By Emma Arubi / Snr. Correspondent, Warri
SUNDAY, October 9, would forever remain indelible in the minds of all indigenes and residents of the Itsekiri ancient town of Koko, the headquarters of Warri North council area of Delta State. That day, the community’s masquerade called “Ipi” was out, displaying the rich Itsekiri culture and custom and entertaining the community elders and youths, including girls, children and women who usually engage the masquerade in a hot rat-race that evokes joy, fear and laughter at once, depending on the angle you get tangled with the Ipi.
That Sunday outing turned out a not too pleasant one for the entire Itsekiri nation and Koko community in particular. While the masquerade was performing, a soldier in mufti left his beat and went into the community for unknown reasons and was accosted by one of the masquerade and trouble started.
The soldier in mufti was alleged to have fought the masquerade, an action that was not only unacceptable to the Itsekiri culture but also abominable to the people. The practice is for everyone to run away from it so as not to incur its wrath.
In spite of being cautioned to run away by other persons, the soldier was alleged to have stood his ground and engaged the masquerade in fisticuffs and also manhandled the masquerade.
When the soldier left the scene, he went straight to his base and returned in a van filled with soldiers armed to the teeth and succeeded in whisking away two of the masquerades to their base where they were allegedly unmasked with a female soldier interrogating them and taking their photographs with her GSM phone while they masquerade were lying flat on the bare ground at gun point.
The community elders and youths did not take it lightly. They mobilised to the military base and got the masquerades released while the identity card and other items taken from the soldier were returned by an elder of the community to the military boss.
For the community, this singular act of arrest was criminal, sacrilegious and unacceptable in the tradition and custom of the people. They said the community must be cleansed by the soldier involved by way of sacrifice to the gods of the land. They also said the cleansing must be done because a female soldier unmasked the masquerade.
In the Itsekiri custom, things of the shrine and masquerade are not allowed to be touched and seen the womenfolk. So after settling the matter with the military and they in turn released the masquerades, the cleansing processes commenced in the night throughout the community.
However, the soldiers again allegedly came to stop the community and prevented them from passing through the main road of the town.
This act angered the youths again who were now prepared for a showdown with them until the elders and wise counsel prevailed to avoid bloodshed.
It would appear as if the soldiers were out to foment trouble in Koko community. Early morning on October 10, the soldiers again came and barricaded the only access road to the town and prevented free movement in and out of the community and also arrested some elders and youths and took them to their base, thus setting the tone for another round of fracas.
Speaking to Daily Independent on condition of anonymity, a youth leader, whose father was among those arrested and was given corporal punishment, said: “The soldier who came into the community in mufti came to look for trouble intentionally. Instead of giving way for the masquerade, he stubbornly stood his ground and waited for the action of the masquerade. Does he not have culture from wherever he came? Are these soldiers not Nigerians? Don’t they respect other people’s traditions wherever they are posted?”, he queried in anger.
Another resident, who spoke on the same condition, said “Policemen know the culture here and bide by it year-in-year out. In fact, we do not want these soldiers here again; they are arbitrary in most of their actions in Koko and they take delight in harassing our girls and youths in the community for selfish reasons. What we want here is a Marine Police Base in the river. Their excesses have gotten out of hand.”
The Warri monarch was in Koko on Tuesday to see the community head, Chief Victor Nanna, for possible way out of the quagmire.
Similarly, the military High Command in the state has stepped into the matter and was in Koko for discussion with the community leaders, even as the lady soldier involved in the alleged sacrilege has been redeployed.
The member representing Warri Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Dan Reyenieju, has also taken up the matter with the Commanding Officer, who promised to diligently handle the case to calm frayed nerves.
The Koko community elders were also at the palace of the Olu of Warri on Wednesday to brief His Majesty on the ongoing efforts to resolve the matter even as Chief Victor Nanna emphasised the need for the soldiers to respect other people’s culture.
When contacted on the issue, the Koko Divisional Police Officer, Joseph Aba Omajade, declined comment even as the state Police Public Relations Officer, Celestina Kalu, would not pick up her calls.
Whatever is the case, the security agents must respect the cultural practices of any community they find themselves as all tribes in Africa have traditional practices, not minding the Christian posture of individuals.
According to Mr. Ajurenmisan of Koko town, “after all their guns and uniforms were bought with taxpayers’ money and, therefore, should not be used to harass or intimidate the common man in his own community”.
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