Opinion

In The Name Of Tradition

Published

1 year ago

August 7, 2024

As children, we were told that masquerades are spirits of our ancestors. Our elders taught us and we also leant from other sources that masquerades in Igbo land serve spiritual, social, and educational purposes, that they are integral part of the cultural fabric of the Igbo people, embodying their beliefs, values and traditions. Growing up, we saw masquerades play some vital roles in our communities such as upholding moral values by punishing wrongdoers and rewarding those who adhere to the societal norms; providing entertainment through elaborate dances, music, and performances at community celebrations and gatherings and many more. But that has changed, especially in Nsukka, Enugu State where Omabe masquerade, popularly referred to as Oriokpa, has become a turn in the flesh of many indigenes and residents. As a secondary school student in the town, many years ago, Oriokpa masquerades were the most dreaded figures because of the way they dealt mercilessly with people, especially young girls and women. The physical assaults, molestations and intimidation were of the highest order.
During Oriokpa season and outing, many pupils and students and even teachers stay away from school for the fear of being brutalised by the masquerades. I recall one faithful day that we were beaten blue and black by a horde of Oriokpa. The school had dismissed, the bordering students returned to the hostels and we the day students and some teachers stood outside the school gate for hours waiting for any means of transport to take us home. No taxis, buses or motorcycles could come near the Urban Girls Secondary School environment because it was Oriokpa season. After some hours of hopeless waiting, a particular “born again” female teacher decided that enough was enough. She cut a branch of a mango tree on the school compound, with her Bible securely tucked in her armpit, she opened the gate and dashed out. Seeing her level of confidence and believing that she would be capable of warding off any masquerade that came near her, almost all the students going the same direction with her, ran after her.
It was a long, lonely, bushy untarred road but we were fearless seeing our leader with a long fresh stick and a Bible and she continued to pray as we moved. But behold, about half way into the journey, within a twinkle of an eye, dozens of Oriokpa masquerades appeared from nowhere and started coming for us. Our courageous born-again teacher could do nothing. Not the stick nor the Bible could be used to confront the large number of masquerades. All the students held her tightly, trembling. Incidentally, our hoped support base was even trembling more than us. She was shaking, begging the masquerades not to harm us. Unfortunately, all our pleas and cries fell on deaf ears. The masquerades descended on us, flogging the daylight out of us as we kept running and screaming. Some of us ran into one uncompleted building along the road but they caught up with us, flogging us like some disobedient slaves. Many of us still bear the physical scars from that experience till date.
The psychological scar is indelible. Painfully, over four decades after, the menace of the Oriokpa masquerades still persists in the university town. Last month, a video of a female nurse being molested by some Oriokpa masquerades trended online. In fact, it is still trending. The victim, Miss Blessing Ogbonna, a staff of a private hospital in Nsukka, was fully kitted, riding her motorbike to the hospital when the masquerades swooped on her and started flogging her until she fell down from the motorbike. She managed to get up and ran, but the hordes of masquerades continued beating her till she fell into a deep drainage. According to her, she did not see the masquerades early enough to run because a tipper blocked her view and before she could see the masquerades, it was too late.
Commendably, some notable people, groups and organisations both within and outside Nsukka including the Enugu State House of Assembly reacted fiercely to the dehumanising act, leading to the suspension of operations of masquerades in the town. Reports have it that in a meeting, summoned by the Nsukka Town Federated Union, which was attended by the Oha Nsukka, the Akpuruaru Nsukka, the Igwes, the Presidents-General of the nine autonomous communities and the youths, a resolution was reached that “Oriokpa masquerade operation has been suspended until further notice to enable the Council of Elders conclude on the assault on Miss Ogbonna and come up with modalities on the Oriokpa masquerade operation.The Enugu State House of Assembly also acted swiftly by setting up an ad-hoc committee to come up with practical measures to regulate the activities of masquerades in the State. The action followed a motion by Honourable Malachy Onyechi on the abuse of human rights, threat to life, and destruction of properties by masquerades in the constituency. Onyechi, who represents the constituency at the state House of Assembly, noted that the menace of masquerades in the area was alarming, as many had either been injured or lost their lives following their activities.
The security agencies also played their part by ensuring the arrest of the suspects involved in the episode and charging them with assault, extortion and blockade of a federal road. All these steps so far taken are commendable. One only hopes that the modalities of operation to be arrived at eventually will be implemented and sustained. This is because similar steps have been taken before. They brought some sanity in the town for sometime but there was a relapse with the passage of time. One of such measures was the restriction of the operation of Oriokpa to the then villages like Echara, Umakashi, Nguru and others. They were not to be seen at Enugu Road, Odenigbo and other urban areas at that time. Incidentally, most of the then rural communities like Echara, Orba Road, Isiakpu, Echara and others are now township areas. They are all built up with a lot of economic activities going on within and around them. These communities are now being inhabited by people of diverse ethnic groups, religions and beliefs. These deserve to have their rights protected.
Masquerades and masquerade festivals are beautiful agelong culture which should be upheld but their operations must be adequately regulated at all times by the government and the traditional heads so that hoodlums do not hide under the guise of masquerade to bear illegal arms, to undo others and to cause nuisance in the society. The disruptions of public order – causing traffic congestion, disturbing the peace and interrupting business activities which negatively affect the local economy must stop. The extortionist acts of the masked spirit are highly resentful. As has been insinuated by some people and alluded to by a renowned university teacher, Professor Damina Opata, “The real danger is that some reckless youths even from outside Nsukka and Omabe culture areas go into the bush, don Oriokpa outfit, and begin to waylay people on the road, forcefully extorting money from innocent citizens, and even beating people who refuse to give them money.”
The solution to this was also proffered by the don, “…One way out of this is for village vigilantes and the police to arrest Oriokpa who block main roads, begging for money. The Igwes should also play a part in controlling the excesses of the modern Oriokpa.” The traditional rulers, town unions and other stakeholders should not allow outsiders to mess up their culture. Reformation of certain aspects of the masquerade tradition both in Nsukka and other parts of the country to align with contemporary societal norms is inevitable. It is crucial to balance cultural heritage with the need to maintain public safety and order.

Calista Ezeaku

Opinion

Policy Intervention: More Than Administrative Reform

Published

17 hours ago

January 19, 2026

The Tide

Quote:”This policy intervention proves that education reform is not just about administration, but about restoring dignity, equity, and integrity to the learning process.”

On September 24, 2025, the article” A Growing Emergency: How Marked-Up Textbooks Are Sabotaging Nigeria’s School Children”, written by King Onunwo, was published in The Tide Newspaper. In the said article, the writer expressed pains in what he viewed as ‘a silent but damaging practice’ taking root in homes across Nigeria, one that threatens the academic future of millions of children in primary and secondary schools. From the paintings of the writer, this seemingly minor convenience where older siblings complete their homeworks directly inside their school textbooks, may seem harmless on the surface. On the contrary, it is creating a dangerous ripple effect. What used to be a normal practice—siblings reusing textbooks year after year to ease the financial burden on families—has now turned into a nightmare. The writer could best describe its impact in our educational system as a stumbling block for students, and a ticking time bomb for the education system and to say the least, a source of distress for countless parents.

The core message of the article is that writing homework and classwork inside textbooks has evolved from a harmless household habit into a national educational crisis that is quietly undermining learning outcomes in Nigeria. Specifically, the article argues that: marked-up textbooks sabotage learning by denying younger students the opportunity to think independently, practice problem-solving, and engage meaningfully with lessons. Economic hardship has normalized textbook reuse, but misuse has turned a cost-saving strategy into an educational disadvantage. The problem is systemic, not merely individual, reflecting failures in policy enforcement, public awareness, and educational support structures. Hence, government’s intervention is urgently required, including regulations, awareness campaigns, textbook audits, penalties, and subsidized writing materials.

Violation of education equity was also fingered as children are academically punished due to circumstances beyond their control—birth order and family income. King Onunwo opined that small oversights can cause large-scale damage, and ignoring such “minor” issues threatens Nigeria’s broader educational goals. Ultimately, he called for a national textbook integrity policy to protect learning materials and ensure fairness in education. Deductively, the writer ‘s feelings and emotional tone conveyed a deep concern and alarm, repeatedly framing the issue as a “growing emergency,” “ticking time bomb,” and “quiet academic crisis.” which signals a genuine fear that the problem if unchecked, may have irreversible consequences.

The writer ‘s tone is outrightly that of an advocate, not a neutral observer, speaking with a strong sense of justice, emphasizing on education as a right, meaning that children should not be academically disadvantaged by family circumstances, hence, the need for society to protect educational tools.The repeated calls for “immediate,” “urgent,” and “no time to waste” action showed impatience with delays and excuses. The writer believes every academic term lost worsens the damage. It is not just about textbooks—it is about educational dignity, equality, and systemic responsibility. The closing metaphor (“the handwriting is on the wall”) reinforces the writer’s belief that the consequences are already visible and that failure to act would be inexcusable. By responding decisively to growing concerns around the misuse and rising cost of learning materials, the Federal Government has demonstrated that thoughtful advocacy still matters—and that public interest writing can indeed influence policy in meaningful ways.

The recently unveiled education policy banning disposable workbooks and mandating the use of durable, reusable textbooks is a commendable step in the right direction. It directly addresses the very issues raised by King Onunwo and other concerned writers and parents who have long warned about the silent damage being done to Nigeria’s school children through poorly designed textbook practices and unchecked misuse of learning materials. For years, families—especially those with multiple children—have struggled under the weight of repeated textbook purchases. Worse still, the culture of writing directly into textbooks turned what should have been reusable learning tools into single-use items, sabotaging younger siblings who inherited books already filled with answers, errors, and confusion. The new policy does not merely reduce costs; it restores the integrity of textbooks as reference materials meant to guide thinking, not replace it.

By insisting on standardized, high-quality textbooks designed to last four to six years, the government has effectively validated the core argument of education advocates: that sustainability, affordability, and quality learning are deeply interconnected. The decision to prohibit the bundling of disposable workbooks—often used as a commercial tactic to force annual purchases—is particularly laudable. It signals a shift away from profit-driven educational practices toward child-centered learning. Equally important is the policy’s emphasis on strengthening assessment and quality assurance for instructional materials. This tackles another long-standing problem: superficial textbook revisions that compel parents to buy “new editions” without meaningful improvements in content. Such practices have eroded trust in the system and placed unnecessary financial strain on households already stretched thin.

Beyond textbooks, the introduction of a uniform academic calendar and the rationalization of graduation ceremonies show a broader sensitivity to the hidden costs of schooling. These reforms recognize that education expenses are not limited to fees alone but are compounded by traditions and inconsistencies that quietly drain family resources. This policy intervention is more than administrative reform; it is proof that government can listen, reflect, and act when issues are clearly articulated and grounded in lived realities. It affirms the value of public-interest writing as a bridge between citizens’ experiences and policy action.While implementation and enforcement will be the true test, the direction is encouraging. Parents, teachers, and school administrators must now play their part to ensure that these reforms translate into real change in classrooms across the country.

In acknowledging and addressing the concerns raised by writers, educators, and families, the government has taken a vital step toward protecting the learning future of Nigerian children. It is a reminder that when the handwriting on the wall is read early enough, it is still possible to rewrite the story—for the better.However, kudos to Federal Government for the intervention, but it should not end on the table rather should be given accelerated attention in order to ensure full implementation.

By: Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi

Opinion

Redefining New Year Resolutions

Published

17 hours ago

January 19, 2026

The Tide

Quote: “Transformation begins the moment intention meets action.”

At the dawn of a new year and throughout its early days, millions of people across the globe make promises to themselves—to improve, to grow, and to transform. The New Year carries a unique sense of renewal, hope, and possibility. It offers a clean slate on which aspirations are rewritten and goals are redefined. But beyond the excitement and optimism lies an important question: what truly gives power to these resolutions, and how can they be sustained to positively impact individuals, families, and teams?

New Year resolutions emerge from different platforms, perspectives, and points of need. For many, the focus is personal growth—acquiring new skills, practicing mindfulness, improving physical health, or cultivating emotional resilience. Others prioritize relationships, seeking to strengthen bonds with family and friends, heal broken connections, or build new ones. Career development also ranks high, with goals such as professional advancement, job transitions, skill enhancement, or entrepreneurship. Financial stability—saving money, paying off debt, investing wisely—remains a major concern, while some individuals turn to creativity, exploring new hobbies, talents, or artistic pursuits.

Regardless of the resolution, a clear roadmap is essential. Transformation begins with reflection—understanding personal values, clarifying what truly matters, and identifying the change one desires to see. This process often involves shedding unproductive habits and mindsets to create room for growth. Setting specific and achievable goals, then breaking them into manageable tasks, increases the likelihood of success. Equally important is establishing an accountability system—whether through self-monitoring, trusted partners, or structured reviews—to sustain commitment over time.

New Year resolutions embody the power of intentional living. They allow individuals and groups to pause, evaluate past actions, and consciously chart a new course. When intentions are clearly defined, it becomes easier to identify growth areas, develop a realistic plan, maintain motivation, cultivate healthy habits, and strengthen relationships. Setting SMART goals—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound—ensures that resolutions are practical and purposeful rather than vague aspirations. In addition, prioritizing self-care enables the mind, body, and soul to function optimally, providing the stamina needed for long-term success.

Many resolutions require learning something new—whether acquiring professional skills, developing hobbies, or broadening intellectual capacity. For personal growth, this may include learning a new language, reading more books, or gaining knowledge that enhances competence and confidence. Involving family members in shared goals strengthens bonds and encourages collective responsibility. Regular family activities, open communication, shared meals, and intentional time together help instill values such as kindness, empathy, discipline, and accountability.

Career-focused resolutions may involve enrolling in online courses or certification programs, improving digital literacy, or networking with professionals in the same field. Financial growth requires discipline—creating and adhering to a budget, building a savings plan, investing wisely, and paying off debt systematically. When creativity or leisure is the focus, starting a journal or blog, learning an instrument, engaging in arts and crafts, or pursuing writing can be both fulfilling and therapeutic.

For families and teams, resolutions foster unity and shared purpose. When goals are collectively set and pursued, they promote collaboration, trust, and mutual support. Teams that align their resolutions with shared values experience improved productivity, morale, and accountability. Clear communication, regular progress reviews, and celebrating small wins reinforce commitment and sustain momentum throughout the year.

However, common pitfalls must be avoided. Unrealistic expectations often lead to discouragement and failure; goals should be challenging yet attainable. A lack of planning or strategy undermines even the best intentions, while poor accountability increases the risk of giving up prematurely. To make resolutions stick, it is important to track progress using journals, planners, or digital tools; celebrate milestones; remain patient with setbacks; and review goals periodically to adjust when necessary.

As the year unfolds, may our goals, hopes, and resolutions inspire meaningful change. Resolutions are not merely seasonal rituals—they are journeys of growth and discipline. With intentional planning, focused action, and collective effort, individuals, families, and teams can thrive, transform, and make lasting strides toward a better future.

By: Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi

Opinion

Trans-Kalabari Road: Work In Progress

Published

1 week ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

Quote:”This Dream project is one of the best things that have happened to the people and residents of Degema, Asari Toru and Akuku Toru Local Government Areas in recent times.”

This is the concluding part of this story featured in our last edition.

Good road network helps farmers to convey their agro-allied products to commercial hubs where buyers and sellers meet periodically to transact business. Road network engineers and motivates people resident in unfriendly geographical terrains, like riverine areas, to own property and shuttle home with ease. Some people will prefer living in their own houses in a more serene and nature-blessed communities to living in the city that is fraught with pollution, and other environmental, social and economic hazards. Prior to the cult epidemic that ravaged parts of Rivers State, the Emohuas, Elemes, Ogonis, and Etches were known for rural dwelling. Most public servants from these areas do their official and private transactions from their villages. For them it was comparatively easier to live in the village and engage in a diversified economic endeavours through farming, fishing or other lucrative business without outrageous charges and embarrassment associated with doing business in Port Harcourt, where land is as scarce as the traditional needle.

That is why the decision to construct the Trans-Kalabari Road by the administration of Dr. Peter Odili was one of the best decisions that administration took. When Dr. Odili vacated office as the Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi took over and awarded contracts for continuation of the road project which in my considered view is the felt need of the people of Degema, Asari Toru and Akuku Toru Local Government Areas. Unfortunately, Rt. Hon. Amaechi’s efforts to drive the project was sabotaged by some contractors some of whom are Kalabari people. The main Trans-Kalabari Road is one project that is dear to the people and residents of Degema, Asari Toru and Akuku Toru Local Government Areas of Rivers State. This is because through the road commuters can easily access several communities in the three local government areas. For instance, the road when completed will enable access to eight of the ten communities in Degema Local Government Area, namely: Bukuma, Tombia, Bakana, Oguruama, Obuama, Usokun, Degema town and the Degema Consulate. It will also link 15 of the 16 communities in Asari Toru Local Government Area. The communities are: Buguma, the local government headquarters, Ido, Abalama, Tema, Sama, Okpo, Ilelema, Ifoko, Tema, Sangama, Krakrama, Omekwe-Ama, Angulama. The road will also connect 14 of 17 wards in Akuku Toru Local Government Area, and other settlements. It is interesting to note that It is faster, and far more convenient and economical for the catchment Communities on the Trans-Kalabari Road network to go to the State Capital than the East West Road. The people of the three local government areas will prefer to work or do their transactions in Port Harcourt from their respective communities to staying in Port Harcourt where the house rent and the general cost of living is astronomically high.

Consequently, development will seamlessly spread to the 28 out of 34 communities of Degema, Asari Toru and Akuku Toru Local Government Areas. The only Communities that are not linked by the road project are Oporoama in Asari Toru, the Ke and Bille Communities in Degema Local Government Area and the “Oceania” communities of Abissa, Kula, Soku, Idama, Elem Sangama of Akuku Toru Local Government Area. But because of the economic value of the unlinked Communities to Nigeria, (they produce substantial oil and gas in the area), the Federal, State Governments and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), can extend the road network to those areas just as Bonny is linked to Port Harcourt and the Lagos Mainland Bridge is connecting several towns in Lagos and neighbouring States.Kudos to previous administrations who had constructed the Central Group axis.

However, what is said to be the First Phase of the Trans-Kalabari Road project is actually a linkage of the “Central Group” Communities which consists of Krakrama, Angulama, Omekwe. Ama, Omekwe Tari Ama, Ifoko, Tema, Sangama. It is the peripheral of the Trans-Kalabari Road. The completion of the Main Trans Kalabari project will free Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor areas from congestion. It will motivate residents and people of the three local areas to contribute to the development of their Communities. If the Ogonis, Etches, Emohuas, Oyigbos, Okrikas, Elemes can feel comfortable doing business in Port Harcourt from home, residents and people whose communities are linked to Port Harcourt through the Trans-Kalabari Road will no doubt, do likewise. The vast arable virgin land of the Bukuma people can be open for development and sustainable agricultural ventures by Local, State and Federal Government.

It is necessary to recall that the Bukuma community was host to the Federal Government’s Graduate Farmers’ Scheme and the Rivers State Government moribund School-to-Land Scheme under Governor Fidelis Oyakhilome. Bukuma was the only community in Degema, Asari Toru and Akuku Toru Local Government Areas that has the capacity to carry those agricultural programmes. However the lack of road to transport farm produce to Port Harcourt and facilitate the movement of the beneficiaries of the scheme who lived in the community which is several miles away from the farms, hampered the sustainability of the programme. The main Trans-Kalabari Road remains the best gift to the people of Degema, Asari Toru, and Akuku-Toru Local Government Areas. Kudos to Sir Siminilayi Fubara.

By: Igbiki Benibo