₦airaland Forum

By Izunna Okafor, Awka

A cloud of sorrow and reactions enveloped parts of Awka, the Anambra State capital, on Sunday following the tragic death of a young masquerade allegedly hit by a moving tricycle (popularly known as Keke Napep) during the ongoing Imo Awka festival.

The incident, which occurred in the afternoon, reportedly involved a boy dressed in masquerade attire participating in the annual Imo Awka celebration — a prominent cultural festival in the city known for its rich display of traditional masquerades and ancestral rites.

Eyewitnesses said the young masquerade was hit by a Keke rider while parading on the road as part of the festivities, an unfortunate collision that led to severe injuries, particularly to the head, resulting in instant death.

Confirming this via a post and video from the scene of the incident shared on Sunday, a Facebook user, Iyke Orji, who was among the first to break the news, described the incident as heartbreaking. According to him, the masquerade's head was crushed, and the entire atmosphere turned mournful immediately after the incident.

Tagged “Sad in Awka,” the post reads: “This afternoon in Awka, ‘Imo Awka’ masquerades were seen everywhere. One small boy masquerade was hit by a Keke napep and his head crushed. It was indeed a sad day.”

The unfortunate incident, has, however sparked off mixed reactions from residents and social media users, many of whom expressed grief over the incident and called for better safety precautions during such traditional events involving children.

While the identity of the victim had not been disclosed as of the time of filing this report, several commenters also mocked the deceased, making joke of the incident and questioning how a masquerade could be said to be dead. Some others also call for hosting of such celebration at the village square instead of on roads.

This reporter, Izunna Okafor, also gathered that there has also been casualty or tragic outcome associated with the Imo Awka Festival almost every year.

The Imo Awka festival, report says, is an age-long traditional celebration in Awka Kingdom, revered for its spiritual significance and believed to mark the symbolic return of ancestral spirits. The festival features various traditional rites, performances by different masquerade groups, and parades through major streets of the town, which usually holds on May every year.

https://onyokomita.com/in-anambra-mixed-reactions-as-young-imo-awka-masquerade-dies-in-keke-accident-video/


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYg2Pd--k48?si=QLJr8yW7sp7i4FsZ

A mortal spirit.

R.I.P.

The gods must be crazy.

Spirit don loose guard.

Barbaric backward savages

Egungun be careful na express you dey go

Hmm, Igbos!

A joyful and playful moments turn out to be a sad day R.I.P hallower

That guy fit never chop for days

Spirit back to spirit land

obedients go be like, even spirit die for this Tinubu era😹...
RIP egungun

The tinubu effect


Don't mention me o


I really feel for the family of the young lad🥵

Egungun enter express road carelessly.

Many communities restricted masquerade festivals to the masquerade square and arena but the people concerned will not obey the law and would rather be on the road, which is very risky.

People making jokes about the death of a fellow human

Masquerade display should be moribund in the 21st Century!

Egungun be careful

So the gods have no odeshi, what a world

Indigenous religion in the mud.

Scam of the gods

Egungun be careful, na express you dey go....

e don happen. I don tell am.

motor don jam am.

rip egungun


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQDYAh3XwNY


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2pbfkh0hiA?si=KvSEghZx4ymryAPJ

This festival called Imo Awka that is dedicated to the idol called by the same name owns all the monkeys in Awka and that is why nobody kills monkeys in Awka. The festival itself venerates the ancestral spirit of Imo and is used to invoke the spirit of violence and the dead. Every year this festival is celebrated, it will always record violent death and bloodshed of youths either through accidents like this, stabbings, gunfights & knife fights. Sometimes the number of death can reach up to five or more and the blood from this deaths are used to renew the covenant with the spirit of Imo Awka.

Awka Christians & youths should rise up and do something against this bloody festival

The song "Egungun be careful na express you dey go" comes to mind.

He played with the devil in his yard and now he has been taken. May God have mercy on his soul. Rip.

Masquerade died twice

How can ancestor die again.

sleek214:
Egungun be careful na express you dey go

Now, it makes sense. 🥲

Ara orun pada si orun finally. Heavenly being return to heaven finally. So nobody kpai anybody.

Life is for the living...

There is no greater stupidity than an adult who believes masquarades are our ancestral Gods. This has never been a belief in Igbo culture, otherwise show me the masquarade named Chukwu Okike Abiama, Osebuluwa, Olisa, Chinaeke, etc.

RIP. Some of these comments are annoying.

.

The gods don die

Ain't spirits meant to be immortal?