As the season of festivals in Nigeria begins to ebb bit by bit, artists speak on the urgent need to make the masquerade festival one of the foremost celebrations in the country. In this write-up, Edozie Udeze takes a cursory look at the importance of the masquerade culture and why it has to be part of efforts to revive tourism and boost the economy and create jobs
THERE have been sentiments expressed in different quarters in the culture sector in recent time that Nigerians should endeavour to resuscitate the culture of celebrating masquerades. As some states have adopted the habit of celebrating some important cultural heritages of the people like drums, fishing festival, carnivals and so on, the call also becomes more topical and imperative at the moment.
It is not only that masquerades form one of the most important components of Nigeria’s multiple socio-cultural elements, the presence of masquerades in an arena say a lot about a people. Each masquerade that appears in an arena has a message to convey. There’s the cultural image embedded in it that the people who know what it is, duly celebrate it.
In Igboland, as elsewhere, the masquerade embodies wisdom; it harbours the spirit and human worlds, telling people when to come and when not to come. It is that the mystique aura that makes it not just an embodiment of total entertainment, it is also a time to bring the people together in an esplanade. This was one of the major reasons the culture has survived the endless incursions of western civilization, religion and education.
It is the entertaining aspect of the masquerade that still makes it a glorious celebration among the people. This indeed is one of the arguments being put forward by the proponents of the total revival of the masquerade culture in Nigeria. When the Abuja Carnival started, it was felt that the absence of masquerades from different parts of Nigeria was a minus to the programme. Few years later when it was introduced, it was discovered that the number of masquerades from only one state in the federation can pass for a whole month’s carnival.
From that moment, the carnival became more interesting, electrifying and entertaining. From Enugu and Akwa Ibom came the largest assemblages of masquerades, masquerades in different shapes, colouration and sizes. Each came to show how it is celebrated, how much importance the people attach to it. The mystique aura often enveloped the Eagle square, Abuja, venue of the carnival.
Today, there are cultural and modern carnivals in different parts of Nigeria at different seasons. Why not also give enough devotion to a totally masquerade carnival, a source many have opined will help to attract outsiders and boost tourism? The entertaining aspects of the masquerades, the lure of the costumes, their tendencies to hold people spellbound, all add to the total beauty of tourism.
Instead of borrowing from foreign nations on how to make our local carnivals rival that of Rio in Brazil why not go on to perfect the masquerades for total tourism expo? Even the level of noise and ecstasy mixed with apprehension that accompany the appearance of a masquerade is enough to justify its place in the lives of the people. The masks are designed to frighten as well as attract. Curiosity then becomes the norm. People want to come nearer to view this strange human-spirit that talks in a strange voice. It is only the initiated that can decode and interpret the voice. And so for the tourist this is good, it is time to take pictures, time to see how the ancestors appear to the living, telling them what to do to live, to survive.
No one in Nigeria will ever say that the culture of masquerading is not big enough to form a carnival of its own. This is why states have to see how they can encourage communities across the nation to raise this as an issue. It will bring the people together. It will create jobs. Masks have to be made, so also are other musical instruments like ekwe, ogene, oja and so on that will be created by the local people. Not only that, Nigerians abroad would like to come home with their friends to feel the euphoria and aroma of this celebration.
Masquerades are not only magnetic, they evoke prestige, they are magnifying, pulling one to see if there is any part of it that can be easily decoded. That it is said that you do not watch a masquerade standing in one position. The mesmerizing nature of the masquerade makes it impossible to stand in one place. As it gyrates, prancing here and there, the aura grows more. Spectators want to also move about to catch a better view of it. This is one fact that keeps it totally mystique, a fact that is often too deep to understand. The mystery is for those who know since it is a spirit, separated from the human by a distance created between it and the followers. Even they themselves do not get too close depending on the type of masquerade in question.
All the masquerades
Masquerades are traditional ways of life of a people. Some usually come out during funerals or local celebrations of festivals. There are instruments that accompany it to ensure that the sounds put the masquerade on the level of frenzy. These are the vocalist, the players, the singers and dancers. The elders are in one corner as advisers, holding brief between the people and the spirit. It is covered with pieces of costumes from head to toe. Some of the costumes are made of bamboo rafters, a costume that is often too hard to knot together. Then these all give some sort of intimidating presence to the masquerade.
There is the Akhenaten. This is mainly celebrated in Enugu by the wawa people of Udi, Ngwo and others. This masquerade comes out at Christmas or New Year when sons and daughters of the land come home to celebrate the yuletide. A few years ago when I witnessed one, it left me with an awe I will never forget. There is the adamma. Adamma means beautiful daughter. From its facial mask and costume, the beauty is totally feminine. No one tells you this is a female masquerade coming with its elegant, stylish but graceful mien to dazzle the public. Adamma is slow, graceful. It is not in a hurry to show its dance steps. it is the epitome of beauty in Igboland and it is so classified to situate the role of the matriarchs in the afterworld. Adamma is a maiden spirit, although not considered too powerful or so.
Then there is the Ijele, King of all masquerades in Igboland. It is a giant of a masquerade, tall, towering above all others. It is totally majestic, infused with an aura too strong to resist. It enters an arena with grace and the force of a giant. It comes out mostly when a big man, a titled man is being honoured or buried. It is then regarded as the king of all masquerades with its many multiple colours of costumes adorned with feathers, bamboos, clothes and bells. Each symbolizes an omen either for good or bad. But generally, it is revered and that is why it is rare, it is adored by its followers and initiates.
There is also the izaga, built on two bamboo sticks, precariously dancing around. This is totally for entertainment but some of them are mischievous and can use the stick to cause chaos. Izaga is more common in certain places in Igboland. In it, you may see the face of the carrier or the harbinger of the sticks. There are too many to count or recollect here; yet each masquerade stands on its own in the multi-cultural values of the people.
The Egungun
In Yoruba land masquerades are generally known as egungun, a symbol of the people’s belief system. According to Akin Odofe, an artist and costumier, Egungun masquerades come in different forms depending on the locality and the purpose for which it is meant. “They have periods of festivals once yearly. Essentially, masquerades represent deities, the spirit world of ancestors. They are like a bridge between the living and the dead. The belief system has made it so thick that people celebrate it with respect and deep reverence. Some are even too sacred to appear in the day time. Some women are not allowed to see it”, Odofe stated.
Egungun most times performs magic, dazzles with evocative majesty. It can swagger to the delight of onlookers. Only men wear the masquerades clothes and masks in Yoruba land and this also helps to accentuate its place of reverence among the people, in the lives of the people.
There is the odun egun. There is also the eyo and others that adorn different places in Yoruba land. In Lagos State alone, the eyo masquerades can conveniently create euphoria for two days or more. The idea is to allow this happen; allow communities or individuals to create the platform for the masquerade festival or carnival to come into fruition. It is a legacy that has to be kept afloat. It does not cost much to package or put together cultural properties to attract goodwill to the country, to the entire country and the global scene.
Efik and Ibibio
From these two tribes of Cross River and Akwa Ibom States come some of the most efficacious symbols of the ancestral spirits in Africa. The ekpo masquerade, for instance, is a cultural society among the Efik. According to Ekpo Daniel “Ekpo originated from the Efik, Ibibio, Annang, across both states. Ekpo is very powerful and the custodians are mainly members of the society. The inner people know how to handle it and for what occasion and purpose. It functions for spiritual protection, projection and renovation. When it is time for it most women are not allowed to roam carelessly for fear of its intransigent powers and invocation. Ekpo has different types, sizes and needs. Yet, each has to be performed by only the initiates, those who have taken the oath to adhere to it in all its principles and tenets.
There is also the ekpo, one of the most awful and frightening in these two states. It comes out mostly at night when everyone has gone to bed. Its frightening voice is heard in the dead of the night giving laws, warning bad people to desist from evil. It creates an atmosphere of dread all over. Daniel said, “it is good when it helps to reorder the society and ensure wickedness is wiped out of the society”.
In the Nnabo masquerade the people see mostly the Annang and Ibibio of Akwa Ibom celebrate a rare culture of deep values. Nnabo is big in its importance to the people for in it they see the ancient and the modern merging to create a better society. The music of Nnabo is usually different, provocative in nature, it drives one crazy to the extent of wanting to join in the joyous mood. Yet, it intimidates and frightens people. So also is the egbabonelimnin masquerade which makes its debut occasionally in Cross River and Akwa Ibom States. These two states have some of the most dreadful masquerades in human history.
Festivals
There are also few festivals in Nigeria that celebrate masquerade. Yet, they are not enough and all-encompassing. Some of them are: Igue, eyo, mmanwu, in Benin, Yoruba and Igbo lands respectively. These are few and in-between and are not collective enough to justify the huge significance of masquerades in the society.
The economic values are too profound to ignore. As the government at all levels plan to map out plausible ways to diversify the economy, let indigenous cultural commodities also be one area of focus. States do not have money or they seem not to have, yet enough I G R can be assembled from the promotion of culture to attract tourism, boost the economy and create jobs.
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