₦airaland Forum

In some parts of Igboland, there are Nmonwus that appears only in the night and hates seeing light for reasons known and instituted by tradition.

Uchenna: It is interesting to note that in 2002 at Abidjan, I met a lady from Equatorial Guinea whose name is Nwanyieze. At first I thought she was a Nigeria until she narrated her history to me. Though she does not speak Igbo but her parents though born in Equatorial Guinea do speak Igbo. According to her, her great grand parents were Igbo of Aro extraction.
When I aked her if she would love to visit Arochukwu, she said yes but does not know where to go and how to go about it.
I think the Aro people should seek for ways to unite with kins in Equatorial Guinea.

I know that there is a tiny Igbo population in Cameroun. Are they of Aro stock?.

ziddy:
I wonder how easy it is for Igbo people, walking around with a chip the size of Nigeria on their shoulders. Igbo this, Igbo that, every f.king minute.

Since the Igbo scares life out of you, why not go and hang?.

@the poster: This your stupendous thread is good for the waste bin.

Fhemmmy:
I wonder what Edwin and Jonathan has in common . . .

What else, if not for those colonial cowboy hats. Oh!, they both bear non-native surnames.
What a shame.

That old hag called Edwin Clarke, what can I say of him. He says something, it gets into the ear and and immediately vanishes through the other ear.
If Ebele wants to succeed, he should avoid that old hag.

Michael Obi does not do nairalanding. Go and see him at Chelsea training ground in Cobham.

Agu-Okonko is practised in the Okigwe south constituency of Imo state. Notable communities with this cultural practice are:
Umuihi
Amakohia.
Lowa.
Odenkume.
Umuakagu Nsu.
Umuderim.

[flash=425,345]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlIekNIPfTA[/flash]


THE ABOVE VIDEO IS AGU-OKONKO MASQUERADE. WOMEN CAN TAKE PART ONLY IN DANCING.

asha 80:
The indegenes there should not be spared.What stops them them from filming with a camera or even phone and uploading it on youtube?Do you think that those other ones on youtube where put there by majorly culture groups?

I have always known anyway that the 'northern igbo' take there culture and cultural activities a bit more seriously that 'southern igbo'

You are right. Nevertherless, Imo state government has an annual culturefest called Omenaimo (Ozuruimo) where all the masquerades and traditional dances are displayed. Prizes are won in different categories. I did take part in OzuruImo 1993 at Dan Anyiam stadium Owerri. With the creation of Abia state, the state govt has introduced its own version of Ozuruimo and it is called Ugwuabia.
Generally, I must commend the efforts of Igbo states and territories in preserving masquerade tradition. I watched the video film of Anioma cultural festival at Asaba last year. It was colourful. I have not forgotten the Nmonwu displays at Okpara square Enugu that I use to watch then.

@Poster: Surely you have an acute malaria.

Nmonwu (masquerades) is used in intercommunity or town celebration. Above all, it is used in interacting with notable men in the society by visiting them and receiving gift from the people visited. Some of the gifts include drinks, yams and money. This aspect is very prominent in Agu-Okonko festivals of Obowu, Isinweke and Nsu Mbano areas of Imo state and this poster happens to come from this area. Nmonwu is not idol worshipping but tradition.
Let us embrace the practice of Nmonwu but should discourage the practitioners from attaching bad magic intentions with it.

Masquerades goes by different titles in Igboland. The roles of the masquerades outlined in this thread is mostly practised in the Anioma/Anambra/Enugu axis. Nmonwu is also practised in Imo state e.g Aro Ndizogu, Okigwe and Isiala Mbano.
Outside this areas, Nmonwu or whatever name is called is mostly for celebration and entertainment.

Wbong:
is this thread only for igbo masquerades?

NO.
Other Nigerian ethnic groups do masquerades. But masquerades, just like kola nuts, is most celebrated by Ndigbo. Remember, Yorubas plant kola nuts and Hausas eats it most, yet Ndigbo celebrate it most.

Nmonwu also enhances the collection of levies in the town or village. Nmonwu is used in keeping the town warm and without Nmonwu no feast will be exciting because Nmonwu is a part of our celebrations and entertainment.
Nmonwu visits funeral ceremonies especialy where notable, aged people die. They show him respect because the man worked hard for the community. This does not apply to women because,,,,