faceless and unknown body in the sector, saying he cannot respond to such petition. “Artistes cannot sit down in Lagos and be writing petitions. I cannot respond to such. If they have any complaint, they know where to go to. I decline to respond to their allegations. In fact, pages of newspapers are not the right avenues to respond to any allegation. However, the artistes should be patient as it will be better soon. I am trying to set up a cultural Iroko tree for Nigeria. I met   depleted national Troupe, so we have to develop a repertoire that is people-oriented and with quick result. I am like a man trying to transform a worker using type writer to use computer,” he said.

    On the allegation that he sent core artistes on compulsory leave, he stated that the artistes were sent on temporary leave.

  • ‘How I found a home in art’

    HafsatSani Sami, 27, daughter of Maj-Gen. Sami Sani (retd), former military governor of Bauchi State (1983 to 1985), is full of imagination, especially of a beautiful life. This attribute has turned the Business Management graduate and Masters’ student in Interior Architecture and Design into a true art lover. In pursuance of her dream of becoming a self-taught artist, she has put on hold her Masters’ programme. At her debut solo exhibition tagged: Imagining a beautiful life in Abuja, she speaks with Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME on her initial battle for freedom, love for art and how painting helped her find a home, among other issues.

    As a little child, HafsatSani Sami  always loved painting, drawing and dyeing. Growing up, parental pressure made her to study Business Management at the Coventry University, United Kingdom. “In Nigeria, people will always tell you that art is not really the way to go and all that,” she said, recalling how she succumbed to pressure on that choice of a career.

    After leaving Coventry University, she moved to San Francisco, USA where she is studying for a Masters’ Degree in Interior Architecture and Design. On return home, she started working with her mother as an interior designer in Kaduna. She became more exposed to creativity there.

    Unable to suppress her passion, she opted to take to art as a hobby. Two years ago, she bought her first brush.  “After practising architecture for some time, the passion for art refused to die. So, I picked up art as a hobby. I was working during the day and painting at night daily. The more I painted the more it became more visible to me that that was what I was meant to do. I started painting about two years ago. I first picked up the painting brush in early 2016,” Sami said with a broad smile at the opening ceremony of her first solo art exhibition  titled: Imagining a beautiful lifeheld at Thought Pyramid Arts Centre, Abuja recently.

    Today, Sami is more than fulfilled as a self-taught artist. “Painting has helped me find a home where I can continuously return to, to remind myself who I am, where I am headed and what I deserve, “she said of her strong passion for the art.

    The exhibition,which featured 22 paintings,15 T-shirts, 35 scarves and 60 pieces of jewelry, is a journey through life’s various chapters and a documentation of the battles between self and society, light and dark, positive and negative.

    Most of her paintings are accompanied with short poetry that gives context to the paintings. The titles of the paintings are very instructive and symbolic of her experiences while imagining a beautiful life.  Some of paintings are: The Warrior, The Healer, The Nurturer, The Observer, The Free Spirit, The Intuitive, The Intellect, The Regal One, The Wild Heart, Angst, Joy, Vulnerable and Prayers of our grandmothers among others. Images of her paintings are primarily female, which gives her away as a feminist of sort. Also, the domineering colours were more of the feminine such as purple, pink, yellow, orange and peach. But, the strength of womanhood can be found in the green and earth colours she splashes in many of the paintings.

    “I am a feminist and I am a lover of women. I feel like women deserve to be respected as the complex beings we are. I grew up around a lot of women and have seen first-hand what we are capable of. Women are super heroes,” she responded boastfully when asked if she is a feminist.

    “It wasn’t easy at the beginning. But, I think they were a bit softer on me because they knew that this passion in me has always been there. They also saw how hard I was working. They saw how passionate I was. They also said look, art is just your hobby. You should find something else to do. At some point, I began doing textile and I was dyeing fabrics, T-Shirts, designing jewelry and things like that. I think they saw the drive and felt they had to support what I was doing,” she said. Sami, a self -taught artist, recalled that her parents always exposed their children to creativity, adding that  her mother taught her how to knit when she was younger. “So I have always been creative with my hands. Like I said, it was all due to passion. I always feel good every time I painted. Though untrained, I’d like to say I am a God-taught artist. There is no other way I can explain where my inspirations and these images come from. I just know it is a gift from God,” she stated.

    Asked if she had private lesson on arts as a little child, she said: “No. when I was young, at the primary school I went to (Kaduna International School) we were very exposed to creativity. We had art classes, craft classes, and after-school activities where they made us to stay back after school hours to learn how to paint and draw. That was all I got. After I decided that this is what I wanted to do, I started buying books for myself in order to educate myself.”

    She admitted that self-confidence gave her the reassurance to host a solo exhibition barely two years into practice. “I am someone who is very passionate (about what I am doing). I am a hard worker. I’ve told myself that if I have to do this, I have to work extra hard, and I’ve really worked hard in the past two years… my paintings are like the story of my life. I also write poetry for them,” Sami said.

    Notwithstanding the many hurdles, she believed strongly that they were meant to strengthen her. “I found beauty in the pain, and I realised that whatever had once held me back was placed strategically to make me stronger,” she noted. According to her,, being an artist has allowed her to experience the power of imagination in its entirety. She thought over things,  watch them actualise on  canvas and gradually trickle down into her reality. “Being an artist has taught me that everything begins with a tiny little thought, so I learnt to be wary of the things I hold on to,” she said.

    She described her exhibition as an illustration of everything she had been through and all that she hope to walk into, noting that art has given her a way out and has also led her to freedom of self and of expression.

    On the exhibition’s theme and how she journeyed through years of challenges, pains, search for purpose, freedom and expression, she said:  “The last couple of years have been a battle between my heart, and the world, darkness and light, truth and illusion, and I have constantly found myself lost, somewhere in the middle.

    “Painting has helped me find a home, where I can continuously return to, to remind myself, who I am, where I am headed, and what I deserve. Life is a beautiful work of art, and just like any place, there is a story to be found within it. The search for purpose has been one of the most difficult things I have ever had to experience, but at every turn, I never stopped believing that there had to be some sense to the madness. I found beauty in the pain, and I realised that whatever had once held me back was placed strategically to make me stronger.

    “Holding a brush and painting my truth helped me see that everything has happened exactly as it was supposed to, leading me onto the path of becoming a better me…..

    “Art has shown me that imagination is the one true super power  every one of us possesses, and that we can close our eyes and visualise anything and breathe it to life. Knowing that, I have decided to wake up every day imagining beautiful life for myself.”

    Interestingly, her parents and loved ones are more than before proud of what she has done with art despite her short time in practice. She said: “They can finally see the dream. I had talked about it for so long, and now, and it’s finally happening right in front of them. I think now, they believe me. Following the success of the show, I feel the people around me finally respect and understand what I am trying to do. They also tell me all the time how proud they are. My heart is really full.”

    To her, daring the establishment on what constitutes art in that region, what undertaking because ‘’I will be deceiving myself if I don’t express myself and explore such themes. In fact, I always want my voice to be heard. And no matter what people are talking about, there must be some people who will not agree with them.’’

    Continuing, she said: “With the stories I am telling, I hope they will understand where Iam coming from. Also, I am hoping that people will soon begin to see these issues with softer eyes. I don’t mind if I am the one who takes all the shots that will make it easier for the artists. Of course, people tell me I cannot paint this and that. My talent and gift are between me and my God. I am touching many peoples’ lives with these stories. So, I don’t think it is fair for anyone to wake up and tell me you are not allowed to do this. You cannot shut my voice up.”

     

  • Nkpoporo: link between living, dead

    Nkpoporo is one of the masquerades found among the Efik communities of

    Cross River State. They are regarded as the spirit of ancestors. Traditionally, the Efik believe that masquerades form a link between the living and the dead. Nkpoporo masquerade belong to a secret cult, the masquerade wears a big costume with human skill on the head.

    Before Nkpoporo masquerade can be showcased, the members sleep in a burial ground for seven days and are expected not to eat any food prepared by a woman and spirits are invoked during the preparation, in order for them to gain powers. When there is a problem with any Nkpoporothey will all move to that community in order to settle the dispute and they carry dangerous weapons like matches, axe etc. After the display, the dispute will be settled and the masquerade and members will be entertained. But if the community refuses settlement, it will result to fight and they will kill themselves.

    The masquerade dance, which accompanies the festival is said to be controlled by an ancestral spirit, which can only be invoked by the Obong Nquai (The

    Chief Priest).

    Equally during the Nkpoporo festival, the chief priest usually offers cock or dog for sacrifices to the spirit in exchange of their benevolence.

    During its play, the Nkpoporo masquerade can cover its enemy, and the enemy will disappear and the person will be found in the Nkpoporo shrine. The person might be freed or killed. If they decide to free the person, he is expected to bring some items for sacrifice to appease the shrine.Nkpoporo masquerade is showcased during festival, coronation of Obong (king), burial ceremonies, for entertainment purpose among others.Till date Nkpoporo masquerade is still showcased in Cross River State.

     

    • Ekwunazor is Asst. Chief Museum Education Officer, NAtinal Museum, Lagos