Six masquerades were arrested at Okwor Ngbo market in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State for allegedly beating people and going against the ban on parading masquerades on market days.
It was gathered that leaders of the Ngbo community had earlier warned the youths to stop using masquerades to harass and disturb market women and collect money from them.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Hon. Onah Chinedu Ogba, who spearheaded the ban, has said that he is not against masquerade display.
The Deputy Speaker in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media, Joshua Ebenyi, said any masquerade caught in Okwo Market and major roads will face the wrath of the law.
“Rt Hon Onah Chinedu Ogba the Deputy Speaker of Ebonyi State and an illustrious son of Abarigwe Umuogudu Oshia Ngbo in Ohaukwu Local Government Area has today expressed his ill feelings towards the constant parading of masquerades in Okwo Market and the major roads of Ngboejeogu and had called it a mayhem and a bridge to the successful trading in the general market,” the statement read.
“We are not in any way preaching against the cultural displays such as masquerading but it should be on our various village squares and playground. Okwo market is a place for exchange of goods and services and host people from different place and cultural backgrounds and masquerading distracts the business activities and subjects people to unnecessary tense and running around which has led many to sustaining serious injuries and therefore should be stopped entirely,”
“Consequently, it has been aired and further announced that any masquerade caught around the aforementioned places will face the wrath of the law as hoodlums use the opportunity to display their cultic fracas, witch-hunt people and further give people injuries which is the opposite of the original intents of our forefathers.
“More so, all the native doctors in Okwo market are also advised to take all their activities and enchantments out from okwo market but to their different destinations as anyone caught in such an act will have more regrets than gains.”
