By Ismail M. Kabir
Contrary to the speculations that the return of Echane festival may trigger violent crisis in Ebira land, the custodians of the Eku (Masquerades) seem to have come of age and improved on the modus operandi.
In a bid to assess, first-hand, the manner with which the festival is being celebrated by the followers, EbiraView went round Okene, Eika and Okengwe towns where the masquerades freely entertain to the applause of the cheerful spectators.
It could be recalled that the state government placed a ban on the Echane festival following violent crises that trailed the celebration in recent years. With the relative peace in Ebira land that followed the recent deployment of soldiers to smoke out all terrorists element in the area, the ban on the festival has been lifted consequent to efforts from concerned groups and individuals most of whose identities remain unclear.
In Okene today (Monday June 10th 2013), a team of anti-riot policemen loaded in about 5 vans were seen combat-ready and heading towards Idozumi round-about, a square used as a display platform for the masquerades. Upon arriving the fully-packed scene, a couple of youth under the auspices of Peace Committee quickly approached the police team to assure them of peaceful conduct. The Eku spectators who queued on roof tops and other spaces where they find safe from the Eku canes could hardly notice the police presence as they were carried away by the 'light flogging' and mysterious dance-steps of the masquerades.
The police team left the scene almost immediately as the masquerades continued their scary chases of its excited followers. The peace committee numbering in tens were seen at close distance with virtually every masquerade to discourage misconducts and careless flogging.
Apparently, the guided tour of the masquerades in this year's Echane festival particularly within Okene town is a shift from the ruthless attitudes attributive of the festival where both the masquerades and its followers mercilessly flogged commuters and passers-by. Even, the forceful exhtortion of money from unsuspecting pedestrians and market women now seem a thing of the past as women gladly hand out tokens from their petty sales to the masked spirits.
Our attempt to get comments from the peace committee proved abortive as each member was busy guiding one masquerades or the other. Cameramen and commercial photographers were given free access to the masquerades which numbered over twenty.
The public is uncertain whether the peaceful conduct of this year's festival in Okene and Okehi Local councils can be sustained till its nine-day period. Should the maturity exhibited in these areas lasts, a better outcome could be expected from Adavi local government where the youths are warming up to their own celebration expected to kick-off in few days time.
Gallery from the performing square (Okene, Okengwe and Eika)
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| Eku Echichi parades in Okengwe |
In a bid to assess, first-hand, the manner with which the festival is being celebrated by the followers, EbiraView went round Okene, Eika and Okengwe towns where the masquerades freely entertain to the applause of the cheerful spectators.
It could be recalled that the state government placed a ban on the Echane festival following violent crises that trailed the celebration in recent years. With the relative peace in Ebira land that followed the recent deployment of soldiers to smoke out all terrorists element in the area, the ban on the festival has been lifted consequent to efforts from concerned groups and individuals most of whose identities remain unclear.
In Okene today (Monday June 10th 2013), a team of anti-riot policemen loaded in about 5 vans were seen combat-ready and heading towards Idozumi round-about, a square used as a display platform for the masquerades. Upon arriving the fully-packed scene, a couple of youth under the auspices of Peace Committee quickly approached the police team to assure them of peaceful conduct. The Eku spectators who queued on roof tops and other spaces where they find safe from the Eku canes could hardly notice the police presence as they were carried away by the 'light flogging' and mysterious dance-steps of the masquerades.
The police team left the scene almost immediately as the masquerades continued their scary chases of its excited followers. The peace committee numbering in tens were seen at close distance with virtually every masquerade to discourage misconducts and careless flogging.
Apparently, the guided tour of the masquerades in this year's Echane festival particularly within Okene town is a shift from the ruthless attitudes attributive of the festival where both the masquerades and its followers mercilessly flogged commuters and passers-by. Even, the forceful exhtortion of money from unsuspecting pedestrians and market women now seem a thing of the past as women gladly hand out tokens from their petty sales to the masked spirits.
Our attempt to get comments from the peace committee proved abortive as each member was busy guiding one masquerades or the other. Cameramen and commercial photographers were given free access to the masquerades which numbered over twenty.
The public is uncertain whether the peaceful conduct of this year's festival in Okene and Okehi Local councils can be sustained till its nine-day period. Should the maturity exhibited in these areas lasts, a better outcome could be expected from Adavi local government where the youths are warming up to their own celebration expected to kick-off in few days time.
Gallery from the performing square (Okene, Okengwe and Eika)
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