Housewives across Asaba and its environs, Delta State have strategized to dress up their husbands in grass like woven attire of masquerades to aid for funds.
Investigation revealed that the dressed masquerade husbands more often in the celebration of ahead of Christmas/New year, are accompanied by some young boys who drum, dance with them while under the masquerade procession guise demand for funds.
Along the major roads in Asaba such as Nnebisi, Okpanam, Summit, the young boys/middle aged men go out in the morning, appearing in masquerades’ outfit, dancing and begging for alms as perform a little before any of them willing to watch them. At end of each dance, they are given some token of about N200, 00 and N300, 00.
One of them interviewed, said “You will not believe it, I have to go into this to enable me and my family survive and meet up with the Christmas demands. I started up very early all the way from Aku-Ofu across the express, now; here I am in West-end. I set out at about 6am before our neighbours started waking up with my wife dressing me up.
Asked by what’s on how much he has been able to rake in since morning that he set out, he said from behind his masked face that he had on him, about N1, 700, still hopping to go round for more money.
Before he left, he collected N100 for time he spent talking with me. Some of the younger boys clad in masquerades outfits spoken to, said that masquerades are highly revered in Igbo land, especially, during festivities, which they don’t have to wait until the D-day, more so that they have to look for money to meet up the Christmas and New year demands.
“I am an SSS 1 student. I hail from Ohaofia; was born in this Asaba. I brought this masquerade when I traveled to my village last year for Christmas; but right now, I will celebrate it here in Asaba, and as you can see, I have started celebrating to enable me make more money before the Christmas with my friends with me here.
Since last week that we started, we have made up to N6, 000. We hope to go on Christmas break on December 27, to enable us enjoy our money”, he said on behalf of the other two boys beating the drum and gong.
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