My View On Reforming Ebira Masquerade - by Yusuf Abdulkabir Omonubi

As the debate on reforming Ebira Masquerading continues, an Ebira popular commentator on sociopolitical affairs, Yusuf Abdulkabir Omonubi dropped this opinion...

"One major reform will be to bring down the number of masquerades drastically and restrict it to certain age range.

Tighten the processes of obtaining licences especially as it has to do with sureties and guarantors. 

"All masquerades should be traceable to a particular clan as such clans should be key stakeholders in reducing the number of masquerades as every clan depending on their sizes may have to be allocated the number of masquerades they can promote. 

"The indiscriminate outing of masquerades can easily be curtailed. Masquerades should be restricted to their seasons and special outings must be sanctioned and approved. These special outings can also be restricted to a certain number in the year.

"What we call Orere...i.e the opportunity to have all the masquerades converging in a particular area to perform can be taken to restricted area like the stadium AP was suggesting and this can be where ticketing can be introduced. 

"During any procession by masquerades, we have seen some of the organisers attempting to ensure traffic flow. Yes they may not be effective only because it has not been set as one of the guidelines for issuing licences. Any masquerade, who in the view of the monitoring team did not do a good job in managing traffic can be sanctioned or denied a licence in subsequent seasons. 

"No reform in any sector is ever going to be easy but no reform is beyond government if they are committed to mobilising ideas, people and resources to achieve such reform. 

FACTS ABOUT "OUR" MASQUERADES:

1. OUR PEOPLE LOVES MASQUERADES 

2. IT GENERATES HAPPINESS AMONGST PEOPLE AND IT'S VISIBLE. 

3. IT'S A STRONG MOBILISATION TOOL 

4. STICKS AND FLOGGING CANNOT BE TAKEN AWAY ESPECIALLY IF IT'S DONE BY ONLY THE MASQUERADES AND NOT THEIR SUPPORTERS 

5. IT'S A HUGE TOURISM ADVENTURE IF WELL PLANNED 

6. ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES INCREASES DURING MASQUERADE OUTINGS 

7. STREET PROCESSION CANNOT BE TAKEN AWAY FROM IT.

Update on the above opinion:

On the recent ban of masquerades by the Okene local government chairman, Yusuf Abdulkabir submitted this:

 "This is not enough though. There is need to follow up with stakeholders meetings to put in place some of the reforms we have been advocating particularly on how to reduce the number of masquerades drastically, take young adults and children out of it,expand the process of screening their applications for permit with some notable community leaders as their sureties and or guarantors who can be held responsible for their conduct, strict compliance to their own calendars and curb indiscriminate outings of masquerades and hand down a code of conduct guidelines that will ensure peaceful coexistence. It's a challenge we have already allowed to overwhelm us before attempting to find solutions just like it's our attitude with so many aspects of governance as it relates to the welfare of the people. Governance is about serving the interest of the people and the people ways of life and their activities generally are where government should generate the templates for initiating reforms and putting in place regulations to maintain law and order. Most importantly, there must be consequences for breaking the law and order. If government and community leaders are failing in these responsibilities, they should be wholly held responsible and accountable. The chairman should not just announce this ban and go to sleep. He must follow up with massive sensitisation while assuring the people that reforms are underway. Let's tune down on blackmail and sentiments. Let's genuinely help our people. All aspects of the society have degenerated and we cannot treat one in isolation. It has to be a collective action. 

Our girls are on the streets and people, including some of us are taking advantage of them. What are we doing about them?. Drug abuse is pervasive in our society today, what are we doing about it? There are out of school children roaming the streets, what are we doing about them? There are graduates out there without alternative as to what they can do other than seeking employment,what are we doing about them? How many schools are well equipped out there in ebiraland? Where are the skill acquisition centres? Whare are the farm settlement schemes? Where are the cottage industries? Where is power, water and other infrastructures to ensure a decent society. As long as we are paying lip service to these issues, we are simply looking at symptoms and not causes.

Yusuf Abdulkabir Omonubi 

Writes from Abuja