EBIRA EKU CULTURE.
The same people who are having a tussle over Imamship in Ebiraland sometime ago are still those coming together to have Masquerade outings (we are so religious).
The same sets of people who go out in masses to the Masjid every Friday and those who go for Sunday services weekly are on the frontline of the Masquerading (don’t doubt).
Who are those doing Eku (Masqurading) in Ebiraland?
- What comes to your mind?
I guess we have majorities of Ebira as Muslims, followed by the Christians which are the leading religions in Kogi Central.
- Traditionalist nko?
That’s where the Clans, the lineage, and customs that bind the people of Ebira are seen in most of their doings.
Many have tried to avert the breaking of Kolanuts in Traditional Marriages and gatherings which some still practice as religion has made us believe which constitutes our faith.
Well, somehow I am not a practice of the traditionalists, but that doesn’t take it out of the people of Ebira (there is no way we can talk about the people without their traditions).
I can see over Social Media how Ebira Masquerade has been materialized as part of the culture and many are having the fun of their lives even ladies are not left out as they can tell which Eku will be out tomorrow or next, and you will get to be surprised how da “f**k did you know?”
Will I say olden days, people don’t know the existence of Ebira Masquerade and who got to be inside the costume back then as I was made to believe that the ancestors and the dead resurfaced to visit the people (but I was blindfolded and it has escalated).
People travel afar to grace the festival period as some ebira sons and daughters celebrate and meet their loved ones in merriment.
Things have changed, culture turned to jokes and for paying scores and harboring hatred as some will use out of bitterness inside them to destroy others and cause a nuisance to the community (Culture turns upside down).
Some as ways of extorting money from others and breaking heads, flogging people up and down, causing gridlock and hold-ups.
Now, a lot know who put on the costumes, and they even bragged about it.
Between you and I, we know “Ebira people love Eku” and somehow unites our men some of the time and if we are going to take it out of Ebiraland it will be so difficult that it has come to stay.
They just love the sightseeing of Masquerade flog head in chants “Taaauuu”.
In any way, I ain’t justifying what to be seen as causing troubles to the people, the flogging of heads here and there to be good but there are ways to make things work to sustain a healthy and peaceful environment.
If you’re Ebira, if you don’t watch or love Eku, you listen to songs from Eku, Omahe, or Ikede (Ebira Traditional songs) and there are still people who don’t belong to any of these.
As the blood of Ebira runs through us, many love Eku and it is undeniable fact.
In all, these people love EKU.
El Yaseer Black Bilal
Okene
Weldon man. Ohiku Ebira will bless you