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| This masquerade from Steve Kasher Gallery shows a typical African masquerade |
It is a well known fact that the "egwugwu" was the enforcement arm of Okpanam socio-political life before the coming of modern civilisation. In the haydays of its introduction, it was used as the local equivalent of the police which forced communal decisions on the recalcitrant.
However, so much has changed. the coming of modern police has taken away the attraction of policing leaving the group a shell of its old self. Now desperate for relevance, some politicians have delved into the group to use it to seek relevance.
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| Courtesy Okpanam Indegenes on facebook |
A threat to the peace of Okpanam may have ensued when it was alleged that the masquerade was arrested and detained even though momentarily. The youths are up in arm and are threatening to burn down the police station. They are alleging a desecration of their age old tradition of the highest respect for the Egwugwu. Matters are worsen by the fact that almost all the policemen at the Opkanam police post are non-indigenes. This is a dangerous twist that should be handled with caution if things are not to get out of hand.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile further investigations are indicating that the masquerade may have been deployed to coax people to go and vote. Why the masquerade was involved in mobilising voters is a huge cause for concern amongst residents and indigenes as it is well known that the Okpanam masquerades can not take a position on any political issue because membership is open to members of all political parties even to the apolitical.
A couple of the youths arrested are still under detention even though prominent natives are running all over town seeking a peaceful solution to the crisis.