₦airaland Forum

Yujin:
Achikwu I believe is found in almost all old Aguata LGA. It's rarity is due to the fact that it doesn't come out in the day and even at night when it emerges, all light source are switched off. It's retinue are mostly old men with lots of spiritual powers. It's said to possess spiritual powers to the level of having a woman barren for life if she sees from wherever hidden position she is. Have you ever seen a picture of Achikwu or even know how it looks? This will tell you how scarce it is.

not only in old aguata, we have them arround other parts of anambra like enugu ukwu n some other places. Most of them perform in the 9t but that of Ekwulobia performs during the day. Ogbaagu is another type of masqurade that performs in the night in Ekwulobia but its very deadly. Women whom sees them can go barren for years.

Sommydisaster:
You're my brother.... I'm from irefi precisely

oh ndi obodo dike i am ifite nice meeting you bro

dfrost:
That's the spirit. Don't leave her. If every female, keeps saying "leave me, leave me...", dem go born person from tree?

I don't know what you're talking about.

AyakaDunukofia:
The bottom line is that they are two words identical in sound and spelling but different in meaning. And as a matter of proper information, should have been used in the proper context here. All the same, enjoy the thread.

I don't understand what you posted.

You said it means warrior, lion there.

I said it means warrior, warrior spirit in Igboland.

Where is the difference then?

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Shelloween:
In Igbo culture, the masquerade (Mmanwu) embodies the spirit and human worlds. The mystique surrounding the masquerade is one of the key components of the Igbo culture that survived Western influences,

It is generally believed in the Igboland that the masquerade is a spirit which springs from the soil. The masquerades are classified into categories based on specialization. Each masquerade possesses particular attributes (warrior-like prowess, mystical powers, youthfulness, and old age) and specializes in one or more skills (dancing skills, acrobatics, and other ritual manifestations).

Masquerading may involve one person team or a team made up of instrument players, vocalists, dancers, masquerade advisers, and the masquerade itself. Most masquerades are covered from head to toe with some piece of clothing or/and bamboo rafters, a wooden mask is worn over the face. The mask will vary depending on the type of masquerade and the place of origin within the Igboland. Some masks are designed to be beautiful, intimidating or downright sinister. Most masquerades claim to have some mystical powers and are constantly competing to see which one has the most mystical powers, whenever they appear together especially at village squares or funerals. The masquerade appears during traditional celebrations, funerals and festivals especially the new yam festival.

Below are the Top 25 Most Popular Igbo Masquerades

1. Ijele Masquerade

Ijele is a special and most popular Igbo masquerade and the largest mask system ever to enter the history of the world masking tradition. Ijele has its origin from the norther part of Igbo land (Anambra and Enugu State, Nigeria). known as the biggest Masquerade in Sub-Saharan Africa, Ijele was listed in the UNESCO Archives as an intangible cultural element in need of urgent safeguarding.

Ijele masquerade is the King of all Masquerades and as such has 45 different other masquerades perform on top of it in the olden days. Presently, the 45 masquerades are represented by the 45 figurines seen on top of Ijele. The myth and size of Ijele is wholesome as every aspect of life is depicted on Ijele. It is the climax of all masquerades hence performs alone and mostly last.

richmanrichard:
not only in old aguata, we have them arround other parts of anambra like enugu ukwu n some other places. Most of them perform in the 9t but that of Ekwulobia performs during the day. Ogbaagu is another type of masqurade that performs in the night in Ekwulobia but its very deadly. Women whom sees them can go barren for years.

I was thinking it was just old Aguata alone that you can find it.

We have both Odo and Omaba(omebe)
Masquerades

sassysure:
I'm trying to wrap my head around ogbaagu.

Can u help me out please.

Ogbaagu ekwulobia, right?

Yes bro

pazienza:
Your assistant parish or whoever that is doing that nonsense is an ignorant person, likewise those who accept his myopic views.
There is nothing like Delta, Enugu, Anambra,, Ebonyi, etc Igbo.
What we have is just Igbo.

Not even every part of SE is Igbo.

Next time, don't subscribe to the opinions of ignorant Igbos.
Your husband is Igbo, that's all. If they ask the part of Igboland, just Say Enu-ani, Ika, Ukwuani, etc, as the case might be.
Stop feeding their ignorance.

In most parishes in Warri diocese, they have Anioma Catholic community and then Igbo Catholic community

Shelloween:
4. Agaba:
The Agaba masquerade as a character is that of a warrior represented in its name that literally connotes “lets go”. The Agaba major attribute is warrior-like prowess, which specializes, in ritual manifestations. The chanting that accompanies the Agaba cut across ethnic dialects and cultures among the Igbos.





5. Odo:
Odo is a masquerade of the Igbo people peculiar to the northern Igbo people of Enugu State. Odo masquerade represents a deity who affords the living a chance to commune with their dead in line with the Igbo Traditional belief. During Odo festival, The dead is said to work freely among the living.


6. Ekpe:
The Ekpe masquerade is popular among the Igbo of Abia State, Enugu state and Ebonyi State. Most Ekpe masquerade are used to enforce law in the community and its said to be the link to their ancestors.

7. Igariga:
There are also the crowd masquerades that are used during burial ceremonies of titled men and at ofala festivals. Such masquerades are common among young men and usually carry canes with which they scare people away.

8. Ekpo:
The Ekpo masquerade acts as a police man who enforces the laws of the land especially the laws of the Ekpo. The Ekpo masquerade is popular among the Igbo of Abia state especially those within Arochukwu.


9. Omewaluigwe:
The Omewaluigwe on its own side is a wise masquerade in the sense that it is known for its talkative nature. It goes around making proverbs and speaking parables, while its followers and the audience applaud it.


10. Agbogho mmuo:
Agbogho Mmuo masquerade are maiden spirit masks that represent the spirit of dead girls that have manifested in the dancer to come back to parade in their communities. The masks also symbolise the ideals of female beauty among many Nri-Awka Igbo communities.


11. Mmanwu Ugo:
Mmanwu Ugo, Eagle masquerade is an entertainment masquerade popular among the people of Anambra. These assume the appearance of the creatures that they have their names attached. And during their display, they do things that are peculiar to those creatures.

12. Enyikwonwa:
Enyi kwo nwa is a popular masquerade among the igbo of Enugu state, The masquerade which are usually two in number are accompanied by it cult members. While the masquerade perform to to tone of the music being played by its cult member, its charm carrier clears the way for them.


13. Mmanwu Atu :
These assume the appearance of the creatures that they have their names attached. And during their display, they do things that are peculiar to those creatures.



14. Mkpamkpankụ:
is a very serious, fully masculine-featured masquerade. Mkpamkpankụ is brisk, aggressive, agile and notorious in its own way. It has the appearance of a person. This masquerade is active to the extent that about two or more strong men are ever around it to with the rope that is tied around its west to draw it back from over acting.


15. Odum mmanwu:
These assume the appearance of the creatures that they have their names attached. And during their display, they do things that are peculiar to those creatures.


16. Otawaru Ikpo:
Otawaru Ikpo is a dreadful but entertaining masquerade with mystical powers that enables it dance on cassava leaves.



17. Odogwu:
The ODOGWU masquerade is a youthful and aggressive character represented by a mask that insinuates “Bloodshot eyed rebel”. Its major attribute is demonstration of youthfulness with specialty in intimidation. The Odogwu is also known for the highly charged chanting that accompany its rhythms.

18. Ojionu:
The Ojionu masquerade is a water spirit character represented by a headdress of crocodiles, sharks and other water creatures. The major attribute of Ojionu is creative non-stop dancing.



19. Okwomma:
The Okwomma: is the type that carries a cutlass, well sharpened. It uses this to shake hands, to collect money and to greet people who are in the cult, or other great masquerades.

20. Ngwu:
Ngwu is a popular igbo masquerade named after the ngwu deity, the ngwo masquerade only comes out once if a while or during the burial of a great man or initiate in the community, Ngwu masquerades are great dancers. Most ngwu masquerade are seen at the graveside of an initiate lamenting just before and after the person has been laid to rest.


21. Ebu:
The Ebu masquerades usually come out of a box, the masquerade have the ability to fold itself like a paper, grow very tall and also make itself short.

22. Omaba:
Omaba is a popular Igbo masquerade among the Igbos within the northern Igbo area of Nsukka, Omaba masquerade comes in different masks and mostly appear and display during the omaba festival.

23. Mgbadike:
Mgbadike is a warrior masquerade which wields axes and cutlass, and its guide would use the cutlass to cut open his mouth without inflicting any injury on himself.

24. Udo Akpu Enyi:
The Okwomma is the type that carries a cutlass, well sharpened. It uses this to shake hands, to collect money and to greet people who are in the cult, or other great masquerades.



25. Ajofia:
Ajofia meaning Evil forest is a popular masquerade from the nnewi axis of Anambra state, it is said that Ajofia doesn’t come out during festive periods, only when a “Strong” titled man passes on.

The odugwu masquerade is an ozor, the high chief of masquerades, it has back to sender.. It does not nak jazz but any attempt to try its jazz returns to the sender..

Odogwu is not a youthful masquerade.. Even other masquerades respect..
Odogwu anya nme

Aromi:
oh ndi obodo dike i am ifite nice meeting you bro

Bless, I'm following you bro

Yujin:
Nwa-utam is in Bonny area right?

I think so.. around rivers and ukwa axis

LarrySun:
I don't know what you're talking about.

Me sef don't know I'm talking about. It was because of the rabbit that crossed the road, so the keke man hit his brakes with force that now made the BMW hit it.

The almighty Ijele Umuoji brought glory to Anambra when we won the national cultural festival during Obi's regime. Thereby featuring on the Nigerian international passport. Umuoji tisialu nmuo tie Odogwu omenana and the greatest of Uzoiyi, Aku Ezu Ozo

[quote author=Obdk post=87500769]The odugwu masquerade is an ozor, the high chief of masquerades, it has back to sender.. It does not nak jazz but any attempt to try its jazz returns to the sender..

Odogwu is not a youthful masquerade.. Even other masquerades respect..
Odogwu anya nme[/quote

Typical Odogwu masquerade

Probably the oldest masquerade in Igbo land

Aku Ezu Ozo ( wealth alone don't guarantee the Nze title)

Agaba Aneke, Umuoji

Didn't know how anty spambot works.
Banned me from here since yesterday

KosiGee:
Achukwu Ekwulobia is still the most popular. People from Isuofia, Nanka, Aguluzoigbo, Oko do visit Ekwulobia for their achukwu.

Afuzo Isuofia, Ugwueke, Oko are not what they used to be back in the days. Only Afo-udo nanka still bubbles with activities due to second-tier masquerades and football.

U are an original son of the soil

Add afor and nwagù agùlù too. Those places though.
Watched a popular Nigerian food vlog channel where the lady took her son to nwagù to watch masquerades last Christmas.
So lovely

Ndeewoo nwanne mmadù

richmanrichard:
not only in old aguata, we have them arround other parts of anambra like enugu ukwu n some other places. Most of them perform in the 9t but that of Ekwulobia performs during the day. Ogbaagu is another type of masqurade that performs in the night in Ekwulobia but its very deadly. Women whom sees them can go barren for years.

See that ogbaagu, we have seen them in the nights as kids

I don't know how to explain this actually but yes, we have seen them.

But u don't talk about what u saw

ChrisKels:
In Isuikwuato, Abia State, we don't know what is called Nmawu really, we call it ekpo instead, and they come in different forms.

Nothing dey give me joy reach "oso ekpo ndi Ovum and Ahaba Imenyi"

I thought ekpo is Yoruba masquerade.

I have been there for marriage.
We saw enwe on the road around one big cashew plantation.
So lovely.

sassysure:
U are an original son of the soil

Add afor and nwagù agùlù too. Those places though.
Watched a popular Nigerian food vlog channel where the lady took her son to nwagù to watch masquerades last Christmas.
So lovely

Ndeewoo nwanne mmadù

Yagazie broda. Nanka has managed to preserve most of their masquerade/culture from being eroded by Christianity. I think the reason is because in one of their villages called agbiligba-nanka, they practice both very strong African -traditional religion and also some orthodox Christianity. The notorious Dada-Nanka is from agbiligba...so are most of their very formidable and scary masquerades like mkpologwu (pronounced as roots) they used to have others called ‘Udo’ (rope) and okpolompi...you’d see these between Nwagu and Afor-udo...mkpologwu comes out once in a blue moon. I think you can compare it to ‘Ajofia’ Nnewi...just to mention that nanka still has their Alusi Ududonka. Most towns have destroyed theirs.
Isuofia has their Agaba masquerade from Akulu village. This village is famous for their strong blacksmithing tradition. Almost every family here has someone who can forge metals. There are some very scary masquerades too from umueze-Isuofia but I’m not sure if those still come out. They’d normally come out during Iri-ji festival back in the days when Igwe Ezeabasili was alive and on the throne.

millyj:
Whenever I say am married to an igbo man, people ask when he is from,I tell them and they say no be Igbo na!!! Na we wa be across the Niger be Igbo. So am use to mentioning he is Igbo from Delta State before am been asked.even in my parish our assistant parish always say it's time for Thanksgiving,only the Igbo from across the Niger are to come out.

That's quite terrible and ignorant of thos people. Please try to educate them that Igbo is Igbo, state is just a mere geographical location.
Cheers

.

pazienza:
Your assistant parish or whoever that is doing that nonsense is an ignorant person, likewise those who accept his myopic views.
There is nothing like Delta, Enugu, Anambra,, Ebonyi, etc Igbo.
What we have is just Igbo.

Not even every part of SE is Igbo.

Next time, don't subscribe to the opinions of ignorant Igbos.
Your husband is Igbo, that's all. If they ask the part of Igboland, just Say Enu-ani, Ika, Ukwuani, etc, as the case might be.
Stop feeding their ignorance.

My brother it's very terrible the mentality of our Igbo, maybe i would say it's one of the unfortunate ripple effects of the war but the war is almost 50 years in history, we really need to enlighten and correct this worrisome narrative.

Im from Nando, i grew up in Onitsha and Asaba, i have been to all parts of Igbo land and i not seen any reason whatsoever why i would consider myself a "Pure" Igbo because I'm from Anambra and Igbo another guy is "not pure Igbo" because he is from Bonny or Agbor. It doesn't just make sense how our people think.

Thank you

Thane:
That's quite terrible and ignorant of thos people. Please try to educate them that Igbo is Igbo, state is just a mere geographical location.
Cheers

I love masquerades

dfrost:
Me sef don't know I'm talking about. It was because of the rabbit that crossed the road, so the keke man hit his brakes with force that now made the BMW hit it.

Hahahahaha!