The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Masquerader’s

  • Oyo warns masqueraders against violence

    The Oyo State government has urged custodians of the Egungun Festival in the state not to renege on their promise of celebrating a festival devoid of violence and hooliganism.

    The government noted that peace, security and safety had been predominant during stakeholders’ meetings involving heads of masquerades across the state: the Olori Alaagba, the Aare Isese from the zones and custodians of the masquerades with government officials at the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism.

    It said representatives of the government’s security department always attended such meetings preceding this year’s Egungun season.

    In a joint statement by the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Toye Arulogun and the Special Adviser to Governor Ajimobi on Community Relations, Alhaji Bidemi Siyanbade, the government said another stakeholders’ meeting will be held today at 12 noon to further deliberate and consolidate the modalities and conduct of masquerades during this year’s Egungun Festival.

    The statement said this would give it the prominence it deserves and promote the state’s rich cultural values and tourism potentials.

    The government said 23 of the 27 Egungun in the state had signed a non-violence pact with the police Command.

    It said the government had secured the commitment and readiness of security agencies to maintain peace, law and order during the festival.

    The government hailed the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji, for keying into Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s peace initiative during the festival by admonishing the custodians of the masquerades (Egungun) to maintain peace and order.

  • Faleke berates Bello for donating cars, cash to masqueraders

    Faleke berates Bello for donating cars, cash to masqueraders

    House of Representatives member, James Faleke, has described Governor Yahaya Bello’s gift of six cars and N2 million to masqueradesr in Okene as the “height of absurdity”.

    Faleke said it was absurd that Bello could buy cars for masqueraders when he has neither paid salaries nor cleared outstanding pensions.

    His words: “I honestly don’t know what is happening in our state. We thought the governor would heed calls to settle outstanding salaries and pensions last December, as he promised, after receiving about N12 billion from the Paris Club refund, only for him to pay 40 per cent of two months.

    “So where did the rest of the money go? Next we heard was the news of the six cars and N2 million cash he gave masqueraders in Okene, through their minders.

    “How else can one be so insensitive to the welfare, yearnings and aspirations of his people?”

    Faleke berated the government for relasing a fresh list of “cleared staff” after saying there were no outstanding lists.

    “What this means is that those workers, whose names were just released, had been without pay since the screeing started two years ago. So who is fooling who?”

    The lawmaker bemoaned a situation where, instead of providing succour for the people, what obtains is intimidation of hapless and harmless people.

    He said: “An example is the recent attack on some youths who were distributing gifts to APC members. They were attacked by the security men of administrator of Ijumu Local Government, Taoffek Isah. As an administrator, the government provided him soldiers with which he harasses perceived political opponents.

    “Of course, the newsstands were agog few days ago with the news of how “unidentified” thugs hijacked the first batch of rice consignments donated by some Senators to alleviate the hunger ravaging workers’ homes. That is the reality of our dear state at the moment.”

    Faleke called on Governor Bello to “turn a new leaf this year by re-ordering his government’s priorities away from childish, wasteful, unproductive extravaganza to meaningful statecraft aimed at ameliorating the unacceptable level of pains being inflicted on the people.

     

  • Masqueraders protest in Osun

    Masqueraders protest in Osun

    It was an unusual sight yesterday as six masqueraders joined protesters in Esa-Oke, Obokun Local Government of Osun State to protest the proposed merger of tertiary institutions.

    The rumour had continued to spread in communities hosting the institutions – the State Polytechnic, Ikire, the State College of Technology, Esa-Oke, the State College of Education, Ila and State College of Education, Ilesa.

    It was gathered that the protesters prevented lecturers and students of the College of Technology, Esa-Oke, from entering the campus.

    They were said to have warned the government against the plan, maintaining that the move might have untold consequences if the proposed plan was not shelved.

    Residents of Esa-Oke yesterday barricaded the college road, sending students and workers back home.

    The Owamiran of Esa-Oke, Oba Adeyemi Adediran, said the protest was to prevent Governor Rauf Aregbesola from embarking on the alleged plan to merge the institutions.

    The monarch urged the governor to shelve the plan, saying the indigenes will prevent any attempt to merge the institution.

    Similar protests had been held in Ila-Orangun and Iree by indigenes of the two communities.

    However, the government had earlier stated that the plan was to restructure the institutions and not to merge them.

  • Beware of masqueraders’

    The Enugu State police command has alerted residents of the state on the new tactics employed by rogues to rob unsuspecting members of the public: masquerades

    The police said robbers disguised as masquerades now attack members of the public.

    In a bulletin, the spokesman of the command, Ebere Amaraizu, said, “The hoodlums who hide under the guise of masquerades attack and unleash mayhem and at times rob unsuspecting citizens of their valuables.

    “The command in this regard wishes to make it clear that in as much as it will not interfere in the traditional activities of communities in the state such as the masquerade festivals amongst other things, it will not fold its arms and watch innocent and good people of the state pass through pains in the hands of individuals or group of persons in the name of masquerade as well as other traditional activities.”

    It warned perpetrators “to desist from such unwholesome act by sticking to the tenet of the rule of law while engaging themselves in masquerade and traditional activities as anyone or group of persons caught will be made to face the full wrath of the law.”

    The command reminded the people of the state desirous of enlisting into the police force that recruitment has not started, but it warned candidates to watch out for online fraudsters who may take advantage of the recruitment information to defraud them.

  • Nsukka masqueraders held for alleged robbery

    The Police in Nsukka, Enugu State, have arrested two masqueraders for allegedly robbing a trader on Nsukka-Obollo-Afor Road.

    The masqueraders were arrested in Ovoko community, Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area of the state.

    It was gathered that in the past few weeks, masqueraders had continuously mounted road blocks in such areas as Eha-Alumona, Ovoko-Obollo-Afor, among several other public roads, inflicting heavy wounds on motorists and dispossessing them of their valuables.

    The police moved into action when the victim, Mr. Chinonso  Ezewaji reported the matter at Nsukka Police Area command.

    He said when two of the masqueraders were arrested, others ran away.

    He said, “When the police team reached Ovoko along Nsukka–Obollor-Afor Road, where the masqueraders were operating, two of the policemen on a bus pretended to be giving the two masqueraders money; they stretched their hands to collect it and that was how we hand-cuffed them and others ran away.

    “Eight masqueraders have been on that road since morning tormenting road users; the two of them we arrested have denied involvement in robbing the trader, but they have given the names of the culprits.

    “When we searched one of the arrested masqueraders, we saw Indian hemp in his pocket”.

    Spokesman for Enugu State police command, Ebere Amaraizu confirmed the incident, noting that the police has commenced investigations into the matter.

    Amarizu urged communities to regulate and monitor those who wear masquerades as some of them were hiding on it to harass, intimidate and rob innocent members of the public.

    “Police is not against any culture but community leaders must know the character of people they allow to wear masquerades in the name of culture.

    “A masquerader has no right to mount a roadblock on busy roads where motorists, motorcyclists and other road ply on daily basis.

    “The police has commenced investigations and must get to the root of this matter as issue of masquerades disturbing people has become a recurring decimal”, he said.

    Narrating his experience, the victim (Ezewaji), a trader, said he was on his way from Nsukka to Obollo-Afor when the masqueraders in Ovoko stopped him, gave him the beating of his life, after which “they searched me and collected N57, 000 from my pockets”.

    Meanwhile, the two masqueraders, who identified themselves as Kenechukwu Eze, a carpenter and  Ejiofor Eze , bricklayer alleged that they were not part of the team that robbed the victim. They gave the name of the masquerader involved as Chima Mamah.

    “We only collected N20, N100 and N500 from people; we didn’t participate in collecting the N57,000″, one of them claimed.

    However, Kenechukwu Eze, while admitting that the police recovered India Hemp from him, said “If police will release me, I will not wear masquerade or smoke Indian hemp again. It is the left-over of the one we smoked before coming out”, he said.

     

  • Activities paralysed as masqueraders take over Awka

    Commercial activities were paralysed yesterday in Awka, the Anambra State capital, as the Imo-Awka masquerader festival begins.

    Traders at the Eke-Awka and Amenyi markets operated partially, as the masqueraders visited Umuokpu, their religious home.

    Police Commissioner Usman Gwary has deployed more than 400 policemen to keep the peace.

    The traditional ruler of the kingdom, Obi Gibson Nwosu, had warned youths, especially non-indigenes, to avoid fomenting trouble during the festival.

    Speaking with The Nation yesterday, the Chairman of Awka South Market Amalgamated Traders Union (ASMATU), Chief Anayo Nweke, said the closure of the markets was to respect the culture of the land, adding that it was also to prevent security breach.

    The Imo-Awka masquerader festival has been a source of worry to the residents and the government, as it resulted in violence in the past.

    Following the intervention of Governor Willie Obiano, Obi Nwosu, the police and the State Security Service (SSS) led by Mr. Alex Okeiyi, this year’s festival has been peaceful.

  • Masquerader’s supporters ‘attack’ Ibadan residents

    Masquerader’s supporters ‘attack’ Ibadan residents

    Supporters of the popular masquerader in Ibadan, Oyo State, Oloolu, yesterday allegedly attacked residents of Popoyemoja and Bode in Ibadan South West Local Government.

    Sixteen vehicles were allegedly damaged in the violence.

    Residents were also injured as the hoodlums attacked them with dangerous weapons, such as cutlasses, guns, knives, clubs, sticks and others.

    A source said the incident occurred between 4:30pm and 5pm after the masquerader had visited two prominent Ibadan chiefs.

    The Nation learnt that the supporters, who wore T-shirts with the inscription, Odun Esan, meaning Year of Revenge, on arriving at the area, attacked the residents with dangerous weapons despite the presence of policemen.

    Our source said the residents decried the attack, saying it was carried out as a reprisal following what happened during the festival last year when hoodlums allegedly attacked the masquerader, killing one person and injuring others.

    Besides dispossessing the people of their valuables, such as money and mobile phones, the hoodlums allegedly broke into shops and houses, stealing items.

    Confirming the incident, police spokesperson Olabisi Ilubanafor said some hoodlums, who were prevented from attacking the masquerade, caused the violence.

    She said the hoodlums shot into the air to scare people.

    She confirmed that vehicles were vandalised, adding that the owners were yet to be identified as nobody had reported the incident.

    The police spokesperson said three people, namely: Ibrahim Isiaka, Yakubu Isiaka and Fatai Bakare, have been arrested and transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID). Some of the vehicles vandalised included a Volkswagen Jetta car with registration number AG 483 SHK, AA 893 SHK, Toyota car with registration number AB 470 AAB (Ogun), MUS 952 BE, Merzedez Benz with registration number EJ 161 ABC (Abuja), Merzedez Benz with registration number MS 194 AAA (Lagos), AA 768 TUN (Ekiti), Ford car with registration number AJ 191 YNF (Oyo) and AA 102 RRU (Edo), Honda car with registration number EPE 452 BH (Lagos), AM 59 KSF (Lagos) and AR 19 NRK (Oyo).

    A food-seller, Mrs. Oguntoyinbo Bilikisu, said the hoodlums destroyed her utensils and stole her money.

    A 60-year-old man, Godwin Aneke, said he was attacked and his money and mobile phone stolen.

    One of the owners of the vandalised vehicles, Mr. Foluso Abiodun, said he was at home when the hoodlums arrived and ordered that he should stop washing his car.

    He alleged that in the presence of policemen, the hoodlums vandalised his car and others in the compound.